Congratulations to the winners of the RBC Youth Health Innovation Challenge — Team New Glasgow!
A round of applause for Aneesa Hussain, Munyaradzi Matura, Jason Phonchareon and Olivian Sanderson on their award-winning solution for improving mental healthcare for young Nova Scotians – the Sociable app!
The app is aimed at providing a safe source of connection, community and resources for students on post-secondary campuses in Nova Scotia.
Thank you to all of the participants, mentors, judges and partners who made the RBC Youth Health Innovation Challenge such a great success!
Every innovation pitched during the competition wowed our judges, and each is being reviewed by our ecosystem partners to determine whether they can be developed further.
What is the RBC Youth Health Innovation Challenge?
Are you 16-25, and living in Nova Scotia?
The RBC Youth Health Innovation Challenge is your opportunity to have your voice heard when it comes to mental healthcare in our province.
The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to break down the barriers you think young people experience every day that prevent them from getting effective mental healthcare.
Young adults compete in five regional events across the province:
- April 6 – Bridgewater (NSCC Lunenburg Campus)
- April 7 – Halifax (Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub)
- April 14 – Kentville (NSCC Kingstec Campus)
- April 20 – Sydney (NSCC Marconi Campus)
- April 21 – New Glasgow (IGNITE Atlantic Northern)
Challenge Overview
Develop a solution that will increase access to meaningful mental health resources for the province’s young people -- no matter where they live, or their background.
You’ll be part of a team who works together to develop healthcare solutions, practice skills in innovation development, pitching and more.
The competition has the following key stages;
- A series of virtual training sessions on evaluating a good idea and perfecting a pitch will be held in March;
- Five regional competitions will take place across the province where teams of three-to-five participants will hone and pitch their ideas;
- Winners of the regional events will pitch their innovations at a final competition at the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub in May;
- The Nova Scotia Health Innovation Team will work with the winning team to refine their idea between June and August. Judging at the regional and final pitch events will be done by a multidisciplinary panel of judges.
The nature of the solutions is up to each team, but could include community-based resources, culturally sensitive or multilingual resources, a crisis-intervention tool, or a digital platform that connects youth with mental health resources.
The winning team of each regional competition will receive a $2,000 prize and move on to the Pitch Finals, which will be held in May 2024. The winner of the final competition will be awarded $8,000 and support from the Nova Scotia Health Innovation team in further developing their idea between June and August 2024.
Leading up to the regional events, you and your team will attend virtual idea and pitch training sessions in March 2024 to support your project development and presentation skills.
This challenge is in partnership with funders the RBC Foundation and the QEII Foundation, as well as IGNITE Atlantic, IWK Health and the Nova Scotia Health Mental Health and Addictions program and Kids Help Phone.
Click here to register for one of four information sessions happening in February and March 2024.
How to participate
Step 1: Sign up for an info session
- Held March 6 to 26 – click here to register
Step 2: Attend an information session
Step 3: Attend Training Sessions
- Check your email for details after you register
Step 4: Attend a Regional Event
Regional finalists announced
Step 5: Pitch Training for Regional Finalists
Step 6: Attend Final Pitch Day
Final winner announced
Step 7: Winning team works with Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub team to refine their idea
