New Economy Leaders Academy

NELA is a collaboration between Partners for a New Economy, Common Purpose, and The Human Edge. In its first 2 years, the Academy has supported 55 new economy leaders to build skills, capacities, and connections with peers. Applications are now open for NELA’s third cohort launching in March 2026.

93% of participants recommend the New Economy Leaders Academy and say that it has helped them expand their network and collaborate with others in the new economy field.

Hear from Jo Swinson about her experience of the MAVA Leaders for Nature Academy (which inspired this programme), and the power of being part of an intergenerational initiative.

“To build a fair and green future where all people and nature can thrive, we need to transform our economy. Brilliant people are working to achieve this vision: across sectors, from different disciplines and with a variety of approaches. We hope that this Academy will give people in this nascent field some space and support to develop their skills and help to weave closer connections between these new economy leaders”

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Who is it for?

The Academy is for senior and emerging leaders in the new economy field – whether working on campaigns & movement building, research & academia, policy & advocacy, storytelling & communications, or bringing new economic ideas to life in communities.

It’s for highly motivated individuals who show commitment to redesigning our economy to serve people and nature, and who can demonstrate their leadership potential and/or capability.

Applications are welcome from any geography. You will need to be able to attend an in-person event in London and regular online sessions at 13.00 UK / 14.00 CET. This tends to mean the majority of applicants are based in Europe.

We encourage a senior and an emerging leader to apply together as a ‘duo’ from the same organisation (you do not need to be part of the same team, and you will not be matched with each other for mentoring). You can also join with someone from a different organisation to form a ‘duo’, or apply solo without a partner. It’s ok to have more than one application per organisation.

As a guide, we suggest senior leaders have more than ten years of work experience, and emerging leaders have less than ten years of work experience

If you are unsure about whether you meet any of the criteria, please get in touch with Meryl Jacques from The Human Edge to discuss your application so that they can understand your individual circumstances.

“It’s been life-changing, honestly. It came professionally just at the right time; it was immensely beneficial to have this outside view. I don’t know how I would have got through autumn and winter without the mentoring, it’s been such a privilege to have that space to reflect that is outside of your work and with those who are in the same field.”

Anna Leitner, Global 2000 and Friends of the Earth Austria

Why take part?

Participants will:

Grow new networks – by connecting with diverse participants and speakers
Improve self-awareness and personal resilience to meet the challenges ahead
Develop greater inter-generational understanding and cooperation
Enhance their ability to Lead Beyond Authority – increasing their ability to lead and collaborate across boundaries of sector, geography, culture, and professional discipline
Develop mentoring and coaching skills to support effective leadership and long term personal and professional growth
Join a community of new economy changemakers who will challenge, support and inspire one another both during the Academy and beyond

The programme does not focus on improving New Economy knowledge beyond peer exchange – the focus is leadership development and mentoring.

“The most significant change for me has been that I feel part of a network of people who are finding levers for change to create a sustainable world. It often feels lonely in this space and it is amazing to learn and connect with others.”

Katherine Hermans, Co-Founder and Director at Global Changemaker

How will it work?

The 2026 Academy runs for 9 months, from March to November. Following an online introductory session and two-day in-person gathering in London in April, participants spend 3-6 hours a week on the Academy programme until the end of July 2026. Ongoing mentoring sessions follow this until November 2026. The Academy has two key elements:

Leadership development guided by Common Purpose’s Leading Beyond Authority framework (LBA)

An hour of independent learning via our learning portal
11 hours of live online LBA sessions
3 hours of live online peer coaching sessions
1 hour 360-degree feedback assessment survey
A 1.5 hour live one-to-one meeting with a professional coach to debrief the 360-degree feedback assessment survey

Mentoring, to support your long-term professional and personal growth

For mentors: 12.5 hours of live virtual training sessions and 6 hours of independent learning
For mentees: 4 hours of live virtual training sessions and 1 hour of independent learning
For all: 6 months of ongoing mentoring, a 2-hour live online setup session, and two online mentor and mentee group peer calls

2026 Schedule

100%

of participants recognize the value in bringing in wider perspectives when making key decisions

76%

feel better prepared to act more courageously in difficult situations

100%

of mentors would recommend the training to others

What is Leading Beyond Authority (LBA)?

Many successful leaders learn to lead in roles or circumstances where they have clear authority, budget, and accountability. When they move beyond this – leading peers, partners, and stakeholders – the skills that brought them success may not be sufficient. To operate effectively, they need a different approach to leadership – the ability to Lead Beyond Authority. This means that a leader can adapt to different contexts, seeing the wider picture, taking greater responsibility for the whole rather than just their individual part, and breaking down silos to work across boundaries.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a long-term, trust-based relationship between two people where the agenda and direction of time together are set by the mentee. Mentors are trained to act as both a sounding board and a guide, sharing their knowledge and wisdom to support mentees’ professional and personal growth. When paired with other leadership development activities, effective mentoring creates a valuable space for deeper exploration, reflection, and learning.

Applications Now Open

Programme details:

Deadline for applications: Applications are submitted online to The Human Edge. The deadline for applications is midnight UK time on Sunday, 11 January 2026. You can read the application questions in full, before completing the form online.

Information Webinars: We will be holding two information webinars, where you can learn more about the Academy and how it works. They will be held on 3 December at 11:00 UK / 12:00 CET and 9 December at 14:00 UK / 15:00 CET. If you would like to attend, please register using the links below:

3 December – register here
9 December – register here

Language: The Academy will be conducted in English.

Cost: There is no cost to participants to take part as the Academy is funded by P4NE. We expect accepted participants to be fully committed to the Academy.

Contact us: if you would like to discuss the Academy, please get in touch with The Humand Edge team (email meryl@humanedge.org.uk).

Apply Now Programme Schedule Contact NELA

Common Purpose

Common Purpose is a leadership development organization that specializes in cross-boundary leadership. A not-for-profit, we run programmes in over 100 cities worldwide. Founded in 1989, we have over 130,000 alumni globally. Our leadership development programmes inspire and equip people to work across boundaries. This enables them to solve complex problems in organizations and in society.

Partners for a New Economy

Partners for a New Economy is an international donor collaborative focused on transforming the economic system. We were founded in 2015 by the MAVA, Oak, Marisla and KR Foundations. Laudes and Ford Foundations joined P4NE in 2021 and Omidyar Network in 2022. Our vision is our economy redesigned for nature and all people to flourish.

The Human Edge

The Human Edge is a specialist mentoring organisation aiming to drive economic progress and social change by making effective mentoring available and accessible for entrepreneurs and leaders so that they are better able to solve local and global challenges. We design and deliver learning programmes for entrepreneurs, managers and leaders. Through our work, we equip people, organisations and ecosystems with the tools, approaches, and skills to overcome challenges, build stronger relationships, steer their organisations forward and achieve greater impact, faster. We partner globally, and work in multiple languages, across contexts, cultures, and sectors.