Application deadline
7 August 2026
Cost
Free to attend. Check who can apply below.
Scale your climate ideas for maximum impact
Tackling the climate emergency is one of the defining challenges facing health and social care. The Climate Emergency Spread & Scale Academy is a three-day programme that helps Welsh project teams move good climate work from local pockets of practice to nationwide impact.
If you are leading a project that addresses the climate emergency, you need to be thinking at scale. The window for action is narrow and the stakes are high, so the difference between a great idea in one ward, service or team and a great idea adopted across Wales is the difference between modest progress and meaningful impact.
The next Academy is taking place between 5th and 7th October 2026 at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.
“I’m convinced that if we hadn’t attended the Spread & Scale Academy, it would have taken me my whole career to get where I am now. Instead it has only taken a couple of years.”
Paul Twose, Consultant Therapist
Turn great climate ideas into large-scale change
Spread & Scale is more than an approach. It’s a practical, people-focused programme that helps teams amplify what works. It includes our immersive three-day Academy, designed to build the skills, strategies and confidence needed to lead climate change that lasts.
You’ll gain clarity on the climate problem you’re solving, set ambitious goals, and unlock your team’s full potential by working smarter, not harder. By the end of the Academy, your team will leave with a clear 90-day sprint plan to kickstart your scaling journey.
Leave the event with renewed confidence in yourself and your work. Your team will be equipped to lead transformative change with strong leadership, best practice, and proven models for large-scale impact across the Welsh health and social care system.
Ongoing expert and peer support
Your learning doesn’t stop at the Academy. As part of the wider Spread & Scale programme, you’ll have access to tools, coaching, and our growing Community of Practice: a peer network of climate project leads offering ongoing support, fresh thinking and expert advice.
Our Impact to Date
The Academy is now in its third year. Two previous cohorts of Welsh health and social care teams have used it as a launch pad for their climate work, leaving with sharper thinking, stronger networks and the practical strategies to spread what works right across the country.
Applying for the next Climate Academy
To apply for the Climate Emergency Spread & Scale Academy, you’ll need a small-scale climate project, a team of 3 to 6 people, and the drive to scale your impact across Welsh health and social care.
The Academy is open to project teams from the Welsh health and social care sectors working on the climate emergency in any form, from decarbonisation and sustainable models of care to climate adaptation and beyond. If your project sits outside this remit, please apply for our open Spread & Scale Academy instead.
The next Climate Academy takes place at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff from 5th to 7th October 2026.
Funded by Welsh Government
Places on the Climate Emergency Spread & Scale Academy are fully funded. There is no cost to attend for eligible teams from the Welsh health and social care sectors.
The Academy is made possible by Welsh Government’s Climate Emergency in Health and Social Care Programme team, who continue to support the spread of innovative climate work across Wales.
Now in its third year, the climate-focused Academy has helped project teams move from local action to national impact.
“Partnering with the Dragon’s Heart Institute to create and then run a Sustainability focused Spread and Scale Academy and Leadership Day has been a fantastic addition to the Health and Social Care Climate Emergency National Programme.
We knew there was loads of good practice happening across Wales but were unsure of how to provide the practical support needed to help project leads realise the full, national potential of their work. Being part of an Academy solely focused on the climate agenda has enabled project leads to undertake shared problem solving, seek constructive challenge and create new connections and networks, which in turn has helped shape the projects to have national impact.
There is also something about knowing you are part of a collective effort that helps when things get tough or when you want to get your voice heard. There is definitely strength in numbers when tackling big delivery challenges like climate change. It has also been a lot of fun!
We are now into our third year and have an even bigger pipeline of projects and a clear offer for individuals and teams who want to take action on the climate agenda. The DHI team continue to help us evolve the approach and we are excited about the impact the next set of projects will have.”
Lisa Wise MBE, Deputy Director Climate Change and Environmental Public Health, Welsh Government
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