Primary and secondary pupils from across Scotland are being invited to submit their ideas on the theme “If I Ruled Scotland…” – with a chance to win a cash prize for their school.

The winner’s school will get a £5,000 funding boost as well as a £30,000 Young People’s Leadership Academy (YPLA) course from Columba 1400, a registered charity which is celebrating 25 years of partnership with The Hunter Foundation.

Two runners-up will each receive cash injections of £2,500 for their schools.

Sir Tom Hunter, founder of THF, challenged pupils, saying: “If you ruled Scotland what would you change? All you have to do is write an essay, a poem, create a film or a picture – or indeed use any medium you wish – to tell us what you would do if you ran Scotland.

“Be as creative as you like and tell us what would you change, why would you change it and how? We look forward to hearing your brilliant ideas.”

Entrants can make a submission as an individual or as a group.

The winner(s) will have the opportunity to share their vision by presenting their winning entry at the exclusive Founders Conference at Gleneagles Hotel on November 7, where Scotland’s leading entrepreneurs will be present and eager to hear their ideas.

As well as scooping school funding, they and their school will continue to reap the benefits of the winning accolade thanks to Columba 1400 which helps enable young people to lead lives of purpose, meaning and contribution.

A group of up to 20 people from the winning school will embark on a journey of discovery on its Young People’s Leadership Academy. They will spend 6-9 months exploring themes including self-awareness and values; attend an immersive residential placement to draw out their strengths and encourage them to think about the future and they’ll take the skills they have learned back into their home community.

How to enter

Pupils who wish to enter should provide content (in whatever form they prefer) summarising what they would do if they ran Scotland – outlining what they would change, why, and how. They are also encouraged, with support from their teacher, to outline how they would invest the £5,000 and select pupils for the Young People’s Learning Academy.

Content should be no more than two pages, or two minutes long if a film or audio clip. Entrants must get permission from their school and entries must be submitted by a teacher by the closing date of Monday, 22 September.

Submissions should be sent to schools@thehunterfoundation.co.uk along with the name of the school, and preferred contact email address and telephone number.