Twelve of the largest real estate consultancies in the UK are behind a new competition to encourage more young people to consider how they can positively impact the future build environment, with internships awarded to 5 winners.

The Property Needs You Challenge asks young people to submit design ideas for a local space in their town, city, school or neighbourhood that would benefit from a makeover and design thinking.

All types of spaces – including buildings, parks, schools, streets and stations – can become the focus of the design with entrants able to portray their vision in a variety of formats, from sketches to mood boards, virtual creations to 3D models.

As part of the application, entrants are asked why they chose the particular space to redesign, and for their vision of what the space could become. Alongside the 5 internships on offer to winners aged 16 and above, 3 runner up prizes include school/college workshops.

A worksheet is available for schools and colleges wishing to undertake the challenge as a team project. Young people can also enter the challenge on an individual basis.

Allsop LLP, Avison Young, BNP Paribas Real Estate, Carter Jonas LLP, CBRE, Colliers International, Cushman and Wakefield, Gerald Eve LLP, JLL, Knight Frank, Lambert Smith Hampton and Savills are all backing the challenge as part of their work with Property Needs You.

Property Needs You is a collaboration of the 12 real estate consultancies, whose aim is to inspire, educate and encourage talent into property careers. The Property Needs You Challenge is their latest initiative to engage young people, teachers and educational settings in property, with a redesigned website in 2021 providing career inspiration for the sector.

The Property Needs You Challenge will be judged by Lydia Ings, HR Director at Colliers, Mark Winsor, Talent & Development Manager at Lambert Smith Hampton, Katherine Bowen, Partner at Allsop, Evita Dainauskaite, Graduate Recruitment Assistant at Savills and Hebe Williams, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Savills.

The idea behind the challenge is to encourage young people to think creatively about their local environment, and a particular space they’ve chosen to redesign, thinking about the potential of the space.

Hebe Williams, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Savills, says: “The idea behind the challenge is to encourage young people to think creatively about their local environment, and a particular space they’ve chosen to redesign, thinking about the potential of the space. In particular, thinking about what it could do and who could use it, and the impact that could have on their life and the lives of others.

“Young people are responsible for the built environment of the future, from where we live to where we go to school, work and play. The challenge is a chance for entrants to really consider the role they could play in positively influencing the built environment, local communities and ultimately, people’s lives. And of course, the 5 internships on offer will give winners the chance to gain valuable work experience with one of the world’s top property firms.”

The challenge closes on the 17^th December 2023 and can be entered at: https://www.propertyneedsyou.com/property-needs-you-challenge.