Open Call: Seeking Applicants for the PLUS Change Ambassadors of Change programme

16 November 2023

PLUS Change is looking for candidates from different cultural and professional backgrounds to join our Ambassadors of Change programme. Selected Ambassadors will contribute to discussions on equitable land use, representing the interests of groups that are often excluded from or underrepresented in land use planning and decision making in Europe. By joining PLUS Change as an Ambassador, you can have a voice in helping to build a more equitable, sustainable future!

About the project

PLUS Change: Planning Land Use Strategies: Meeting biodiversity, climate and social objectives in a changing world is funded by the Horizon Europe programme and aims to develop strategies and decision-making processes for land use that address challenges related to climate change, biodiversity, and human well-being. In the project, we consider all types of land use (urban, peri-urban, and rural), including agriculture, industry, urban, and nature.

We bring together diverse stakeholders, working with 12 practice cases from across Europe. In these cases, we explore challenging land use topics, and create plans and strategies for creating sustainable land use futures.

Throughout the project, we adopt a social perspective to understand how values, knowledge, governance, power, and roles of different actors interact to influence land use decisions. We strive to recognise the diverse needs and values associated with land use, considering the consequences of effective interventions and good governance. We are producing a range of tools and interventions to shape how land use decisions are made, by citizens, planners and policy makers. Throughout the project, we have a commitment to justice and equity for sustainability.

About the Ambassador role

Land use and land use change affects everyone. As individuals and communities, our unique priorities, needs and wishes shape the kinds of land use futures we want and need. Not everyone currently has an equal voice in land use decision making, and PLUS Change Ambassadors work to ensure that we consider marginalised voices across Europe in our project. These voices will act as a link between their own under-represented communities or interest groups and the activities of the PLUS Change project.

As an ambassador, you will help the project to better understand issues that are important to your community/interest group so that we can address them in project decision making and activities. You will also provide feedback on relevant results and outputs from the project, especially when they are of use to your community/interest group.

Ambassadors will undergo an introductory period in the project, where we will jointly develop a plan for how we will work together, to match the community/interest group you represent. This plan will be mindful of practical constraints and your own priorities, as well as those of the project. Activities might include:

Participation in project meetings and/or visits to practice cases.
Representing project activities and results to your own community/interest group through e.g. seminars, presentations, workshops (as appropriate)
Input to, or review of, emerging project outputs to consider the extent to which your community/interest group is represented.
Advising on, or participating in, dissemination and communication of project progress and results to a broad audience.
Offering guidance or advice as to how the project addresses issues of equity and justice in land use planning to meet climate, biodiversity and wellbeing goals.

Who is an Ambassador?

Ambassadors are people who can represent a community or interest group that is often underrepresented in land use decision making in Europe. This may include (but is not limited to), people who are marginalised based on race, gender, age, location. Ambassadors do not have to be land use professionals or have backgrounds in the topics we cover, but they must be based in Europe.
Ambassadors are ideally already working in an organisation, or part of a club or group, that they can represent in the project. This could include NGOs, associations, hobby-based groups, community organisations, and student organisations.
Ambassadors need to be good communicators in English in order to participate in the project. They must also speak the language(s) of the community/interest group they will represent.

Practicalities

Ambassadors should join the project latest in Autumn 2024 and accompany the project through its life until late spring of 2027.
Each ambassador will receive an honorarium of 3000 Euro to cover their time and (minimal) expenses associated with the role. Please note, the position of an ambassador is not considered a classically paid job.
Ambassadors will be welcomed into project activities and trainings, and are encouraged to use their connections with the project and partners in ways that benefit their own communities/interest groups.
As the cooperation will happen mostly online, with some personal visits, no relocation is necessary. On the contrary, you are expected to stay close to (and in touch with) your represented community.

To apply

We are accepting expressions of interest in joining as an Ambassador on an open basis, until all 15 positions are filled. To be considered for an Ambassador role, please send an email to Prof. Julia Leventon (Coordinator of the PLUS Change project and Head of Department of Human Dimensions by The Institute of Global Change Research of the Czech Academy of Science), at pluschange@czechglobe.cz Include information about what community/interest group you represent, who you are, and where you are based (your town and country). Please indicate if you are a member of, or work for, a formal organisation or group that you will represent as an Ambassador.

We anticipate filling all roles towards April 2024, and would welcome your expression of interest by then.

In case of questions, please contact Prof. Julia Leventon, as above.