Curious to see our framework for measuring social value?
See more

The Impact Awards 2026

The Impact Awards celebrate the organisations, initiatives and individuals making a real difference to young people's career readiness. Nominations for 2026 are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who put someone forward.
Winners will be announced online at the end of September, then celebrated in person at our invite-only Impact Awards event on 6th October 2026, where we'll bring together this year's changemakers.

How does it work

The process
Nominating for an Impact Award is as easy as 1,2,3,4....
1

Choose a category

Pick the award that best fits you, your organisation, or the person you'd like to put forward.

2

Download & fill in the template

Grab our short nomination template and fill in the details.

3

Submit the form

Upload your completed template when you submit the nomination form.

4

Winners announced

Our panel reviews entries. Winners are announced online at the end of September and celebrated at our event on 6th October.

Award categories

Public voting
These are the categories recognised at this year's Impact Awards. Nominations are now closed — winners will be announced at the end of September.

Future-ready Employer

The organisation leading the way in equipping young people with the tools to be career ready.

Future-ready University

The university leading the way in equipping young people with the tools to be career ready.

Employer Impact Initiative

An initiative making a standout impact on young people's futures.

Young Impact Maker

A young person already shaping the future of work.

Careers Leader of the Year

A careers leader, at school or college level, making a standout impact for young people.

Also being awarded

Partner awards
Alongside the categories above, we'll also celebrate four further awards decided internally by Springpod based on partner performance and impact throughout the year. These aren't open to public nomination.

HE Partner of the Year

Awarded to an outstanding higher education partner.

Social Impact Award

Recognising the most social impact generated in 2026.

Employer Partner of the Year

Awarded to an outstanding employer partner.

Young People's Choice

Awarded to the Springpod programme with the most completions.

Key dates

Mark your calendar
Mark these dates in your diary — here's exactly when everything happens.

21 Sept 2026

Nominations close

End of Sept 2026

Winners announced online

6 Oct 2026

Celebrated at our invite-only event

Something unclear?
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about nominating for the Impact Awards.
Who can nominate?
Anyone! You don't need to be a Springpod partner to take part.
Can I nominate myself or my own organisation?
Absolutely. Self-nominations are just as welcome as nominating someone else.
How many categories can I nominate for?
As many as you like. Feel free to submit multiple nominations across different categories, we just ask that you fill in the form for each award so that we have a submission per entry.
Do I need to download a template?
Yes please! Download the nomination template, fill it in with your details, then upload it when you submit the form.
What happens after I submit my nomination?
Our panel will review all nominations after the 21st September deadline and shortlist candidates for each category. Winners will be announced online at the end of September, and celebrated in person at our invite-only Impact Summit on 6th October.
Is there a cost to nominate or attend?
Nominating is completely free and if you're succesful and are invited to the event, that also has no cost attached.

Submissions are now closed

If you'd like to chat with us about how Springpod could work for your organisation, book a call with one of our experts!
Talk to an expert

Thank you for your nominations

Submissions are now closed. Winners will be announced at the end of September.