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Empowering Our Changemakers: Introducing the Community Leaders Toolkit

June 2025 by Anne-Marie Soulsby

When we talk about climate action, we often focus on individuals or businesses, but what about the decision makers in our communities? These are the people who shape group decisions, manage local resources, and influence dozens (if not hundreds) of others. For example, scout leaders, charity trustees, association chairs, PTA members, or the head of your local allotment group. Imagine the ripple effect if these people were equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to lead their communities towards a low-carbon future?

That’s exactly where the Carbon Literacy Community Leaders Toolkit comes in.

What’s in the Toolkit?

The Community Leaders Toolkit is a ready to use, off-the-shelf package designed to make running Carbon Literacy training simple and impactful.

It includes:

  • A professionally designed slide pack
  • An engaging activity PDF to bring learning to life
  • A clear, detailed trainer guidance manual
  • All the forms and paperwork you need
  • A helpful running order to keep your session smooth and on track

Plus, you’ll get the chance to connect directly with the Communities Coordinator at The Carbon Literacy Project, who can answer your questions, guide you through the materials, and help you hit the ground running. Once you purchase the toolkit, you can use it as many times as you like for the remainder of the licence period – and it’s updated yearly for your convenience.

What Does It Cost?

Here’s the best part:

  •  If you’re a community group, NGO, or charity with an annual turnover under £25,000, the toolkit is completely FREE.
  • If you’re part of a local authority that has already purchased one of the Local Authority Toolkits and is still within the licence period, the Community Leaders Toolkit is also free.

If you want to train community members (rather than leaders), there’s no off-the-shelf toolkit available yet. You can create your own course and apply for accreditation. For smaller organisations (under £25,000 turnover), the accreditation fee is just £150.

If you or your trainers are already certified as Carbon Literate, you can access a suite of free materials to help you create and deliver your own course. Alternatively, you can purchase the Community Leaders Toolkit,adapt it for your own audience, and then accredit this as your own course materials.

Admin Fees for Certification

It’s important to note that when you run a course and submit learners for certification, there are admin fees for processing each learner’s certification. The exact fee depends on the type of organisation you’re part of.

For example, if you’re a third sector organisation with a turnover of less than £250,00 per year the admin fee is currently £10 per learner submission. These fees cover the cost of reviewing learner evidence and issuing official digital certificates, ensuring that your participants become proudly certified Carbon Literate.

Please Note on Pricing

All pricing and fees mentioned here are subject to change. We recommend checking the most up-to-date information directly with the Carbon Literacy Project before making any financial decisions or commitments. Details of certification and accreditation fees are available here. You can always contact the Communities team at [email protected] for the latest details and advice.

Why This Matters

Training community leaders is one of the most powerful ways to create collective change. These are people trusted by their groups, who can embed climate-smart thinking into decisions that affect dozens or hundreds of others, whether it’s how a community centre sources its energy, how a charity runs its events, or how a local sports club manages its resources.

By equipping leaders with Carbon Literacy, we strengthen the frontlines of climate action, creating a ripple effect that goes far beyond individuals.

So, whether you’re part of a small local group, a council team, or a charity board, the Community Leaders Toolkit gives you the power, structure, and support to take meaningful action.

Ready to get started? Reach out to the Carbon Literacy Communities team at [email protected]. We’d love to help you bring this training to your local changemakers.

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