Jemma Findley

I manage, co-created and improve the permaculture association's online courses and platform. I also work on the reach of permaculture education including identifying and providing continuous professional development for our awesome educators, consultants and designers in the UK and worldwide. I support our growing network of UK based and international permaculture teachers, cohering and supporting the network to professionalise and mainstream nature based thinking and design. 
 I lead on our justice, equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion work both through our charitable work and through online learning courses. I support, design and deliver on key educational projects and support learners on all stages of their journey, from those studying introductory level permaculture right through to our teacher trainers and and senior consultants.  I have completed the Train the Teacher (ToT) residential training with Designed Visions and am currently qualifying as an organisational coach, to help me better understand the challenges faced by our learning network and support new learning pathways and career development.

My psychology degree provided research and training in educational psychology as well as other key areas (communication, research, occupational psychology, stress management, diversity and empowerment) very relevant to the work I lead on at the permaculture association. With educational psychology as the seed to my future learning, I undertook several years of teaching & supporting those with complex needs. This provided me with a solid base for teaching for various learning styles and communicating with people from various backgrounds and cultural groups. After University I worked for many years assisting the teaching of City and Guild Skills for Life to adults with additional needs including learning disabilities and mental health conditions. I completed a NVQ diploma and BSL level 2 and supported staff members through their NVQ pathways. I completed a 2 year management training (change management, communication, behaviour change). 

As a manager and fundraiser I successfully worked on the European LEADER One School One Planet project in Llanfyllin, where I funded £68,000 for a pilot study getting permaculture into a high school in North Wales. I also supported and part wrote the funding application to develop a permaculture academy in Uganda with Sector39. I use this valuable experience to support my work in permaculture and to strengthen the education network further.