Young Social Innovators of the Year Ireland Awards
The Young Social Innovators of the Year Ireland Awards celebrate excellence in youth-led social innovation. Held in May each year, shortlisted YSI teams are invited to present their projects to judging panels at our national celebratory awards event.




Hundreds of project teams enter the YSI Awards every year with inspiring social innovation projects spanning a diverse range of issues aligned to our innovation pillars of People, Communities and the Environment and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Shortlisted teams compete live at the YSI Awards event in a number of Challenge Categories. Winners are announced on the day including the winners of the overall Young Social Innovators of the Year Gold, Silver and Bronze Title Awards.
In 202,the YSI Awards ceremony took place on the 12th of May on YouTube Live. The Awards were once again be presented by Virgin Media's Zara King and were co-hosted by Dayl Cronin.
YSI Award Categories
Young Social Innovators awards project teams under a number of award categories.
Award categories in 2022 include:
- Make Our World Healthier: Mental Health Award, supported by Health Service Executive
- Make Our World Healthier: Physical Health Award, supported by Health Service Executive
- Relationships and Sexual Health Award, supported by Health Service Executive
- Strong and Caring Communities Award
- Make Our World a Better Place for Young People Award, supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
- Make Our Country More Inclusive and Poverty Free Award, supported by the Department of Social Protection
- Make Our World Safer Award
- Make Our World Fair and Just Award
- Climate Action and Energy Award
- Global Citizens Award, supported by Worldwise Global Schools
- Digital Innovators Award, Supported by Virgin Media
- YSI Fun-raising Award
- School Community Impact Award
- Covid-19 Response Award
Watch the 2021 YSI Awards
The Young Social Innovators of the Year Ireland Awards 2021 took place with support from Virgin Media. Event hosts, Zara King and Day Croning, met inspirational young people, teachers and guests. An array of award recipients were announced across various categories recognising young people, teachers and schools nationwide.