On this year's World AIDS Day, Canadian networking platform YAHAnet (Youth, the Arts, HIV & AIDS Network) has launched an international 'webisode' and storyboard competition for young people (aged 14 to 24) affected by or living with HIV/AIDS. The theme is "ZEROing in on Gender Stereotypes: Addressing (Mis)Conceptions of Gender in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS" and submissions should reflect the UNAIDS goals of its 'Getting to Zero' strategy: zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths by 2015.
The contest is open to people of all skill levels and encourages submissions from the perspective of key affected youth populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM), drug users and sex workers. Participants are asked to consider the question: "What steps can you take as an individual and as a community to tackle gender stereotypes and to get HIV/AIDS to zero?"

Inspired? Why not use technology and get your creativity on? Put together your very own 'webisode' by making a one-shot film on your cell phone! Or, for those of you less-technogically friendly, (hand or digitally) design and submit a storyboard. The competition runs until March 31, 2013 so there's still plenty of time.

The four best works --1 webisode and 1 storyboard by ages 14–18 and 1 webisode and 1 storyboard by ages 19–24- will win $100 which their creators can use to fund the work of their class, organization etc. The winners will also get the chance to talk about their work on a radio station in Montreal, Canada (streamable worldwide)!

For more information on YAHAnet, the contest guidelines and submission criteria click here:  
http://yahanet.org/network/webisode-storyboard-contest-2012

-La Vero