= 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom kicks off =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2023/news-20231116-01.sk.html ]
Registration is now open for the 2024 edition of Youth Hacking 4 Freedom, the coding competition for young Europeans. This competition gives teenagers the opportunity to code their own projects – alone or in a team –, make new friends across Europe, and win up to €4,096!
After two successful editions, Youth Hacking 4 Freedom [1], the Free Software Foundation Europe's coding competition for young Europeans, opens registration for the third round [2]. YH4F 2024 kicks off on 7 December with an online event to answer participants' questions before the coding period starts in January 2024. More than €10,000, in cash, will be awarded to the six winners of the 2024 edition. €4,096 will be paid out for the first place, €2,048 for the second place, and €1,024 for the third place and for each of three special prizes. Besides, all participants who submit a project will get a YH4F special participation prize.
The aim of this competition is to bring together young people from all over Europe who are interested in coding, regardless of their current level of coding. For six months, participants – who must be between 14 and 18 years old at the time of registration – will have the chance to work on their own Free Software projects, either alone or in a team.
Participants must register to enter the competition, which kicks off on 7 December with an online event explaining the competition in detail. This kick-off event is a great opportunity for anyone who might have doubts about taking part to get their questions answered and to understand how this competition works and why anyone, regardless of their coding skills, is more than welcome to take part.
Once the coding period starts on 1 January 2024, participants will have the opportunity to work on their projects for the next six months until 30 June 2024, when they must submit their projects. Late registration is possible, as is changing the original project idea, but the coding period will not be extended.
During these six months, participants will also have the opportunity to meet and make friends with other young Europeans who share their interests and, most likely, coding challenges. And optional monthly online meetings will be held to guide them through this coding period and learn how to do a successful Free Software project, learn from previous participants' experiences, and get some tips from our experienced jury members.
In July and August 2024 an international jury of technical experts will review the projects. The winners will be notified in September 2024 and officially announced at the Award Ceremony weekend in Brussels in October 2024.
=== Opening event – 7 December ===
At the online opening event on 7 December, YH4F organizers will explain in depth what is expected from the participants as well as answer their questions. Moreover, participants will have the chance to ask questions to previous editions' participants, who will be explaining their experience at this competition.
On the YH4F website [3], further information can be found about registration, the opening event, and the competition in general. If you should have any questions, you can always contact us at contact@fsfe.org [4].
=== Sponsor 2024 Youth Hacking 4 Freedom ===
The 2023 contest was made possible thanks to generous funding by Reinhard Wiesemann and the Linuxhotel GmbH.
If you want to sponsor the 2024 or future editions of YH4F, please reach out to us through contact@fsfe.org [5].
1: https://yh4f.org 2: https://survey.fsfe.org/index.php/658534 3: https://yh4f.org 4: https://fsfe.org/mailto:contact@fsfe.org 5: https://fsfe.org/mailto:contact@fsfe.org
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
Free Software Foundation Europe is a charity that empowers users to control technology. Software is deeply involved in all aspects of our lives; and it is important that this technology empowers rather than restricts us. Free Software gives everybody the rights to use, understand, adapt and share software. These rights help support other fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, press and privacy.
The FSFE helps individuals and organisations understand how Free Software contributes to freedom, transparency and self-determination. We enhance users' rights by abolishing barriers to Free Software adoption, encourage people to use and develop Free Software, and provide resources to enable everyone to further promote Free Software in Europe.