The leadership program for women environmentalists

The Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) program is a first for Australia – a leadership program designed by and for women environmentalists. The first WELA program in 2016 was such a success that we have been inspired to offer it again in 2017: read what participants said.

The Green Institute is partnering with Plan to Win and a range of women environmentalists and philanthropists to offer this exciting 12-day residential program that will examine critically ideas about leadership and support women taking even more environmental leadership in Australia.

Who is it for?

Are you a woman and an active environmentalist living in Australia? WELA 2017 is for you! We aim to bring together a cohort of 20 women of diverse backgrounds who are working on a variety of environmental issues and campaigns around the country. Some will be employed in the movement; others working as volunteers or as individuals. The registration fee is the same for everyone, irrespective of where they live, and will cover travel and participation costs. To keep WELA 2017 affordable, we are actively fundraising and seeking sponsorship to provide scholarships and will also help participants fundraise for themselves.

What is it about?

The WELA program responds to the expressed needs and feedback from interviews and comments of women in the environment movement and will of course also grow out of the 20 women who become part of the 2017 cohort. The program is collaborative and experiential with an emphasis on developing skills which can be directly applied to participants’ real life challenges.

The WELA 2017 program will increase capacity for women to lead in the environment movement by:

• Understanding and planning to address barriers to women’s leadership – including personal limiting beliefs, organisational and movement dynamics, and broader societal forces;
• Developing skills and capacity to undertake personal change, organisational and movement change, and societal change; and
• Building a supportive community of women in the environment movement.

Topics covered include:

• Gender and leadership in the environment movement;
• Different models of leadership and approaches to environmental activism;
• Campaign strategy, community organising and behavioural change frameworks;
• Building inclusive movements and practising solidarity;
• Activist wellbeing and resilience, including peer coaching skills and building support networks; and
• Finding your voice, reclaiming physical power, stepping outside your comfort zone

The cost is $4950. This includes everything no matter where in Australia you are coming from – course presentation and materials, travel for those who need it, accommodation and catering.

Join our WELA friends

Join the wide circle of friends and passionate environmentalists who are donating to support WELA 2017 and thereby strengthen our capacity to protect Australia’s environment at this critical time. Sponsor a full ($4950) or part ($2950) scholarship or make a donation of any amount to keep WELA 2017 affordable for women. Donations are tax deductible. Click here to donate.

Background

WELA was born out of research with women environmentalists conducted by Dr Jane Elix for the Australian Research Council funded project exploring ‘Australian Women and Leadership in a Century of Australian Democracy’ (see interviews by Jane Elix). Thanks to support from women environmentalists and philanthropists this research has transformed into WELA 2016, a first for Australia.

More information

Applications for WELA 2017 close on 10 February 2017

For more information see welaprogram.org.au or write to welaprogram@gmail.com