Judy Paul - Our Community Engagement Worker 

Judy came to our role of Community Engagement Worker with a range of experience working with children, young people and adults in many different community settings.
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Starting out as a school careers adviser she moved on to designing and delivering career management and personal development programmes for young people and adults. During this time, she trained in personal coaching and counselling skills. After 16 years working in employability and having a strong interest in nature conservation, Judy moved to a career in environmental education with RSPB Scotland where she had a variety of roles including developing the youth group network in Scotland, delivering outdoor learning aligned to Curriculum for Excellence and leading outdoor nature-based family activities.

Developing connection to nature experiences led to Judy training as a forest school practitioner and discovering the power of nature for wellbeing, and went on to develop skills and experience in leading nature-based mental health recovery programmes with the Green Team, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, New Caledonian Woodlands and the Royal Botanic Garden.  Working in community engagement at the Botanics, Judy has also been involved in facilitating learning for a range of community groups in growing, harvesting and social activities. She is particularly proud to have worked with the kitchen garden team to gain organic status and help to promote and support sustainable growing and lifestyles.
In other areas, Judy is chair of the Midlothian Outdoor Woodland Learning group, assists with Forest Families outdoor play group, woodland conservation and events at Newbattle Abbey college and is doing a certificate in Herbology.