Applications are open! Apply here by July 11, 2024.
Justice Outside and The Lawrence Hall of Science’s Center for Environmental Learning, two organizations that are committed to advancing racial equity and justice in the outdoor and environmental fields, launched a pilot in 2023: Network for Network Leaders: Justice, Community, & Outdoor Learning. This program endeavored to advance a more equitable, just, and influential network model that centered the experiences and knowledge of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color by bringing together leaders of networks that impact the outdoors, environmental education, and environmental justice fields. Based on the positive impact from the pilot year, Justice Outside and The Lawrence Hall of Science have secured permanent funding to expand the Network for Network Leaders offerings!
Goals:
The Network for Network Leaders is recruiting a new cohort of aspiring and current network leaders of emerging or newly established regional* and/or statewide networks that are centered around connecting people to the outdoors in meaningful ways. These leaders are motivated by the idea of justice for people and the planet; are committed to racial equity in their individual and collective efforts; and recognize the importance of centering BIPOC experiences and promoting the various ways of learning and being in connection with the outdoors that communities have been practicing for decades and even centuries.
With the expansion of this backbone network, we will continue to advance our collective goal to support vibrant and thriving networks that promote a more equitable, just, and influential outdoor, environmental education, and environmental justice field by:
- supporting personal and professional relationship-building & wellness
- strengthening knowledge and capacity about anti-racism, equity, and justice within the context of the outdoors
- accelerating the network leaders’ capacity to design their network activities with justice and equity principles at the forefront
- supporting member-driven advocacy and awareness-raising efforts
2024 Network Events & Opportunities:
Professionals who participate in this network will engage in events that promote individual wellness, collective joy, community building, the cultivation of brave spaces, and overall professional growth of those leading networks in the outdoor, environmental education, and/or environmental justice fields. The following is a list of the key activities that will be offered in 2024:
- Virtual Orientation Event (Aug. 29, 2024 9:00am-11:00am PST, approximately) where Leaders will build community, share their network purpose and values, and ground themselves in the goals of the Network for Network Leaders (required attendance, barring unforeseen circumstances).
- Fall In-Person Convening (September 16-19, 2024, inclusive of two dedicated travel days and two days of connection), This convening will host 2023 cohort members as well as new 2024 cohort members and serve as a professional development experience and community building opportunity between cohorts. Leaders will experience joy together in the outdoors, identify areas for collaboration or knowledge sharing, and explore equity centering practices and a movement building framework to support their leadership development. (required attendance, barring unforeseen circumstances).
- Virtual Professional Learning Workshops (Oct.17 9am-11am & Nov.14th 9am-11am PST, approximately) Professional learning workshops will take place online, and provide participants opportunities to learn from each other and other field leaders. Topics will be determined collaboratively by network leaders based on interest, need, and self-identified areas for growth.
- Virtual Open Space Conference (Dec. 5th, 2024 9:00am-1:00pm PST, approximately): The Open Space Conference is an opportunity in which participants create their own agenda to discuss ideas and topics that feel most relevant to them. Topics may draw on, for example, conversations related to the previous professional learning sessions.
- Coaching: Participants will have an opportunity to partner with a coach to receive up to 2 hours of coaching in an area of interest identified by each participant.
Support for participation:
Network for Network Leader members will receive travel and lodging for the in-person convening. We will work directly with participants requiring accommodations (ability, dietary, gender affirming, etc) so that we may meet these needs to the best of our abilities.
Eligibility:
We anticipate selecting up to 10 participants to join the second cohort of Network for Network Leaders and will make selections based on the following criteria:
- Leaders of a regional and/or statewide network (i.e.-a network that is not national or hyper-local in scope)
- Leaders of emerging or newly developed regional*, statewide, or multi state based networks, with priority offered to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (i.e.-a network that is not national or hyper-local in scope)
How to Apply:
- If interested, please complete the Network for Network Leaders: Justice, Community & Outdoor Learning Application Form by July 11, 2024.
- Finalists will be offered an Interview, to be scheduled for the week of July 29, 2024
- Invitations to participate in the Network for Network Leaders will be sent by August 12, 2024.
- We ask that invited participants confirm or decline by August 19, 2024
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our Movement Network Manager Sierra Mathias at movement@justiceoutside.org
*Regional network refers to efforts that are addressing the needs and wants of a geographic region. This is often seen in regional references such as Pacific Northwest, Southwest. It can also refer to multi-county efforts or efforts that span a state or multiple states.