How the People For Nature Ambassador pathway empowers the next generation of sustainability leaders
The challenge: Turning science into action
Climate and biodiversity challenges are complex. While scientific knowledge is growing, many people still struggle to understand what is happening, why it matters, and what they can do.
For Sholihah, the barrier is not a lack of care.
“People often don’t take action not because they don’t care, but because they don’t fully understand the issues at hand.”
With a background in environmental engineering and biology education, Sholihah understood the importance of translating complex science into meaningful conversations that connect with people.
The first step: Experiencing collective intelligence
Sholihah’s journey with People For Nature began as a participant.
Her first Climate Fresk workshop took place in Indonesia in June 2024. Despite having an environmental background, she didn’t know what to expect.
What stood out was that it didn’t feel like a traditional lecture.
Instead, participants worked together to build a shared understanding of climate systems by connecting causes and consequences, drawing on everyone’s knowledge and perspectives.
“It felt like everyone in the room was figuring things out together, and somehow that made the whole thing land so much harder and memorable.”
A few months later, after moving to Melbourne for her Master of Environment at the University of Melbourne, Sholihah joined her first Biodiversity Collage workshop.
The experience reinforced something important: environmental education is most powerful when people are active participants in creating knowledge.
Becoming a facilitator: From learning to empowering others
After experiencing the impact of these workshops, Sholihah wanted to help create the same experience for others.
She trained as a Climate Fresk facilitator and later joined People For Nature’s facilitator community, expanding her skills to deliver Biodiversity Collage and Circular Economy Collage workshops.
“I didn’t want to facilitate because I had all the answers. I wanted to help create the space where people could discover and understand these issues together.”
Through People For Nature, Sholihah found not only training opportunities, but a supportive community of people working towards the same goal.
Building confidence and professional skills
The People For Nature Ambassador pathway gave Sholihah opportunities to move from volunteer facilitation into professional environmental engagement.
After facilitating more than five workshops, she began supporting paid corporate Climate Fresk sessions — adapting workshops for different audiences and organisational contexts.
This experience helped her develop skills beyond environmental knowledge:
- Facilitating conversations across diverse audiences
- Communicating complex science clearly
- Supporting groups through challenging topics
- Listening and creating inclusive spaces
- Connecting sustainability concepts with real-world action
“When you’re facilitating, your job is to hold space for the group, not to steer it toward your own perspective. That’s harder than it sounds, and it’s something I’m still working on.”
Impact beyond the workshops
Today, Sholihah has facilitated many Climate Fresk and Biodiversity Collage workshops, reaching diverse audiences including students, communities and corporate teams.
Her environmental engagement work also contributed to her receiving a Highly Commended award in the Student Leadership category at the University of Melbourne Sustainability Awards 2025.
But the impact goes beyond numbers.
Through the Ambassador community, Sholihah has developed confidence, leadership skills and a network of people working across climate and sustainability.
Why the Ambassador pathway matters
Sholihah’s journey demonstrates the power of citizen-powered change.
People do not need to be climate scientists to contribute to solving climate and biodiversity challenges.
They need:
- Access to trusted knowledge
- The confidence to start conversations
- Skills to bring others together
- A community that supports their journey
The People For Nature Ambassador pathway transforms participants into environmental leaders who can bring science, dialogue and action into workplaces, universities and communities.
Her message to future ambassadors
“You don’t need to be an expert in climate change or biodiversity to facilitate these workshops. You just need to be curious and willing to listen. The model is built on collective intelligence, which means the group does the work together.”
Connect with Sholihah on LinkedIn 💚
Interested in becoming a People For Nature Ambassador?
Join our growing community of facilitators helping Australians understand, connect with and protect nature.
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