Apply for Engage for Change here. Applications for the first cohort close on 23rd January 2023.
If you’d like to register your interest for the third intake in June, for PhD students only, please use this form to be emailed once the applications open.
Applications are now open!
Engage for Change is sponsored by Cambridge Zero and the Sustainability team at the University of Cambridge.
You can read the application pack here
You can find a list of all the different project proposed in Engage for Change here
How do we turn talk into action?
Engage for Change is a twelve-week programme for students at the University of Cambridge who want to learn to make change happen.
You will design, implement and evaluate your own environmental sustainability-related intervention, aligned with the the University's Environmental Sustainability Vision, Policy and Strategy.
No experience is needed - you will have weekly training sessions and we can help you plan your intervention as part of the programme.
Want to:
- Gain transferable skills to improve your effectiveness and impact?
- Lead and facilitate positive change?
- Improve your ability to understand and tackle environmental challenges?
- Engage the disengaged, working in your department and across the University?
- Put your skills into action, through iterative design, implementation and reflection?
Our programme covers all the above, with a focus on listening and communicating for positive impact, Action-Experiment Cycles, strategic change-making, advocacy and influencing, and effective real-world monitoring and evaluation. These are all skills that you can use for social change-making, but which are also directly applicable to a range of future careers.
Who can apply?
We're looking for self-motivated individuals with initiative and interest in the environment, who want to explore and implement innovative solutions to sustainability challenges. You don't need any specific experience to take part.
The programme is open to all current students and post-docs at the University of Cambridge, whatever your subject or experience. You will receive training and support to help you develop the skills needed to meet the challenge.
Who's running it?
Cambridge Hub, the centre of student social action in Cambridge, delivers the programme, with the kind support of Sustainability and Cambridge Zero, who drive the sustainable environmental transformation of the University. EfC will be running for the 10th time in Michaelmas 2022, after a number of successful and impactful cohorts, which have led to numerous ongoing projects. Initiatives have covered a broad range of topics such as food waste, green transport, energy consumption, and education.
How much time commitment is expected?
Based upon the experience of previous candidates, to get the most out of the programme you will need to contribute at minimum 4 hours a week, which includes 1.5 hour of online training and half an hour to meet with your team.
Before you apply, consider whether you are able to commit the amount of time needed to get the most out of the programme.
What projects can you develop?
Your project will be individual, allowing you to develop a vast set of skills, but you will have a team of like-minded peers to support you throughout.
During the first weeks of the programme, you will need to have conversations with key University staff ahead of agreeing any project to ascertain their capacity to support you. Here's some ideas of projects you can explore:
Curriculum * Survey staff and/or students about curriculum and sustainability at your university department
Communications * Organise awareness campaigns or events through diverse platforms (e.g. sustainability podcast, app, online seminar)
Composting * Explore how to implement composting in your college (e.g. through meetings with staff and surveys with students)
Energy and Carbon * Survey departments/colleges on willingness to change behaviour * Analyse energy records * Liaise with building managers to ask about what works are planned
Key dates
- Deadline for applying: Mon 23rd January
- Interviews: Rolling from Mon 9th January until capacity is reached
- Programme Start: W/C 30th January
- Programme End: W/C 26th April
You will be expected to attend a 1.5 hours training delivered by Cambridge Hub each week and to meet with your team to discuss your individual project.
How can I apply?
You can apply via this form Please provide us with comprehensive answers to increase your chances of being selected to interview. We will be conducting interviews in a rolling basis until capacity is reached, so don't wait to apply! As part of the application form, you will be asked to specify your preferred time to attend the sessions. You will also be asked about the environmental issue you would like to tackle during the programme. Keep in mind that you can change this during the programme if needed.
If you have any questions about the application process, please contact manager@cambridgehub.org
Accessibility
Cambridge Hub is committed to making our activities inclusive to all students. We can make reasonable adjustments to the application processes, sessions and other activities on a case-by-case basis. We also provide ongoing support for the students we work with, so if you have particular accessibility needs, including special educational needs, please write to manager@cambridgehub.org and let us know how we can make the activity more accessible.
