What is YTH Live Global?

YTH Live Global, presented by ETR, is an initiative at the intersection of youth, technology, and health. For more than 15 years, we have convened youth and adult leaders in public health, education, technology, media, policy, and advocacy across the globe to share innovative ideas, new technologies, and transformational research. Our Innovation Challenge creates opportunities for young people to develop concepts and shape approaches to the health issues affecting their lives and communities.  

The Innovation Challenge has previously supported youth-led work related to comprehensive sexuality education, mental health and substance use prevention, and HIV prevention, treatment, and care. In 2026, applicants choose the issue they want to address.

The Innovation Challenge

We are looking for a tech-based, youth-centered idea that responds to a health or well-being problem affecting young people.

Your submission should help us understand:

• The problem: What challenge are young people experiencing?

• The people: Who experiences the problem, and whose perspectives shaped your idea?

• The idea: What are you proposing, and how would it work?

• The value: How would your idea be useful or meaningful to young people?

• The difference: What makes your approach new, better suited to the community, or different from what already exists?

• The plan: What would you do with the award funding?

How Submissions Will Be Reviewed

Submissions will be considered based on:

• Relevance: The idea responds to a clearly described health or well-being challenge affecting young people.

• Youth leadership: Young people are leading the idea.

• Usefulness: The proposal explains how the intended users could benefit.

• Innovation: The idea offers a new approach or meaningfully improves on what is already available.

• Feasibility: The team identifies a realistic next step that can be supported with the available funding.

• Access: The team has considered who may have difficulty using or benefiting from the innovation.

• Safety: The proposal considers privacy, misinformation, potential harm, and appropriate protections.

• Clarity: The application and video communicate the idea in a way reviewers can understand.

Need a little kickstart to get those ideas flowing?

Ask yourself:

• What health or well-being issue keeps coming up among young people in my community?

• What information, service, or connection is difficult to find?

• Who is currently left out of available resources?

• How could technology make something easier, safer, more useful, or more accessible?

• What do adults making decisions about this issue misunderstand?

• What could we test or build with the funding?