The Company's Young Person's Essay Competition

‘A lie is halfway round the world before the truth has got its boots on.’

The theme for the inaugural competition is disinformation — its impact on democracy, civic life, and trust in information. The set title is published above. Essays are invited to assess the nature of the challenge and to explore and evaluate the emerging avenues for mitigating its impact.

The competition is open to any student studying at a UK institution. There are two entry categories —

Category one

Ages 16–18

Open to secondary school and college students aged 16 to 18 at the time of submission, including sixth-form applicants.

Word limit — 750 words Category two

Ages 18–21

Open to university undergraduates aged 18 to 21 at the time of submission.

Word limit — 1,250 words

First prize · per category

Cash award

A £2,500 cash award in each category. The winner's school or university is invited to host a talk delivered by a senior member of the Worshipful Company of Communicators — the winner chooses the topic: a careers talk, a presentation on disinformation, or another communications subject.

Entry

Submit your essay PDF and completed entry form through the online entry form at companyofcommunicators.com/wcoc-essay-competition by the deadline of 27 November 2026.

For further details please contact the Clerk at clerk@companyofcommunicators.org

A £2,500 cash award in each category. The winner's school or university is invited to host a talk delivered by a senior member of the Worshipful Company of Communicators — the winner chooses the topic: a careers talk, a presentation on disinformation, or another communications subject.