Education & Engagement Officer – Wild Strathfillan

With thanks to funding by the National Lottery Heritage Fund this is an exciting new role for someone to join our expanding nature restoration team.  We would welcome questions from interested applicants before the closing date!

Background

The natural heritage of Strathfillan is unique and special, containing rare and threatened
species and protected sites. The formerly extensive areas of native woodland, such as
Caledonian pinewoods, upland oakwoods and Scottish rainforest are now only present in small and
isolated blocks, and there are 12 SSSIs wholly or partially within the project area. This
fragmented natural heritage is vulnerable in the face of pressures including climate change,
invasive species, and careless human actions. As a partnership, Wild Strathfillan is looking to
address this.

We know that there is a need to develop local skills and knowledge about how to restore, create
and manage land for nature. There is a lack of locally accessible learning opportunities,
linked to the specific needs of the natural heritage in this landscape and a lack of activities
to support people to get out in nature, which we know is important in fostering
pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours, and in supporting health, wellbeing, and social
cohesion in our small, isolated, rural communities.

We want local people to be at the heart of the nature restoration plan for this landscape and
we will support local communities to gain new skills and knowledge so that can play their part.
We will also support local land managers to develop skills to support the restoration and
stewardship of nature on their land. This will involve formal and informal learning and
practical activities, centred on native woodland restoration, herbivore management, control of
non-native invasive species (INNS) and the creation of wildlife friendly spaces in local
gardens and community spaces.

This is a new role, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and will be joining the Nature
Restoration team within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Countryside Trust. The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Countryside Trust’s purpose is to create connections in the outdoors and with
each other. Based in the National Park we are working to address the biodiversity and climate
emergencies and enabling more sustainable, healthy and active communities. To achieve this we
deliver projects, encourage participation and collaborate with others to create more
sustainable, healthy and active communities, places and partnerships. Our flagship projects are
Wild Strathfillan – a landscape-scale nature restoration partnership project, Active Travel –
supporting National Park Communities, and our volunteer-led health walk programme, Walk in the Park.

In the delivery of education and engagement activities, the post holder should be a highly
effective communicator, educator and facilitator and have a keen interest and skill in engaging
people in nature and creating cohesive communities.

Purpose

The role will deliver and support activities planned as part of our ‘People and Nature of Wild
Strathfillan’ project. The role will enable more people to engage in and learn about the
cultural and natural heritage of Strathfillan. Working with local community groups, education
organisations and a series of organisations who are part of the Wild Strathfillan Partnership,
the role will deliver informal and formal learning opportunities, engagement activities to a
range of audiences and will support local communities to deliver natural and cultural heritage
projects.

Working Environment

The location of the postholder is flexible, however they will be expected to deliver regular
on-site activities in the Wild Strathfillan project area which encompasses Tyndrum, Crianlarich & Killin to fulfil their remit. Occasional evening and weekend work, including overnight
stays, is a requirement of the role. The post-holder will be required to travel regularly throughout the area.

Key responsibilities and tasks

Developing & Delivering Education & Training Opportunities

• With support from partners, develop and deliver Young Nature Club – regular activities for
  the children of the local primary schools (Killin, Crianlarich & Dalmally)
• Develop & deliver a suite of certificated short learning courses including Invasive
  Non-Native Species Identification Training,
• Work with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) to develop Wild Strathfillan as a classroom case
  study and an opportunity to broaden site-based learning at Kirkton.
• Work with the Wild Strathfillan Partnership, and the Universities of Edinburgh &
  Stirling to create a suite of student placement and research projects to further research,
  science and learning.
• Work with local schools and Junior Rangers to deliver outdoor learning

Developing & Delivering Engagement Activities & Events

• With support from the Strathfillan Community Rangers, develop and deliver a behaviour
  change project to reduce the detrimental impacts of visitor activities to help protect some of
  the Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the area.
• With support from the Strathfillan Development Trust, and local heritage groups, deliver
  ‘Stories of the Land’ capturing the oral history, heritage and stories of the area

Supporting Others

• Help to recruit new participants and volunteers to Wild Strathfillan.
• Work with Killin and Ardeonaig Trust to establish community garden & tree nursery.
• Support Project Coordinator to deliver volunteer conservation days.
• Support Strathfillan Community Development Officer and Woodland and Garden group to deliver
  the wetland project, with a particular focus on interpretation.
• Support Senior Health Walk Coordinator to develop Nature Ambassadors volunteer programme
  & broaden our In Step with Nature engagement project.
• Support the National Park Ranger Team to deliver activities for their Junior Ranger Programme and Roots for the Future programme.

Communications

• Promote & host a series of drop-in community events highlighting the wider work of Wild
  Strathfillan and advertise events, workshops and volunteering opportunities.
• Relay concerns, queries and enquiries from drop-in sessions (and wider engagement) to
  project partners and provide updates and feedback to the community.
• Manage a contract to deliver an engagement and attitudes survey across Strathfillan
• Be an ambassador for Wild Strathfillan

Project administration, evaluation and reporting

• Document, record and evaluate qualitative & quantitative information from delivery
  activities to ascertain successes, learning points and opportunities for improvement or new
  projects.
• Provide regular update reports to the Wild Strathfillan Steering Group.
• Carry out risk assessments for all planned activities

Person specification / Assessment Areas

Relevant Experience 

Essential Criteria: Track record as an outstanding deliverer within the learning and participation field, with a creative and innovative approach and a proven ability in a similar role /
organisation. Experience of creating educational materials, sessions and resources with clear learning outcomes. Experience of working with volunteers. Experience of working with children and young people. Experience of working in a community setting. Experience in project delivery and partnership working. Basic understanding of ecology, conservation.

Desirable Criteria: Experience of approaches to community development. Knowledge of the benefits of time in nature for maintaining and improving health and wellbeing. Working knowledge of safeguarding. Experience of working in a remote rural setting.

Specific skills, abilities and qualities

Essential Criteria: Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with a wide variety of
people. Good communicator able to enthuse, motivate and inspire others. Excellent English language skills with the ability to communicate in clear, concise language to a variety of audiences. Awareness of, and a commitment to, tackling the barriers that may exist to individuals
engaging. Good record keeping skills and the ability to collate and produce information for reporting
purposes. Highly organised and efficient, with the ability to work independently and able to manage
workload effectively. Computer literate. Competent in using a range of virtual technologies and social media e.g. Zoom, Facebook,
WhatsApp.

Desirable Criteria:  Experience in the creation of publicity and advertising materials. Experience of project evaluation using statistical and/or qualitative data.

Personal attributes

Essential Criteria:  A passion for engaging people as lifelong learners. Ability to develop and sustain positive relationships with external colleagues. Ability to work effectively as part of a team. Ability to work on a range of projects in tandem. Committed to the purpose and aims of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Countryside Trust and
Wild Strathfillan Partnership. Ability to empathise and understand the needs of communities and volunteers. Tactful and sensitive to the needs of individuals and stakeholders. Highly motivated and professional with high standards of work. Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the role. Able and willing to work weekends and evenings on occasion.

Required qualifications

Essential Criteria: Demonstrable continuing professional development in an education & engagement setting

Desirable Criteria: First Aid qualification. Training in Risk Assessments.

NOTES:

The contract is to December 2026, with a view for contract extension subject to annual project
funding.

Closing date for applications: Monday 19th February at 9am.

• Your completed application form is to be submitted to: [email protected] by the
  closing date. CV’s alone will not be accepted without a completed application form.

Interviews: Tuesday 27th February.  Interviews will take place in-person or online to suit the needs of either the candidate and/or
the interview panel.

Questions about the role: We welcome questions about the role from interested applicants. Please email us at: [email protected].