Young Environmental Leader Award

About the Young Environmental Leader Award

Kew’s Young Environmental Leader Award will support you to develop your leadership capabilities and broaden your interest and knowledge in the natural world.

You will lead an environmental project that will strengthen connections in your local community, develop your skills for future workplaces and build a relationship with Kew – a world-leading institution in plant and fungal science.

The award gives you an opportunity to lead, plan, implement, and evaluate an environmental project of your choice. You can do this as an individual or as part of a group of up to six people.

The award can be used to enrich your applications to university, an apprenticeship or a job and your project can count towards a Duke of Edinburgh Award in both the skills and volunteering sections.

Kew's Young Environmental Leader Award is not currently open for sign-ups. You can register your interest in the scheme by emailing us through the online contact form.

Eligibility

You must be over the age of 14 to take part in the award. The upper age limit is 25. Currently the award is only available to young people living in the UK.

What leadership skills does the award develop?

Develop leadership skills

You will develop your leadership skills in the following dimensions:

Environmental vision
Planning
Creativity
Perseverance
Adaptability
Teamwork
Diversity and inclusion
Communication
Self reflection

Many of the skills you’ll gain will be applicable to a wide range of jobs, for example:

Leadership: Programme leader – driving cultural change for the environment and influencing the transition to different ways of working.
Researching information: Conservation scientist – working with landowners and governments to protect natural resources.
Communicating: Science communicator/educator – engaging the public in scientific and conservation concepts and inspiring green job choices and careers; or Member of parliament – debating ideas and proposing new laws.
Project planning: Project officer – managing the transition to net zero and ensuring programmes are on track and on budget.
Teamwork: Urban planner – developing plans and programmes on how best to use land and resources.

How do you achieve the award?

To achieve the Kew Young Environmental Leader Award individuals/groups need to demonstrate that they have worked towards and reflected on each of the award’s nine leadership dimensions

Find out more about building and submitting your evidence portfolio.

What resources are available to complete the award?

Downloadable pamphlets linked to the each of learning dimensions are available to guide and support you in developing your leadership skills and project.

You may wish to complete and submit these pamphlets as part of your evidence portfolio, however you don't need to if you have sufficient evidence to demonstrate that you have worked towards and reflected on each of the award’s nine leadership dimensions.

Explore the nine learning dimension pamphlets

Who will support you completing Kew Young Environmental Leader Award?

You will need to nominate a suitable organisation to support you through your award.

You may also like to access assistance from a STEM ambassador – a volunteer working in a STEM-related subject. Your supporting organisation can help connect you with a STEM ambassador.

Read the guidance for supporting organisations

How is the award is assessed?

You will gather and submit an evidence portfolio to demonstrate your abilities in each of the leadership dimensions. If you are working in a group you will submit some evidence collectively. There will also be evidence that each group member will need to submit individually. Check the evidence portfolio to see what this involves.

Your evidence is assessed by Kew experts in learning and science. We recommend you read the assessment criteria to make sure you understand what you need to do to achieve the award.

The award is non-competitive and everyone who succeeds receives the award and a personalised certificate.

What participants have said about the award

Mattie O’Callaghan is a curator, designer and creative gardener from London, who is currently training to be a landscape architect.

She carried out a Grow Wild Youth Project in 2022, entitled 'Mushrooms for all', and went on to complete the Young Environmental Leader Award.

'I loved doing the Young Environmental Leader Award; it really helped me plan out workshops in detail, think about practicalities, and gave some really important space for reflections and learnings.'

Previous YELA Participant Mattie O'Callaghan exploring fungi in nature, © Mattie O'Callaghan

How to take part

Environmental leaders drive positive change for the natural world through taking action and raising awareness of environmental issues in their community.

Find out how to become an environmental leader