The Emerging Voices Award (previously known as the Hugo Young Award) is a political opinion writing competition for young people aged 16-25 who attend or have attended a state-funded secondary school in the UK. Set up to provide a platform for new voices and fresh perspectives in journalism, there are two award categories: 16-18 age category and 19-25 age category.

A panel of journalists from the Guardian and Observer will judge the competition, and prizes for the winning entries include publication on The Guardian Foundation website, a trophy and an invitation to an awards ceremony in London.

Timeline:

• The 2025 competition opens for entries on 10th January 2025. Download the entry guidelines here.
• The deadline for entries for the 16-18 category is 15th February 2025 (2nd February 2025 for the 19-25 category).
• The shortlists and the winner are announced in March.

Cost: Free.

About The Guardian Foundation: The Guardian Foundation is a charity that promotes global press freedom and access to liberal journalism. They work with journalists, news organisations, audiences and educators, in schools and across communities to enhance people’s ability to evaluate news critically, facilitate opportunities for inclusion in media and build media capacity.