About yia! > For students

i am an innovator

We're here to help you unleash your creativity. Unlock your potential and leave your mark on the world with yia!

As the only Design Thinking programme in the bay of plenty, you can expect plenty of fun and collaboration, all while learning real-world skills that look great on your CV or further education application. By participating in yia! you can also win some amazing cash prizes, Design Thinking experiences and even the possibility of your innovation being built!

Read more on what you can expect from yia!

Entries are CLOSED for 2024.

Lead

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Collaborate

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Innovate

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Dream it

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Win Prizes

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Lead • Collaborate • Innovate • Dream it • Win Prizes •

A young person writing post-it-notes

Create

Creativity and innovation are in-demand skills from future employers. With yia!, get hands-on innovation experience, using the Design Thinking Methodology to unleash your creativity. You’ll get the chance to turn the ideas that you are passionate about into reality!

A group of young people raising their arms in excitement

Connect

Leadership and collaboration skills are essential for the future of work. The Design Thinking Methodology fosters teamwork and communication in a fun and inclusive environment. These skills look great on a CV or further education application. With a high level of local business involvement, your future employer might be in the room!

Prize winners holding their cheque

Learn

Learn problem-solving skills using the Design Thinking Methodology. yia! is the perfect platform to showcase your potential and make a real impact on the world - and you can even win prize money! You’ll learn essential skills to prepare you for your potential employer, scholarship or academic endeavour, all while having fun.

  • Empathy | Gather information

    Discover what people really need.

  • Workshop images

    Define | Find insights

    Develop a strong point of view.

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    Ideate | Generate ideas

    Push past the obvious to get to breakthrough solutions.

  • Prototype | Make ideas tangible

    This is the fun stage! Build a prototype of your idea to bring it to life.

  • Test | Share your ideas

    Gather insights from feedback and iterate your idea.

  • Storytell | Sell your ideas to stakeholders

    Engage your audience in an emotional and compelling way.

How to create a great entry

We believe that everyone has the potential to be innovative, and we're here to help you unleash your creativity! We're looking for extraordinary ideas that address real-world problems. They could be based on anything in your life that you are passionate about. Your entry will be judged by the following criteria:

  • How well you identify your problem or need, and evidence of research that shows it is a real issue.

  • How well you understand the needs of your target audience and the changes you've made to reflect this.

  • Your ability to explain your idea, how it solves the problem, and why it's better than what's currently available.

  • How well you have considered factors that would impact people and communities related to your idea.

  • Your ability to use a variety of communication styles, including a well-planned and well-executed video.

yia! Prizes
Walk the yellow carpet and win!

Senior Winner: $2000
Intermediate & Junior Winners: $1000
Second Prize: $750
Third Prize: $500
Peoples Choice: $200 in each category  

Student FAQ

Tauranga’s yia! Awards celebrate the young talent in the Western Bay of Plenty and inspire them to become the future innovators of Aotearoa.

What is yia! ?

The yia! program empowers the future workforce by building young minds through innovation.

Read more on our About page.

What are the benefits of the program?

Create, connect and learn valuable skills like leadership, team work and innovation to enable you on your next venture, whether that is future employment, scholarship or further education.

But I don’t think I am creative!

We are here to help you unleash your creativity! The fact is, you are creative. We’ll help you to develop your ideas and research solutions to help you make a difference to the problems you care about.

How is the yia! program unique from other youth programs?

The yia! program is the only program in the Bay of Plenty to take students through the Design Thinking methodology.

What is Design Thinking, and why is it important?

Employers in the Bay of Plenty tell us that they want future employees to be able to think creatively. Design Thinking is a framework for developing ideas that is fast becoming an essential skill - not taught through our current school curriculum. The yia! program teaches Design Thinking in a hands-on, fun and inclusive way.