Find out more

Applications for this year's programme will open in May 2025. To keep updated with when applications go live, click the 'Keep Me Updated' button at the top of this page.

The application form should take around 10–15 minutes to complete, but you can save it and return to complete it later.

We will ask for a bit of information that will help us start to tailor and adapt the programme to your individual needs as much as possible, including your demographic information and aspirations for the programme. We’ll also ask you some questions about any potential barriers you may have to participating in the programme. Importantly, this information will only be used in connection with your name when you apply. 

We assess every application individually in order to ensure we’re providing support where it is most needed. 

Once you have been accepted onto the programme, you’ll get a call from your assigned Group Leader, who will be supporting you through the whole programme. This chat will be to ensure that you have everything you need to get started on the programme and answer any questions you might have.

You’ll also receive a few emails from us linking you to our online platforms, so you can start connecting with your fellow ELPeeps! 

You’ll be asked to fill in a form that asks for some important information which helps us to ensure you have the best possible experience on the programme. 

We’ll also ask you to complete a couple of surveys, which we’ll also send out at other points of the programme, to allow us to understand the success and impact of ELP2 – your answers are kept anonymous and we’re very appreciative of your support and cooperation with this!

These sessions will be held fortnightly, during the evening, and on Zoom. Sessions are designed to build your knowledge and skills on both leadership and nature connectedness. 

The programme's spread across the West Midlands allows for an interesting urban/rural duality which we hope will enrich your experience as you hear from wider speakers from across the region and and from each other in sessions!

Our online platforms will support your online session experience, with session recordings being available for catch up, and a messaging platform that allows you to check in and chat with each other whenever you'd like!

If you have any concerns about your ability to partake in online sessions, you'll have a chance to chat these through with your Group Leader before the programme begins.

In-person events will be held throughout the programme and are a fantastic way of connecting with your fellow ELPeeps and putting into practice some of what we discuss in sessions!

Some of the in person sessions to look forward to are:

• Launch day - Your first chance to meet the team and each other, and get stuck into some nature connection activities while learning more about what's to come.
• Campaign Days - An opportunity to brainstorm and finalise your Nature Connection Campaign Ideas and work collaboratively with your campaign group.
• Dragon's Den - Pitch your campaign idea to a panel of experts to gain valuable feedback and win prizes to boost your campaign!
• Parliament to see Power in Action - A trip down to London to delve into how power works at the top and a chance to put questions to a panel of your local MPs.

At all in person sessions, we will prioritise time for nature connection, with activities organised by Benjamin to keep us gounded in nature!

A big part of your experience on ELP2 will be the creation and delivery of your own Nature Connection Campaigns (NCCs), building on the knowledge and skills that you gain in sessions.

With a group of your peers, you’ll identify an issue in your local community and design a campaign to counteract it, whilst also connecting your audience to nature to influence pro-environmental behaviour change.

Your campaign development will be supported by the ELP2 team, as well as guest speakers on the programme, including community organisers, to make sure you’re well equipped to run your own Nature Connection Campaign.

You’ll also have the chance to pitch your campaign ideas at our Dragon’s Den style event, where a panel of experts will be on hand to give you feedback on your pitches and award prizes to help kickstart your campaign delivery!

Campaign delivery will occur in the later months of the programme, where you’ll be supported by a member of the team who will be your Campaign Leader. They’ll check in with you at each stage of delivery, working out how they can support your campaign to be as successful as possible and being on-hand to help troubleshoot any issues that arise.

Throughout delivery, you’ll be measuring the impact of your campaigns to give you a good understanding of how your campaign is enacting positive change – and all your activity will be captured in a video that you can take forward with you as evidence of your campaigning journey on ELP2.

At the end of the programme in July, we'll all come together for Graduation, where we'll look back on your time on ELP2 and celebrate together!

We want Graduation to be shaped by you, and so a Grad Committee made up of around 4 of the cohort will  be put together to make sure your voices are centred as we plan the event. 

Following graduation, you'll be invivted to join the ELP2 alumni network, where you can keep in touch with one another,  connect with previous cohorts, and keep recieving exciting opportunities from us as your continue on your environmental leadership journey.