Could you volunteer as a forestry officer?
Sadia Ismail is a forestry volunteer development officer at the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations.
Sadia Ismail, 33 years old from Glasgow, has been a forestry volunteer development officer at the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations (CEMVO), in partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland, since 2015.
Linking in with Forestry Commission Scotland’s Engagement Programme, Sadia’s overarching role is to help raise the awareness of woodland spaces throughout central Scotland and promote why they are beneficial to the local community.
Scotland’s woodlands are currently enjoyed by many, however can be neglected by those with protected characteristics, whether based on age, gender, race, religion or disability.
The Forestry Commission Scotland Engagement Programme therefore aims to target specific groups to help make Scotland’s woodlands more accessible. To help achieve this, Forestry Commission Scotland has developed a Volunteer Community Champions (VCC) programme, which Sadia manages and facilitates in her day to day role.
Sadia said: “Now in its third year, the VCC programme is open to those from various backgrounds and community groups and provides specialist training to volunteers on how to raise awareness of, manage and deliver local woodland events in their respective communities.
“It is my role to mentor each volunteer so they can educate and provide knowledge to diverse backgrounds on how to access their local woodlands for the benefits of health, work and play. Coming from a volunteering background, I can connect with and relate to the volunteers, the work they do in their local community and the message they’re trying to promote.”
In the programme’s first year, the VCC’s successfully engaged with nearly 800 people from various ethnic, religious, sexual, age and gender backgrounds, and continues to increase engagement through a variety of community-based events and activities, whilst breaking down barriers to access the woodlands.
Sadia continued: “Barriers we often come across from the diverse community groups include anything from accessible transport, to education on the types of food you can take to the woodland and the appropriate clothing to wear. For example, some cultures eat hot food throughout the day, and therefore find eating outdoors in the Scottish weather an inconvenience to them.
“It is our role, along with the help of the VCC’s, to educate people on how they can make visiting the woodlands more enjoyable. When people understand the environment, they develop an appreciation and build a bond with it.”
To find out what’s on in the woodlands in your area or to learn more about Forestry Commission Scotland’s Engagement Programme visit http://scotland.forestry. gov.uk/supporting/strategypolicy-guidance/communities/ central-scotland-engagementprogramme.