Winners of the "Youth Voices on Mental Health" Contest 2023
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) invited adolescents and young people between 10 and 24 years of age in the Americas to participate in the "Youth Voices" creative contest, to articulate their vision regarding the ongoing mental health crisis in the Region of the Americas.
The deadline for submitting artworks closed on August 31, 2023.
The winners will receive cash prizes and their original works (created especially for the contest) will be published in PAHO communication channels and/or campaigns related to the theme of Adolescent Mental Health.
CONTEST TERMS
Adolescents and young between aged 10 to 24 years, from all countries and ethnic groups in the Region of the Americas. These adolescents may participate with individual or group projects, using their native language.
Step 1: Participants must choose a question and a category of creative expression.
Step 2: Participants must choose one (1) of the three (3) following questions:
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Question 1 - What does mental health mean to you?
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Question 2 - What do you think young people need to take care of their mental health?
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Question 3 - What role can you and other young people play to reduce stigma associated with mental health conditions?
Step 3: The selected question must be answered using one of the following categories of creative expressions:
Categories:
Contestants must choose a category, and a medium within that category:
Art proposals
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Painting: acrylics, watercolors, or any other material or technique.
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Drawing: crayons, pencils, markers, or any other materials.
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Digital illustration: contestants may use whatever techniques and programs they prefer.
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Comic: contestants may use whatever techniques they prefer.
Writing proposals
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Poem: maximum of 400 words.
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Story or essay: maximum of 800 words.
Audiovisual proposals
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Video for social networks: maximum duration, 1 minute; creativity and style are the main criteria, using live action, animation, or any other technique. No video may include copyrighted material, resources, or music without the author’s permission.
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Song: maximum length, 4 minutes; unpublished lyrics and music written by the contestant.
Contestants cannot participate in more than one category. They can only submit one creative proposal that complies with the specifications detailed for each option.
Artwork must be submitted in high-resolution JPG files. Written works must be submitted in Word files. Alternatively, handwritten works may be submitted as a clearly legible photographic image. Works in the digital category must be submitted in their original format, compressed for emailing.
Works in indigenous languages must include a Word file with a translation into English or Spanish.
All works must be original, not previously disseminated, and not have previously won a prize.
They must be uploaded to the PAHO web form along with their authorization forms. You can also find this form in the Delivery Zone of this page.
Go to the Download Zone of this page to download the authorization forms and the contest terms document and guidelines.
Representatives of underage participants (10-17 ages) must submit Authorization for reproduction of a photographic image, audio and/or video of a minor and Authorization for use and reproduction of material.
Participants of legal age (18-24 ages) must submit the Authorization for reproduction of a photographic image.
Thursday, 12 noon (Washington, D.C., time) on 31 August 2023.
The winners will be announced on this webpage on October 11th.
CONTEST GUIDELINES
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Deadline for entries is 12 noon (Washington, D.C., time) on 31 August 2023.
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Works that have already received a prize from another contest, or that have been published previously by any other organization, will not be considered.
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Works may be submitted in local and indigenous languages of the countries of the Region of the Americas. These entries must include an English or Spanish translation, in a Word file.
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PAHO will review submissions with available tools to detect possible AI generation, based upon which submissions may be disqualified.
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By submitting their material, contestants accept that this material, regardless of whether it wins, may be used by PAHO for educational and/or promotional purposes. Likewise, they grant PAHO a perpetual license for non-exclusive use, free of charge, for which it will be necessary to complete the corresponding authorization.
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PAHO may include its logo, and credit the author of the material if it is used.
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Any person or persons clearly identifiable in the materials must give their consent for the use of their image, signing the authorization for reproduction of their image.
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When submitting materials, contestants must expressly declare being their original authors. a They must also declare that they undertake to hold PAHO/WHO free from any liability that may arise from the infringement of the rights of third parties who have or claim to have rights of any nature over the materials submitted to the contest.
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When submitting materials, contestants who are minors must fill out a form signed by a parent or legal guardian.
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The jury will announce the winners and inform them by email. The list of winners will also be published on the PAHO website.
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The winners will be announced on this webpage on October 11th. Prizes will be awarded through PAHO’s Country Offices in the Region of the Americas.
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The words and images contained in the materials must be respectful of cultures and persons and may not include language that is offensive or that is or could be interpreted as discriminatory and stigmatizing. Likewise, language must not be used that violates public order, morals, or good manners.
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The acceptance of the prize by the winners implies the express granting of authorization to the organizers to use these winners’ names and surnames, as well as their images, in any public activity or dissemination related to the contest, without resulting in any obligation with regard to compensation, payment, or remuneration of any kind.
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Prizes awarded to minors will be given to their parents or guardians. It is recommended that the prize money be used to cover the winners’ educational expenses.
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Winners who are minors must indicate, together with their parents or guardians, whether their works are to be published under the minors’ legal names or under pseudonyms.
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PAHO staff or consultants hired by PAHO in any country in the Region of the Americas may not enter the contest, nor may their immediate family members.
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For any further information or if you have any questions about the contest rules, please write to the following email: adolescent_health@paho.org
For judging, entries will be distributed into three age groups:
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Contestants from 10 to 14 years old
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Contestants from 15 to 19 years old
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Contestants from 20 to 24 years old
The winner will have the highest score, judged as follows:
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40% creativity
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40% originality, clarity and coherence of content
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20% adherence to the approach chosen and requirements of the contest.
The jury will be comprised of adolescents and of professionals in the areas of communications, adolescent health, and graphic design.
The winners will be announced on this webpage on October 11th.
PRIZES
:: FIRST PLACE
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Winner of the 10-14 group: US$ 500
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Winner of the 15-19 group: US$ 500
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Winner of the 20-24 group: US$ 500
:: SECOND PLACE
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Winner of the 10-14 group: US$ 250
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Winner of the 15-19 group: US$ 250
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Winner of the 20-24 group: US$ 250
:: THIRD PLACE
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Winner of the 10-14 group: US$150
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inner of the 15-19 group: US$150
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Winner of the 20-24 group: US$150
CONTEST CLOSED. Participants must upload their creative work to this form, along with authorization documents for use and reproduction of material to download in Download Zone.
