Call for Participants: The Greenhouse: Training for Activists – Spring 2026 edition

The Greenhouse: Training for Activists is a unique opportunity to connect, learn and grow as part of a new generation of green and green-minded Europeans leading change in their communities. Taking place in Italy 03.03.2026-08.03.2026, the training will bring together 25 young Europeans committed to building a more just and sustainable Europe to further build their political skillset through practical training, transnational exchange, and political ecology education. 

Apply here by 18 November 2025, 23:59.

About The Greenhouse: Training for Activists 

The Greenhouse Training is a five-day intensive for activists, thinkers, organisers, and anyone committed to shaping a vibrant, sustainable, and democratic Europe. 

Rooted in political ecology education, the training combines participatory methods, expert-led workshops and debates, and community-building activities.  During the training, participants will deepen their understanding of the roots and trajectories of the green movement, explore pressing societal challenges through a European lens, and strengthen their competences in areas like rhetoric and debating. The March 2026 edition of The Greenhouse centres around the timely theme of “Technology and Democracy”.  

At GEF, we believe that the European green movement is strongest when it is diverse, inclusive, and interconnected. This training is designed to foster lasting relationships and build a resilient cohort of green Europeans ready to lead change in their own communities. 

Programme Highlights:  

• Exploration of the roots and trajectories of the European Green movements, connecting past struggles to current political challenges.  

• Deep dive into the theme “Technology and Democracy”. 

• Practical skill-building in argumentation and political debate. 

• A strong focus on collaboration, peer learning, and European perspectives. 

• Guidance and mentorship from expert facilitators and insights from leading voices in the European Green movement. 

• Networking with fellow European activists and local political actors to foster lasting relationships across borders. 

• Becoming part of the Greenhouse Cohort – opening further opportunities for training, mentorship, and networking 

Next to the five-day training 03-08 March, The Greenhouse: Training for Activists includes three online sessions:  

• Greenhouse pre-training session (24.02.2026 – 17:00 – 18:30) 

• Greenhouse post-training Session #1 (07.04.2026 – 17:00 – 18:30) 

• Greenhouse post-training Session #2 (05.05.2026 – 17:00 – 18:30) 

These sessions are an integral part of the training. Your availability during these timeslots is conditional for your application to be considered. 

Expert speakers and Trainers  

Edouard Gaudot – Historian and Political Scientist; Expert on Political Ecology – expert speaker

Benedetta Scuderi – MEP (Italy), Greens/EFA – expert speaker

Eliza Popper – Co-founder, The Good Enough Company, trainer

Sebastian Huehne – Capacity-building Assistant, Green European Foundation, trainer

Laurent Standaert – Director, Green European Foundation, expert  

Local Italian Green movement actors (names tbc)  

Participant Profile  

The ideal candidate for The Greenhouse: Training for Activists is: 

• a young (18–30 years old) green or green-minded activist, academic, community organiser, trainer, journalist, civil society/political actor actively engaged in shaping a more just, sustainable, and democratic society 

• anchored in local green and progressive movements and/or organisations 

• motivated to deepen their understanding of political ecology, strengthen their advocacy and debate skills, and interested in exploring the political debates at the intersection of Technology and Democracy. 

• ready to engage at the transnational level and connect with a diverse network of green-minded peers from across Europe 

• ready to bring their learning back to their local context through concrete actions and initiatives 

• eager to join a growing European community of young green leaders and remain actively engaged beyond the training  

Project background 

The Greenhouse is the Green European Foundation’s activist training initiative dedicated to offering political education on Europe, capacity building for the green movement at large, and fostering engagement and participation of young leaders and activists across the continent – to support a strong and vibrant European democracy.   

Joining The Greenhouse Training opens doors for continued networking, mentoring, and training as part of the Greenhouse Community – such as facilitated sessions with the biggest thinkers and doers in the European green movement and the opportunity to join our summer trainings, where we delve deeper into the core principles and practices of green leadership and political organising. 

Across its different formats, The Greenhouse nurtures the foundations of collective action and cultivates the routes forward for young European citizens to shape systemic change in their local communities.  

Participation fees and financial considerations 

Selected participants will be asked to contribute a €75–120 participation fee (sliding scale). This contribution supports the Green European Foundation’s co-financing efforts, helping to make the training sustainable and accessible for future generations of activists. No profit is incurred. If this fee presents a barrier to your participation, please indicate this in your application – we are committed to finding a solution together. 

The Green European Foundation and its partners will cover all other costs for selected participants, including accommodation, catering, training, and full travel reimbursement. Our aim is to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent committed young activists from taking part in this unique learning experience. 

Practicalities 

Date and Time: 03 – 08 March 2026

Location: Italy – location to be confirmed 

Language:   Fluency in both written and spoken English is required to participate in the training 

Participants: 25 activists aged 18 – 30 years from across Europe (EU and non-EU countries) 

Application: Please apply here. Applications close on 18 November 2025, 23:59. The application involves questions about your experience and motivation and asks you to upload an up to three-minute video answer. We aim to confirm spots for successful applicants in early December. 

If you have any questions about the training, contact training@gef.eu

This event is organised by the Green European Foundation with the support of Fondazione Alexander Langer Stiftung and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.