Funding secured for 400 young people to better connect with nature and become environmental leaders

Funding secured for 400 young people to better connect with nature and become environmental leaders - Shropshire Wildlife Trust

2 people with smiling faces crouching down looking at bluebells in a woodland — (WildNet - Tom Marshall)

UpRising and Shropshire Wildlife Trust are celebrating today after being awarded £1.49m from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, to co-deliver the Environmental Leadership Programme 2.0 (ELP).

So many things can be done to help make our world a better, more sustainable place to live in, but it can be difficult to figure out how to get involved and make a difference.

Research by Shropshire Wildlife Trust found that 65% of young people aged 18-24 were extremely concerned about climate change, 78% would like to do more to tackle it and yet only 18% currently campaign about it.

Thanks to National Lottery Players, UpRising's expertise in engaging underrepresented youth will be combined with Shropshire Wildlife Trust's experience in outdoor learning and nature connection to create the Environmental Leadership Programme 2.0.

This innovative initiative is designed to support 4 cohorts of 100 young people aged 18-25 from underrepresented and underserved communities across the West Midlands. It aims to strengthen young people's connection to nature, deepen their understanding of what drives environmental behaviour change, and enable them to develop and implement nature-focused campaigns in their local communities.

The programme will be free and have a blended learning approach to accommodate participants' busy schedules.