The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) trains early career leaders to help develop our work at SHIFT and in America. Our vision is to build a diverse coalition of advocates who can champion the health benefits of nature and fight for a more sustainable future for the planet.
We achieve our mission via two main programs: the annual SHIFT SUMMIT, held each autumn to explore issues at the intersection of outdoor recreation, conservation and public health; and The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), which trains early career leaders to help develop our work at SHIFT and in America.
In October 2021, ELP will be held in Grand Junction, Colorado starting Friday October 15th through Sunday October 17th. The SHIFT SUMMIT will be held immediately after between Monday and Wednesday, October 18th-20th. Click on the above graphic to view the program flyer.
We invite early career leaders between the ages of 21-33 who have distinguished themselves in outdoor recreation, conservation, land management, cultural relevancy and public health to apply.
The skill sets of selected ELP participants and how best to present them at SHIFT are ascertained via a survey. This ensures participants help determine how they want to be seen professionally, even before programming is solidified for SHIFT.
After applications are diligently reviewed, compatible candidates are invited to participate in a 30- to 60-minute interview with one of our past alumni and a 60-minute interview with Dr. Green.
Once evaluations are complete, 15 candidates will be selected to join the 2021 cohort. Participants will be notified of their invitation before any formal announcement is made.
Once ELP participants are selected, their skill sets and how best to present them at SHIFT are ascertained via a survey. This ensures that participants help determine how they want to be seen professionally, even before programming is solidified for SHIFT.
Although the program takes place over the course of a week, conversations in the months leading up to ELP help build community amongst the cohort, lay the groundwork for group discussions during ELP and prepare cohort members for their roles at SHIFT. These conversations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
During each ELP, participants gain familiarization with content that will be discussed at SHIFT. They have the opportunity to lead group discussions during ELP and explore different perspectives with fellow cohort members and ELP facilitators. The experience allows them to discuss issues relevant to their work amongst their peers, prepares them for substantive interaction at SHIFT and provides them with tools they can use to bring SHIFT’s coalition-building model back to their communities.
As much as ELP is a program, it’s also a collaboration. We want to make sure the fit is right for you. The following five core values shape our foundational community agreements.
At the core of our vision is the belief that bringing together leaders from various sectors, cultures and lived experiences to discuss the most challenging problems facing our public health and our natural world’s survival makes us stronger, smarter and more resilient.
Personal investments in one another are our foundation. When we invest in trust and respect, we grow individually and as a community. This allows us to build upon our shared experiences at SHIFT and ELP with new allies and partnerships.
We are part of the natural world. We learn from it and about it, and are partners in its future.
Building a diverse coalition is difficult and complicated. We enter this work with the expectation that deeply held beliefs may be challenged—and that changing our perspectives and our minds to develop new ways of thinking may be critical to our shared success.
SHIFT and ELP are built to foster and create personal relationships. The resulting alliances make our work fun, sustainable and enhance our ability to protect our natural world.
The deadline to apply for the 2020 ELP program is Monday July 9th, 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Green at Drmorgan@gpred.org.
