About the Group Leadership Programme

The WILDLABS Group Leadership Programme is a 1-year programme where members of the community can lead subgroups on WILDLABS by curating vibrant spaces of connection, collaboration, and meaningful engagement. By volunteering to lead a WILDLABS group, you’re helping build a network of engaged communities within the larger conservation tech community, all while creating a more interconnected, sustainable, and well-resourced field! It is a great opportunity to gain leadership experience and build connections in the sector.

New groups for 2026-2027

This year, we're especially excited to welcome applications for two proposed new WILDLABS groups: Zoos & Aquariums and Human Dimensions. These groups are currently proposals, and we'd love to hear from community members interested in helping shape their direction. If either topic resonates with you, join the conversation and share your thoughts in the relevant discussion threads.  

• Zoos & Aquariums
  A dedicated community space at the intersection of conservation technology and zoo- and aquarium-based conservation ecosystems. The group will explore both in situ and ex situ conservation efforts, with a particular focus on animal welfare, behavioral research, conservation science, technology transfer, and collaborative innovation involving accredited zoo and aquarium institutions.

• Human Dimensions
  A space for exploring the people, institutions, and systems that shape conservation technology adoption and impact. Topics may include social and institutional challenges in implementing conservation technology projects, working with locally affected communities, social equity and power dynamics, UX design and environmental human-computer interaction, environmental communication, policy, and management. The group would create opportunities for discussion across scales, from individual behavior change and user experience to organizational implementation and public policy.

   

Responsibilities

• Inspire engagement: Regularly start conversations; Back-channel communication to connect members; Engage in other users’ conversations; Help the group form good habits, like reminding members to engage on The Inventory
• Build community: Lead a WILDLABS Community Event series, such as speaker sessions with industry experts, tutor series for members to learn relevant skills, workshop sessions dedicated to evaluating the future of the field and defining investment needs, etc.
• Liaise with the WILDLABS team: Join a quarterly group call with other WILDLABS group leaders; Have regular check-ins with the WILDLABS Community team to share updates, questions, and concerns

What makes a good group leader?

Group leaders play a very important role in WILDLABS. They should

• Be active in the conservation tech community
• Have in-depth knowledge in the subject of their group
• Stay in-the-know on relevant news, new technologies, and emerging opportunities
• Be eager to connect with others
• Have creative ideas for bringing the community together and delivering on needs
• Be able to commit 1-2 hours per week to being a group manager for 1 year

Perks of being a group leader

By volunteering to be a group leader for a WILDLABS group, you’ll:

• Have 12 months to make an impact in your area
• Build a more well-connected conservation tech community
• Increase your exposure in the community
• Give back to and support the sector
• Connect with others in your field
• Have a direct line of communication to the WILDLABS team
• Feed into WILDLABS feature development
• Join a small community of other group managers on Slack
• Leverage the power of WILDLABS through speaker events like Variety Hour
• Earn a special badge to distinguish your leadership role

Previous group leaders have described the experience as a rewarding opportunity to connect with peers, contribute to the conservation technology community, and help shape conversations around topics they care about. 

Apply to become a group leader

Those interested in becoming a group leader for the August 2026 to July 2027 term should fill out an application by Friday, July 10.

We will review applications and get back to all applicants by July 17. Prospective applicants will be invited to join a training call, which will cover:

• The community lifecycle
• How to create an action plan
• What resources are available to you
• Expectations and responsibilities

Questions?

To learn more about the Group Leadership Programme, read the handbook here. Drop questions, comments, or concerns in the comments section or reach out to @vanereyes!