The Volvo Adventure, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is an educational award programme for young people, between 13 and 16 years of age, designed to encourage environmental awareness and activity among future decision makers. Teams of youth should submit environmental project proposals for support through this programme.

Free teacher and group leader resources are available to help start or develop projects. The resources offer guidance on how to help young people research, plan, publicise, and carry out a project, and how to monitor and report the findings. Since the programme is conducted in English, the project also offers an opportunity for children from non-English speaking communities to practise their English skills.

The best projects will be invited to attend the finals at the Volvo Adventure Award conference, which is held in Göteborg, Sweden. The conference will enable participants to present their projects and to share their ideas with other young people from all over the world. The three best entries will receive grants (1st prize: US$10,000; 2nd prize: US$6,000; and 3rd prize: US$4,000) that will enable them to continue their project work.

Click here for introductory information and for links to more details, guidelines, access to a registration form, and links to further contest information in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Swahili.

Click here for information on previous winners.

Volvo Adventure website, accessed on November 3 2009.