The BBC has launched its 2009 Education&Communities Partnership Awards, open to UK residents who study or work with one of the BBC’s Education and Community Partner Organisations across the North of England. There will be four awards; one each for production, achievement, journalism and innovation.

The Production Award aims to celebrate and reward emerging production talent through a programme submission for either television or radio, across any genre whether, for example, entertainment, factual, drama, children’s or comedy. In the submission judges are looking for originality – of idea, content or form; creative risk-taking – experimenting with traditional conventions and pushing the boundaries of the genre in some way and also a high standard of production techniques.

The Achievement Award is presented in recognition of an outstanding contribution made either during the current year or over a number of years, by an individual from within a partner organisation or the actual partner organisation itself. The winner of this award will illustrate the real benefit that an individual or partner organisation has made to increasing the education or employment prospects of individuals or communities from either a particular area or wider region of the North of England.

Submissions for the Journalism Award will need to demonstrate a desire to find and tell stories in a compelling way. Originality of approach will be rewarded and the use of any format is acceptable. The judges will be scrutinising writing skills and the ability to succinctly convey the essence of the story with imagination and innovation. Consideration will be given to those entries that convey an ability to find and source information, interviewees and contributing media (video, still graphics etc).

And finally, the Innovation Award reflects how new and established technology can collaborate with traditional content creation skills, to deliver original and inventive audience experience. Ideas, prototypes and concepts which show how these skills and experience can create a meaningful, rewarding and entertaining means of the BBC and its partners, connecting with the audiences in the North of England are sought. Entries with a particular reference to life and culture and passions based around the North, would be positively received.

Entry forms and submissions for the awards must be received by midnight on the 30th November 2008 . The three shortlisted entries in each category will be announced in December 2008. The results will then be announced at the Education and Community Partnership annual conference on 9th January 2009.

To download more information and an application form, please click here