Within HZ, there is a growing group of changemakers. These are people who contribute to our social missions in an exceptionally entrepreneurial way. They make the difference by initiating positive actions based on their passion and with others. In this way, they contribute creative and sustainable solutions for the broad prosperity of today, in the future, in Zeeland and elsewhere. Often, they are still too invisible. With the Changemaker Award, the New Business Models chair wants to change this.
The Changemaker project consists of two components. The Changemaker Community and the Changemaker Award.
Changemaker Award
The Changemaker Award is an annual prize presented to a social initiative of (former) students, lecturers and employees of HZ University of Applied Sciences. Through this award, social initiatives are put in the spotlight and encouraged. The publicity surrounding the initiatives also inspires others to take up social missions. In the video below, Ageeth van Maldegem tells more about the story behind the award. Also, in the videos at the bottom of this page, some of our ambassadors explain why the Changemaker Award is so important.
The winning initiative of this award will be rewarded with the following:
- 750 euros to take the project further
- A podium for the initiative
- You will become part of the Changemaker Community.
The Changemaker Award was presented for the first time on 24 May 2024. A jury of external social entrepreneurs (Tanja Wieringa, Thomas Lans and Nina de Korte) judged Ocean Ceramics the winner. They are making the Zeeland mussel shell circular by turning it into tableware. There was also an incentive prize for Dilek Gül-Doğan who connects people in different environments, for example during meeting evenings and refugee work.
