INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS AWARDS (IFGA)
Competition Brief
The Inspire Future Generations Awards (IFGA26) is an annual awards programme organised by Thornton Education Trust (TET), recognising projects, organisations, and individuals that meaningfully involve children and young people in shaping the built environment. Now in its sixth edition, the programme spans 16 categories across three sections Projects, Best of, and Inspiring Individuals and is open to entries from the UK and internationally. Submissions close 16 October 2026.
The IFGA operates from a clear premise: that children and young people are consistently excluded from the decisions that shape the places where they live, learn, and play. The programme does not simply celebrate completed work it actively builds a community of practice, feeds winning entries into TET’s Resource Bank and annual Empowering Environments Report, and invites winners to participate in TET Dialogue events throughout the year.
Intent
The IFGA recognises work that gives young people a genuine voice in decisions about place not token consultation, but substantive participation that shapes design, policy, or long-term outcomes. The programme is particularly interested in three questions: how young people contributed to decisions, what difference that involvement made, and how it shaped design, use, or long-term outcomes. Emerging practice with credible potential is also eligible, even where immediate change is not yet demonstrable.
Purpose
Beyond recognition, the IFGA functions as a knowledge-sharing and capacity-building programme. Winning entries are incorporated into the TET Resource Bank and Empowering Environments Report. Winners are invited to present at TET Dialogue events and considered as panelists for quarterly online discussions. The awards thus connect individual projects to a broader sector conversation about youth participation in urban design and planning practice.
Requirements
All entries must be submitted in English via the online forms on the TET website no alternative submission method is accepted. Each category has its own dedicated form, accessible via the ‘Learn More & Apply’ button on the awards page. Entries must relate to work completed within the last six years. Submissions consist of short written sections plus an upload of no more than 6 sides of A4 (maximum 20MB), which may include photographs, press coverage, statistics, or testimonials. Applications cannot be amended after submission, but a save function is available during drafting, and a full copy is automatically emailed upon submission.
Registration Fees
| Section | Entry Type | Standard Fee | 2nd Category (Same Project) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Projects Section | Small not-for-profits | £69 | £55 (code: IFGA26notprofit2ndcategory) |
| Projects Section | Built environment companies, developers, local authorities, institutions | £149 | £115 (code: IFGA26company2ndcategory) |
| Best of Section | Small not-for-profits | £60 | — |
| Best of Section | Built environment companies, developers, local authorities, institutions | £129 | — |
| Special Recognition (Young Talent / Individual of the Year) | All — nomination by third parties only | Free | — |
One project may be entered in a maximum of two categories. Discount codes apply at the end of the submission form. Fees are non-refundable. The Best of Section does not offer a dual-category discount. All payments are processed through the online submission platform.
Prizes and Rewards
| Award Level | Recognition |
|---|---|
| All shortlisted finalists | Written notification mid-November 2026 |
| Winners — all categories | Announced at Awards Ceremony, 30 November 2026 |
| Winners — Inspiring Individuals (if sponsored) | £150 cash prize (sponsor-funded, subject to sponsorship confirmed) |
| All winners | Inclusion in TET Resource Bank + Empowering Environments Report + Winners Shorts video series + invitation to TET Dialogue events as presenter or panelist |
No standard cash prize is attached to Project or Best of category wins. The £150 prize for Inspiring Individuals categories is contingent on an Inspiring Individual Sponsor (£1,800 package) being confirmed. The primary reward across all categories is sector recognition, knowledge-sharing platform access, and inclusion in TET’s ongoing research and advocacy outputs.
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Entries open | Now open (2026) |
| Submission deadline | 16 October 2026 |
| Judging panel convenes — shortlist finalised | After 16 October 2026 |
| Shortlisted finalists notified | Mid-November 2026 |
| Awards Ceremony — winners announced | 30 November 2026 |
16 Categories — What Can Be Entered?
The IFGA26 is structured across three sections. Each category has its own submission form and assessment criteria, accessible via the TET website.
Projects Section (9 Categories)
| Category | Focus |
|---|---|
| Climate Change | Projects where young people shape responses to environmental challenges: biodiversity, green infrastructure, climate adaptation, sustainable transport |
| Culture | Projects shaping place identity and experience: public art, creative placemaking, storytelling, festivals, local identity initiatives |
| Regeneration | Projects involving young people in renewal or transformation of places: town centre renewal, estate regeneration, masterplanning |
| Strategic Vision | Long-term planning contributions: masterplans, local plans, new settlements, vision documents, planning frameworks |
| Community | Projects building stronger communities: place-based programmes, community cohesion, meaningful shared experience of place |
| Skills Development | Initiatives building confidence and transferable skills: design challenges, place-based learning, mentoring, youth leadership |
| Healthy Spaces | Environments supporting wellbeing: play spaces, active travel, public realm, green space, accessibility, mental health-focused design |
| Heritage (NEW) | Connecting young people to the past: heritage engagement, conservation, local history, interpretation, archives, heritage-led placemaking |
| Research & Materials | Knowledge and tools improving practice: research, toolkits, publications, methodologies, educational resources |
Best of Section (5 Categories)
| Category | Focus |
|---|---|
| Best of Built Environment Practice | Practices embedding participation across multiple projects and methods |
| Best of Local Authority / Public Agency | Councils and agencies developing youth engagement at policy and delivery level |
| Best of Development Company / Estate | Developers embedding participation across long-term place-making programmes |
| Best of Not for Profit | Organisations enabling participation to shape real community outcomes |
| Best of University / School / Department | Teaching, research, or outreach enabling young people to shape place |
Best of entrants are recommended to have at least one project submitted in a current category or shortlisted between 2021–2024. Entries without prior awards involvement are accepted where sufficient evidence is provided.
Special Recognition — Inspiring Individuals (2 Categories)
| Category | Focus |
|---|---|
| Young Talent | An individual early in their career demonstrating strong potential in enabling young people to shape decisions about place |
| Individual of the Year | An individual whose sustained work has created lasting change in how children and young people shape the built environment |
Both Inspiring Individuals categories accept third-party nominations only — self-nomination is not permitted. No fee applies. Nominees must be part of a previously entered project, a winning or shortlisted team from 2021–2026, or provide sufficient independent evidence of impact.
Submission Materials — What to Prepare
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Online form | Category-specific form via TET website — no alternative method accepted |
| Written sections | Short sections as specified per category form |
| Supporting document upload | Maximum 6 sides of A4 — photographs, press coverage, statistics, testimonials (max 20MB) |
| Language | English only |
| Amendment after submission | Not permitted — use save function before final submission |
| Confirmation | Full copy of application automatically emailed upon submission |
Jury
| Judge | Current Position |
|---|---|
| Magali Thomson | Architect & Project Lead for Placemaking, Great Ormond Street Hospital |
| Chloe McFarlane | Community Engagement Manager, Grosvenor Property UK |
| Eleanor Fawcett | Built Environment Fellow, 1851 Royal Commission; Co-Chair, Greater Cambridge Design Review Panel |
| Kathryn Firth | Former Director, Masterplanning and Urban Design, Arup |
| Claire Miller | Associate Architect & Retrofit Designer, Askew Cavanna; Associate Lecturer, UWE |
| Melissa Lacide | Consultant — Engagement, Quality of Life Futures |
| Gemma Hyde | Projects and Policy Manager, Town and Country Planning Association |
| Julia Nicholls | Founder, Julia Nicholls Communications Ltd; TET Associate |
| Dhruv Gulabchande | Director, Narrative Practice; TET Associate; Lecturer, Syracuse University London & Central Saint Martins |
A panel of nine judges drawn from healthcare design, property development, planning policy, urban design, retrofit practice, community engagement, and communications. The range of disciplines reflects the cross-sectoral scope of the awards. Further judges were noted as forthcoming at the time of publication.
Intellectual Property
TET retains the right to publish and promote all content and imagery from submissions. By entering, participants confirm that relevant photography licences and permissions have been obtained and grant TET permission to use supplied images on its website and in associated publicity without copyright infringement. A credit line must be provided with images. Participants are advised to review the full terms within the submission form before submitting, as applications cannot be withdrawn for a fee refund once submitted.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The IFGA occupies a genuinely underserved niche: there is no comparable annual programme in the UK built environment sector dedicated exclusively to recognising participatory practice with children and young people. The sixth edition broadens its reach with the addition of a Heritage category and maintains international eligibility — a meaningful distinction for a programme rooted in a UK charity context. The fee structure is proportionate: £69 for small not-for-profits entering the Projects section is reasonable given the administrative costs of running an independent awards programme. The absence of a standard cash prize across most categories is transparent and consistent with the programme’s civic purpose. The dual-category discount mechanism is a practical acknowledgement that strong projects often speak to multiple themes. The intellectual property clause — granting TET broad use of submitted images — warrants careful reading before entry. For practices, local authorities, and community organisations doing substantive participatory work with young people, the IFGA offers sector visibility, a documented evidence base through the Empowering Environments Report, and genuine community of practice access. The judging panel is practitioner-led and credible.
Final Thoughts
The Inspire Future Generations Awards 2026 recognises built environment work that places children and young people at the centre of design and planning decisions. Sixteen categories span projects, organisational practice, and individual contribution. Entry fees range from £60–£149 depending on category and organisation type; Special Recognition nominations are free. Submissions close 16 October 2026. Winners are announced at the Awards Ceremony on 30 November 2026. Enter at thorntoneducationtrust.org/ifgawards-2026. Contact: inspireawards@thorntoneducationtrust.org.
Submission Deadline
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