Inspire Future Generations Awards 2026
2026 Entries opening soon.
#ifgawards2026
Recognising how children and young people are shaping the built environment
The IFG Awards celebrate projects where children and young people contribute to shaping decisions about place — from early engagement through to real change in design, planning, and use.
We welcome a wide range of work, from emerging approaches to established practice.
Would you like to sponsor one of the Categories?
PROJECT SECTION
Regeneration
Real change in places driven by decisions influenced by children and young people, shaping how environments develop over time.
Social Value
Social impact delivered through the built environment, with clear benefits for communities shaped by children and young people.
Skills development
Skills, confidence, and pathways built through engagement with the built environment, supporting children and young people to progress.
Heritage
Long-term direction shaped by children and young people’s perspectives, influencing how decisions about the built environment are made.
Strategic Vision
Understanding of place history shaped by children and young people, influencing how heritage is interpreted and experienced.
Climate Change
Environmental action within the built environment, shaped by children and young people contributing to more sustainable and resilient places.
Culture
Creative responses to place that allow children and young people to shape how environments are interpreted, represented, and experienced.
Healthy Spaces
Wellbeing supported through environments shaped by children and young people, influencing how spaces are designed, used, and experienced.
Material resources and research
Tools and knowledge that support engagement with the built environment, developed through or informed by children and young people.
Community Engagement
Connection and belonging shaped through the use and experience of shared spaces, where children and young people influence how local environments bring people together.
Safety & Inclusiveness
Removing barriers in the built environment by enabling children and young people to shape how spaces become safer, more inclusive, and accessible
Best of Development Company
Developers, housing associations, investors who with the initiatives they have commissioned or encouraged, create outstanding activities that engage children and young people in built environment issues.
Best of Local Authority
Local authorities that has developed one or more relevant built environment related programmes for children and/or young people.
Best of Built Environment Practice
Practices that embed children and young people in their social value commitments and strategies/projects, demonstrating a commitment to positive impact within the built environment.
Best of Not for Profit Organisation
Not for profit organisations with one of its primary aims is to produce built environment programmes for children and young people.
Young Talent
An emerging individual practitioner, whether they work independently or as part of a team, who has made an excellent contribution to our theme ‘Inspiring Future Generations’.
Individual of the Year
An established individual practitioner, whether they work independently or as part of a team, who has made an excellent contribution to our theme ‘Inspiring Future Generations’.
BEST OF SECTION
Embedding into practice
Work that integrates children and young people’s participation into how organisations shape the built environment on an ongoing basis.
Shaping decisions about place
We are particularly interested in work where children and young people have helped shape decisions about place — in design, planning, delivery, or use.
This might include:
influencing design ideas or proposals
identifying priorities that shape a project
contributing to how a space is used or experienced
informing how work is carried out over time
In some projects, this influence will be clear and direct. In others, it may be more partial — but still meaningful.
Recognising emerging practice
We also recognise that not all impactful work results in immediate changes to decisions.
Some projects are developing new approaches, building confidence, or testing methods that have strong potential to shape future practice.
These are recognised as Emerging Practice, where there is:
a strong and thoughtful approach
clear intent and direction
credible potential to shape future decisions about place