For University Students
CHALLENGE NOW CLOSED. WATCH COMPETITORS LIVE AT READY SET GREAT
WIN Paid INTERNSHIPS AT United nations development programme (undp)
5 minutes to convince delegates & judges that your Team is #1
UNDP’s Development Challenge is an annual team competition for tertiary students who brainstorm ways to solve significant development issues. The winning team secures paid internships at UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica plus other prizes. Students compete in mixed tertiary school teams and have five minutes to convince a panel of judges and delegates that their team’s development solution is the best of them all. The Challenge is open to tertiary students from Jamaica, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. Competitors must be registered participants of Ready Set Great 2023 (In person if they are based in Jamaica and online if they are based overseas in Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands). This year, delegates will brainstorm and pitch an innovative solution in poverty eradication. Details coming soon. Competing is fairly simple. Scroll for some steps.
Deadline for applications is FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER (11:59 p.m. GMT-5 ). REGISTER NOW
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Who Can Compete in Development Challenge?
- Competitors must be nationals of or reside in Jamaica, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. These are the nation states served by the UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica. Please note that while the Development Challenge eligibility is exclusive to five nations, the Ready Set Great Youth in Development Conference online registration is open to anyone anywhere.
- Entrants must also satisfy the following requirements of UNDP’s internship programme at the time of application:
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UNDP Internship Eligibility
2.1 Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
2.2 Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
2.3 Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
2.4 Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.
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How To Enter The Development Challenge in 2 short steps
- Complete the short Application Form Here: ENTER THE COMPETITION
- Register for the Conference HERE
That’s it! You will receive a confirmation email once registration has been verified and eligibility confirmed. Competitors will be assigned to teams of no more than four students. .
Focus of Development Challenge 2023
Each team of students will work together to pitch an initiative/project solution to end youth poverty focusing on a particular barrier or challenge impacting this age group. Your team decides the issue, focus and solutions.
Development Challenge is a team experience like no other
What Does the Challenge entail?
- Approved challengers will be placed in mixed teams of four so they can connect, network, explore ideas, and work on their pitch. Teams decide how, when and often they will meet. They must make accommodation (virtually) for competitors outside Jamaica.
- Teams must agree on a Team name, and appoint a team leader. This must be communicated to the UNDP organizing team.
- Teams will be invited to participate in an official video and photo shoot at UNDP to promote their Team and the Development Challenge. The produced video will be distributed on social media and released to competitors as well.
- A multimedia presentation of the pitch must be completed and submitted to the organizing team no more than two days before the Conference.
- The team is required to present their team pitches before a panel of judges and the delegates in the final hours of the Ready Set Great Conference. At the end of all presentations, delegates will vote for the pitches and those votes will be calculated by the judges as part of the final score.
- Following all presentations, the Judges will immediately go into caucus, and, taking into account the delegates vote as part of the assessment, will determine the wining team who will be announced Live at the conference by the UNDP Resident Representative.
Guidelines, Tips, Resources
- Entrants for the Development Challenge must also be registered for the Conference.
- It would be wise to check the judging criteria before developing your pitch. DOWNLOAD JUDING CRITERIA.
- Guidelines on how to construct a pitch may also be useful. DOWNLOAD GUIDLINES FOR CONSTRUCTING YOUR PITCH.
Prizes
The winning team (tertiary students only) will be awarded paid internships* at the UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica, over a period of six months. Students will be assigned to the programmes, operations and communications departments based on their programme of study and their study schedules. Other prizes will also be awarded to the winning and runner up teams. *Please note the internship placements are subject to UNDP’s global internship policies, as such any awardee must satisfy the terms and conditions of the programme. Candidates should be located in Jamaica, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands.
FAQs
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions on the Development Challenge
eligible countries
Jamaica, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands.
Other Conditions Apply.
