Your Country, Your Call (YCYC) is an initiative in two parts over three years to help create jobs and a promote positive thinking, hope and confidence in a prosperous future for Ireland. 

The first part of YCYC is a competition to identify two proposals, each of which has the potential to make a significant economic or a game-changing impact on the economy.

The blueprints could involve:

• Establishing a new model for doing business or delivering services
• Identifying a new industry, type of business or service
• Identifying a new way to develop an existing industry, business or service
• Adding value to community development by creating models for community-driven economic activity

A winning proposal will state a desired significant economic impact and identify the steps that must be taken to achieve that impact. Those steps may extend to legislative, administrative or procedural change before implementation can be effected. The two winning proposals will each receive €100,000

The second part of YCYC involves taking those winning proposals and “road-testing ” them in an implementation phase over a two year period during which each proposal will be supported by a development fund of €500,000 and the services of a pro bono professional advisory group. 

The authors of the winning proposals have the option to be part of the implementation phase if they wish but with no further financial reward.

The name ‘Your Country Your Call’ is a very deliberate choice intended to convey a sense of responsibility and of challenge to all, either as individuals or groups, to get involved; to be proactive and self starting at a time of national need.

The initiative is establishing a platform that affords an opportunity to our citizens at home and abroad and to those interested in Ireland’s well-being to put our individual and collective thinking power to work to distil all our creative ideas into workable, game-altering proposals for our country. The platform is there. The manner of the response is something for each individual to consider. 

The Wider Target Outcome

As well as rewarding two winners specifically, a substantial objective  of the initiative is to generate optimism and positivity to the Irish national mindset and so to contribute to a renewal of confidence in ourselves and our country’s future.

The Competition will fit in with Ireland’s ambition to become a Smart Economy.

Governance

A dedicated company, An Smaoineamh Mór, (Irish language for “The Big Idea”) has been incorporated with charitable status. 

A steering group is responsible to the board and a Project Director with overall responsibility for the competition reports to the steering group. Staffing for the running of this competition has been seconded from the corporate sector.  All of those involved are providing their time and expertise on a pro bono basis.

The initiative is being funded by a combination of contributions from corporate Ireland and  private citizens capped at a maximum contribution value per person / organization of €150,000.

The President of Ireland is the patron of the competition.

Government has given its support with a contribution to the backing fund and through the involvement of some of the state enterprise agencies in each of the competition and the implementation phase as required.

	Please visit	Ireland >
		Rest of the World >

The closing date for submissions will be 30 April 2010.

The initial submissions will initially be narrowed down to 20 and then to the final five (5) who will spend two days in the company of an internationally sourced judging panel under the chair of David Byrne SC, former EU Commissioner.

The Criteria for Winning

A winning proposal must demonstrate that, when implemented, it is capable of delivering a significant countrywide economic impact or a game changing economic impact on a sector of the economy.

The pathway from proposal to implementation, and the resources required, must be described and must be realistic.

Who Can Enter?

The competition is open to everyone, in Ireland or abroad to enter as an individual or as a group or team of individuals.  The web platform chosen for entry facilitates collaboration and thus offers the option to collaborate and grow small proposals into big proposals, which means that any entrant is capable of being a potential winner.

Teamwork is encouraged to enable a pooling of disciplines as well as imaginations to capture all potential innovation.