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Hugo Young Award

Recognising young talent in political opinion writing
Ella Creamer and Elsie McDowell have won the 2023 Hugo Young Award
We are delighted to announce that Ella Creamer, a freelance journalist, is the winner of our 2023 Hugo Young Award (19-25 category). Ella’s winning piece ‘My mum’s death was slow and painful – she deserved the choice to end her life’ focuses on the realities of palliative care in England, and her experience of the system at the end of her mum’s life.

Elsie McDowell from St Saviour’s and St Olave’s Church of England School, is the winner the Hugo Young Award's 16-18 age category. Her piece 'The truth about "regeneration" in London: I can’t afford to live where I grew up' draws from her experience growing up in the London Borough of Southwark.
Read Ella's piece
Read Elsie's piece
The runners up

  • Freya Graham has recieved the 19-25 age cateogry runner up prize for her piece on the importance of local transport as a way to avoid rural isolation.

  • Laila Omar Abbas has recieved the 16-18 age category runner up prize for her piece on issues surrounding AI art filters

    • The Hugo Young Award is now closed for entries until 2024
    The Hugo Young Award is a political opinion writing competition, created in memory of Hugo Young, a political columnist at the Guardian for almost 20 years.

    Championing the best political opinion writing amongst those aged 16-25 across the UK, this award celebrates Hugo’s legacy by encouraging fresh voices, new perspectives and great writing which, now more than ever, are essential to the future of quality, independent political journalism. The Hugo Young Award will open for entries in early 2024 with full eligibility information and guidance.

    Previous winners
    hugo-young-award-winner-2019.jpg

    Being a gay Christian can be hurtful and gruelling. But I refuse to lose faith.

    Lucy Knight won our 2019 prize. She is commissioning editor for books at the Guardian.

    young-hugo-award-2021-abby-wallace-400-x400-px.jpg

    Integrated education in Northern Ireland is urgent – why can’t our leaders see that?

    Abby Wallace’s piece won our 2021 older age category award. She is now a reporter for the Financial Times.

    hugo-young-award-winner-2017.jpg

    I was vulnerable and wanted a home. What I got was a workhouse.

    Daniel Lavelle’s piece won our 2017 award. He now writes regularly for the Guardian.

    More pieces

    Guidance and support
    Please see the guidance for your category for full terms and conditions.
    Writing tips
    Check out our advice on feature and opinion writing.
    Get writing tips
    Get in touch
    If you have questions about the competition, we are happy to help. Feel free to drop us an email.
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