Jemma Findley

Jemma
Taking new apprentices?
No
Educator experience

My role is to improve access and quality of permaculture education and to work on behalf of our members to grow, animate and cohere the permaculture education network. 

I do this by facilitating certification, working with the education working group and by managing the educators' membership via their regular online meet ups and through their portal - which if you haven't been in, is a resource for educators, supporting them to network, share resources and improve the quality of their education. It also provides support for education marketing and their learning more generally. 

Educator skills

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 permaculture education.

My learning was supported by research and implementation of qualitative and quantitative studies - good experience for evaluating current systems. This has been helpful for my work in permaculture when focusing on implementing and maintaining change. 

Psychology is a critical scientific approach, and provides a good basis for evaluating, simplifying and better communicating to a wide audience. 

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 a diverse group.

After University I worked for many years assisting the teaching of City and Guild Skills for Life to adults with additional needs including learning disabilties and mental health conditions.

I completed a NVQ diploma and BSL level 2 and supported staff members through their NVQ pathways.

Later I completed thorough management training (change management, communication, behaviour change) and managed complex care facilties and their corresponding budgets, engaged the local community, ran events and empowered my service users. 

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 am experienced in managing complex projects and budgets, as well as providing facilitation and management to various and often large scale projects. I use this valuable experience to support my work in permaculture and to strengthen the education network further. 

I recently completed the Train the Teacher (ToT) residential training, to help me better understand the challenges faced by our teaching network and improve my facilitation. 

Educator qualifications

Permaculture Teacher Training

Permaculture Diploma (Ongoing)

RHS Level 2 Horticulture (Ness Botanic Gardens - ongoing) 

Psychological First Aid - John Hopkins University via FutureLearn 

Soil - University of Lancaster via FutureLearn 

Our Hungry Planet - Food Security - University of Reading Via FutureLearn

Permaculture Design Course (2015 -Sector39)

Nutrition Diploma  - Shaw Academy 

AATL 1 year intensive Management Course - City Care Partnership

Change Management 

Talking About Communication 

QCF (NVQ) Level 3 Learning Disabilities Pathway 

British Sign Language Level 1&2 

Bsc (hons) Psychology Degree - Leeds Becket University :

  • Educational Psychology; The scientific study of human learning, from both cognitive and behavioural perspectives providing an understanding of individual differences in intelligence, cognitive development, affect, motivation, self regulation and self concept, as well as their role in learning. 
  • Developmental psychology; A wide range of theoretical areas, such as biological, social, emotional and cogitive processes.
  • Occupational Psychology; Management and behaviour in the workplace
  • Behavioural Psychology; Change management, stress responces & communication skills
  • Counselling psychology; Active listening and understanding effective communication 
  • Qualitative and quantitative research skills ; Research skills, analysis and project writeup -12,000 word dissertation.