Today’s young people are growing up in a world of complex problems: climate change, droughts, wildfires, water scarcity, and social and environmental inequalities. The Trust, through its Rising Leaders Program (formerly the Youth Leadership Program), provides opportunities to build leadership, advocacy, and professional skills that work toward creating a more just and sustainable future for the Colorado Plateau.
The Rising Leaders Program goes beyond getting students outdoors (although, our campfires and dutch oven desserts are certainly crowd pleasers). We take 15- to 30-year-olds to far-flung corners of the Colorado Plateau, build connections with landscapes and each other, hone advocacy and community organizing skills, tackle tough issues, and offer opportunities for budding activists to put it all into practice.
We swap chalkboards and stuffy classrooms for farmers’ fields, forests, and desert lands. Young leaders come away from these place-based learning experiences with callused hands and a deep understanding of issues facing public and tribal lands.
From political advocacy and lobbying strategies to science communication and art activism, we pair advocacy training with opportunities for trainees to practice their new skills. Our week-long leadership program gives rising leaders tools to effect change.
A few individuals each year have the opportunity to dive into the Trust's work through internships. They work closely with Trust staff to set their own professional goals, develop skills, and study issues related to public and tribal lands, all the while receiving a living wage.
In 2018, over 60 Flagstaff high school artists turned a white wall into a public mural — a colorful scene depicting water issues on the Colorado Plateau. Read about the mural project ›
Calling all 16-22-year-olds! Each summer, we host a free training program for young environmental justice leaders. Created by and for young people, LeaderShift connects young advocates with environmental and social justice issues on the Colorado Plateau. Stay tuned for details about LeaderShift in 2020!
We train students in lobbying and public speaking strategies, then travel with them to the Arizona state Capitol where they speak to the press, meet with lawmakers, and advocate for the health of public lands and Colorado Plateau communities. Read what the young advocates have to say ›
Whether we're collecting data for climate change research or helping Native farmers dig out irrigation ditches, our student volunteers put their minds and backs into the work. We meet with Native farmers and entrepreneurs, scientists, and our own program staff to learn about and support projects across the plateau. Learn more about our work with local farmers ›
Want to plug into Colorado Plateau conservation? Looking for a job, internship, or other opportunity? Explore this job board ›
Or, see where a Trust internship could land you down the road. Read about former Trust interns, and where they are now ›
Gather with a community of young leaders on the Colorado Plateau. Redefine the climate movement and share tools for change! Find out more about the annual Uplift Climate Conference ›
Summers are for road trips. Read about a group of students who piled in a van and set off to learn about uranium mining on the Colorado Plateau.
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Navajo farmer Rose Williams makes the case for putting down your phone and working your hands in the soil.
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An interview with Navajo farmer Ronalda Thomas about traditional farming and cultural connections.
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