Inspire Future Generations Awards 2026
Entries now open!
#ifgawards2026 FAQ
Across the UK and beyond, design and development processes are involving children and young people in shaping places.
If you shape places and involve young people in decisions — these awards are for you.
Projects where children and young people contribute to shaping places — from early engagement through to involvement in live decisions.
Start your entry→ Choose a category
Not sure where your project fits? → Use our quick guide below.
Who are the 2026 Judges?
What we recognise
We recognise projects where children and young people contribute to shaping the built environment.
This includes work at different stages — from early engagement to direct involvement in live decisions. What matters is what changes as a result.
We are particularly interested in:
how young people contribute to decisions
what difference that involvement makes
how this shapes design, use or long-term outcomes
This might include:
shaping 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
Emerging practice
Not all impactful work results in immediate change. We also recognise emerging practice where there is:
a strong and thoughtful approach
clear intent and direction
credible potential to shape future decisions
Who can apply
Submissions are welcome from those shaping the built environment, including:
architects, urban designers, landscape architects, engineers,, developers and local authorities
organisations and not-for-profits
clients, commissioners and multidisciplinary teams
Projects may vary in scale, context and stage — from early exploration to established practice.
PROJECT CATEGORY SECTION
Recognising how projects enable children and young people to shape place.
Climate Change
Helping shape how places respond to environmental challenges.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute ideas, priorities, and solutions that support climate resilience and environmental sustainability.
.Typical entries include biodiversity projects, nature recovery, green infrastructure, sustainable transport, climate adaptation, environmental design, and resilience planning.
Culture
Helping shape the identity and experience of place.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to how places are understood, celebrated, interpreted, and experienced.Typical entries include public art, creative placemaking, storytelling, festivals, cultural programmes, interpretation projects, and initiatives exploring local identity.
Regeneration
Helping shape the future of changing places.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to the renewal, transformation, or long-term development of places.Typical entries include regeneration projects, town centre renewal, estate renewal, masterplanning, placemaking initiatives, and community-led change.
Strategic Vision
Helping shape the future direction of places
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to long-term thinking, planning, and decision-making about places.Typical entries include masterplans, new settlements, planning frameworks, regeneration strategies, local plans, vision documents, and long-term place-based planning.
Community
Helping shape places that bring people together.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to creating stronger, more connected communities and more meaningful experiences of place.Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to creating stronger, more connected communities and more meaningful experiences of place.
Skills development
Developing skills through engagement with real places and projects.
Recognising initiatives that help children and young people build confidence, knowledge, and transferable skills through meaningful involvement in the built environment.Typical entries include design challenges, place-based learning, mentoring programmes, youth leadership initiatives, creative problem-solving projects, and participatory design activities.
Development Company / Estate
Recognising how development processes enable young people to shape outcomes
Typical entries include relevant engagement across developments, estates, and long-term place-making programmes.
Healthy Spaces
Helping create places that support wellbeing.
Recognising projects where children and young people help shape environments that support physical, mental, and social health.Typical entries include play and recreation spaces, active travel projects, public realm improvements, green spaces, accessibility initiatives, and wellbeing-focused design.
Heritage (NEW)
Helping connect the past with the future of place.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to understanding, interpreting, and celebrating heritage.Typical entries include heritage engagement projects, local history initiatives, conservation programmes, interpretation schemes, archives, museums, and heritage-led placemaking.
Research & Materials
Creating knowledge, tools, and evidence that improve practice.
Recognising projects that develop resources, research, methods, or tools that support children and young people to engage with and shape places.Typical entries include research projects, toolkits, publications, guidance, educational resources, methodologies, and evidence-based approaches to participation.
Local Authority / Public Agency
Recognising how policy, planning and delivery enable young people to shape place
Typical entries include councils developing youth engagement programmes, participation strategies, youth forums, or place-based initiatives.
University school/Department built environment design/planning
Recognising how teaching, research or outreach enables young people to shape place
Typical entries include design studios, research projects, community partnerships, knowledge exchange programmes, and participation-led teaching.
Recognising practice that embeds children and young people in shaping design and decision-making
Typical entries include practices developing engagement approaches, testing new methods, or building participation across a number of projects.
BEST OF SECTION
Recognising organisations on the journey towards embedding children's and young people's participation in shaping places.
These awards celebrate organisations that are actively developing their approach to involving children and young people in shaping places, projects, and decisions.
Whether participation is embedded across an organisation or emerging through recent projects, these awards recognise commitment, progress, learning, and ambition.
Recent projects should be used to demonstrate how this commitment is being translated into practice.
Built Environment Practice
Not for Profit
Recognising approaches that enable participation to shape real outcomes
Typical entries include place-based programmes, community projects, advocacy initiatives, and long-term engagement work.