What can I expect from the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth?

For starters, an inspiring experience with other motivated students and young professionals from across the globe and a deep dive into eHealth and Social Entrepreneurship! Presentations and workshops will be held by speakers experts in the field; you will get the chance to personally meet and work with them. The opportunity to get in touch with young professionals involved in different global health agencies and initiatives. Last, you will receive a certificate confirming your participation in the Challenge. Most importantly, you are provided with the opportunity to achieve your ambitions. The aim of the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth is not simply to be a networking event. We aim to provide all participants with the means and resources to further develop their ideas together with peers and turn them into reality. Please note that we are not providing a platform for already existing project ideas, but for the development of new ones through discussions with your assigned team members and mentor.

Why is Young Leaders for Health organizing a Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth?

From its foundation in May 2015 until August 2016 , YLH 's activities mainly focused on advocacy, diplomacy training and content work on various topics. Some of these included disaster and risk management, antimicrobial resistance, the Agenda 2030 SDGs and leadership. In our first two years as an independent non-profit organization, we started to see that, often at gatherings of experts, bright young people, their ideas and their questions are paid insufficient attention. YLH is aware that most young people do not yet have the legitimacy to call themselves experts. However, we believe that there is no dearth of creativity, skill and knowledge among this subset. The amalgamation of all these thoughts led to the birth of the concept of the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth in September 2016.

The first YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth was launched in April 2017. The first edition tackled the theme 'Interoperability - bridging health care, social care and self care'. Together we at Young Leaders for Health aim to find sustainable solutions to issues that you, our participants (students and young professionals from various academic and cultural backgrounds), notice in your communities, and which can be translated onto a global scale. At YLH we believe that in creative settings, interdisciplinary teams coupled with the right mindset, are the main ingredients to promote thinking beyond the current paradigm.

Why has Young Leaders for Health chosen the topic Mental Health for this year’s Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth?

Mental Diseases constitute a major public health burden plaguing societies, irrespective of borders. Recently, the global health community has felt the need to include social determinants of health as a leading cause of NCDs. Among these, mental health is highly relevant to the management of existing health priorities as defined by the Sustainable Development Goals. There is an immediate need to use novel approaches to deal efficiently with this thematic. In this quest we seek creative and sustainable eHealth solutions.

What will the schedule of the event look like?

The detailed program will be announced shortly.

How will participants be assigned to the different teams?

After reviewing your applications, the Challenge’s organising committee will put together the teams. We will look for common areas of interest regarding the Challenge’s topic as well as ensure interdisciplinarity and an international mix within the team. We believe that these are the prerequisites needed for a successful project idea.

Can I apply with my team?

Applications are individual. Once the application phase is over, the Challenge’s organising committee will put together teams on the basis of your applications. Participants will be assigned to teams so that each of the teams will have the necessary knowledge and skills to realise their project idea (for more information see questions: How will participants be assigned to the different teams). As a result, we cannot guarantee that existing teams will be put in the same team during the Challenge.

Will I be working on my own project idea?

The Challenge is a team effort and each of the team members will arrive at the event with different project ideas. The aim of the Challenge is to bring together people from different disciplines and of similar fields of interest who will, by applying everyone’s expertise, together develop and afterwards realise a project idea. Everyone should be contributing to the group discussions and as this endeavour is a team effort, there is no guarantee that your team will decide to work on your project idea the same way you were imagining it. The event’s aim is not to provide funding for projects that have already been well-developed, but to provide participants with a platform for the development of a new idea through discussions with your assigned team and mentor.

What assistance will my team receive?

We don’t expect the participants to be experts on the Challenge’s topic, which is why we invite several experts to guide everyone through the 4 days of the event. These experts will hold keynote speeches, giving insight into Mental Health and their ideas on eHealth. Furthermore, we will offer workshops in pitching your project idea and how to work as an interdisciplinary team. Lastly, each team will be assigned an individual mentor that supports them in their teamwork. Mentors are experts in the field of eHealth, Mental Health or/and Mental eHealth, and will use their experience to help you throughout the Challenge. They will be an integral part of your team and the voice to rely on when developing your project idea.

What prize will the winning team receive?

The emphasis of our event is to create sustainable, long-term solutions. This is why we support the winning team with prizes that enable their lasting success. Each edition’s prizes are provided by our partners, which differ from year to year. In addition to the prizes awarded by our partners, YLH will support every participating team after the Challenge is over, ensuring all ideas can be realised.

Do I have to have studied medicine or have medical knowledge in order to participate in the challenge?

YLH comprises of an interdisciplinary team and we seek expertise from various fields. We believe that public health is fundamentally an interdisciplinary field that requires stakeholders from all disciplines to come and work together. Therefore, we welcome individuals with all majors in various areas (Arts, Architecture, Business, Design, Economics, Engineering, Information Technology, Natural and Biological Sciences, Law, Medicine and Applied Medicine, Political and Social Sciences, etc.) to apply and take part in the Challenge. Medical knowledge is not a requirement. Nonetheless, it will be useful to read through the material provided to you before the event in order to be able to actively participate in the discussions. This will help you and your team develop sustainable solutions during the Challenge. However, being interested in health and ICT (information and communication technologies) is an important aspect, along with your capacity for teamwork and your interest in getting a project off the ground while in an interdisciplinary and international team of peers. ​

I was a participant in a previous Social Entrepreneurship Challenge. Can I participate again?

Every year we are striving for a unique topic, while pertaining the focus on ehealth. It is important to us to provide the participants with a topic that is accessible and relevant in today’s health landscape. Therefore, no restrictions exist for participants of a previous Challenge and everyone is welcome to apply - regardless of whether you applied for a previous event or participated in it.

Am I “young enough/too old” to apply?

We do not set any age restrictions but believe that, as long as you consider yourself as a student or a young professional, you can apply for the Challenge.

How and when can I apply?

The application phase will commence in 2021. The application will be possible through a form provided here. Details will soon be announced.

How much is the participation fee? Is there an application fee? ​

Early Bird prices are available till tbd.
Apply here (tbd) today.

Each prospective participant is required to pay a participation fee.
The early bird price is tbd.
Starting tbd the participation fee will increase.

This amount covers the cost of food and drinks over the four-day Challenge, as well as a ticket for Berlin's public transport system and entry to the social event. Moreover, each team will receive materials such as flipcharts, stickers, pens etc. needed for the teamwork. We are not making any profit out of organizing the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth and the money collected from the participation fee will only be used for purposes during the 2021 Challenge. There is no application fee.

What is included in the participation fee?

The participation fee of 100€ will include food and beverages throughout the event as well as a transportation ticket for Berlin throughout the event.

What if I will not be able to attend ? Will I be refunded?

You will get a 50% refund if you cancel by tbd. If you cancel on tbd or after, you will not receive a refund. Please note that processing the refund can take up to six months.

Are travel arrangements and accommodation included in the participation fee?

Unfortunately, we cannot provide financial support for accommodation in Berlin. We will, however, provide you with advice on how to find good and affordable accommodation. We are working on getting sufficient funding in order to provide financial support for accommodation to and in Berlin; seeing that we have not acquired said funding to date, we cannot guarantee anything in this regard. If such funding will be available, participants will be notified about the process to apply for these grants.

Where will the 2021 Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth take place?

The YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth will take place from the tbd to the tbd 2021 at the CIEE Global Institute (Gneisenaustraße 27, 10961 Berlin, Germany). The Council of International Educational Exchange is an independent, US-based non-profit organisation and has been our partner since the inception of the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth.

I need a visa to travel. Will the YLH assist me in any way? ​

The Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth’s organizing committee will provide you with the documentation needed in order to apply for a visa. A field to indicate whether you need a visa or not will be provided in the application form. Nevertheless, we cannot pay any of the fees for our participants.

Will there be vegan food?

Yes, we will provide all participants with food and drinks during the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth. The costs will be covered by your participation fee. Please indicate any dietary restrictions in the application form and we will take your culinary preferences into account during our organization.

Preliminary Program 2021 YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth - tackling Mental Health (tbd)

Update COVID-19 - 4th edition of the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth postponed

COVID-19 Update:
Due to the present circumstances surrounding the containment of COVID-19 and based on the information provided by the World Health Organization to date, Young Leaders for Health has concluded that the 4th edition of the YLH Social Entrepreneurship Challenge on eHealth - tackling Mental Health (originally scheduled to be held in Berlin, Germany between 6. - 9. August 2020) must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health and well-being of everyone involved - our participants, keynote speakers, workshop instructors, mentors, jury members, partners and the YLH organizing committee.We at Young Leaders for Health highly appreciate your support and understanding in this unfortunate situation.We wish everyone to stay safe and healthy!

In case of questions, we encourage you to contact us via: challenge@youngleadersforhealth.org

For advice and guidance on adopting effective behaviors to reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 or transmitting the virus to other people visit the WHO website.