Application to become a Director and Trustee of the Forest School Association
Name: Robert Locke
Organisation/Freelance: Director of Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services (ECVYS) and currently delivering FS on a freelance basis
(If you are involved with any organisation – please state the name of the organisation and position held).
Sector Experience/Skills (please rate each from 0 to 3: 0 = no experience, 1 = general background/experience, 2 = Strong relevant experience, 3 = direct relevant experience):
| Sector Experience | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Early Years Forest School | x | |||
| Primary Years Forest School | x | |||
| Secondary Years Forest School | x | |||
| Special Needs Forest School | x | |||
| Play Sector | x | |||
| Environmental Organisations involvement with Forest School | x | |||
| County Council Forest School | x | |||
| Academic Research for Forest School/Higher Education | x | |||
| Outdoor learning | x | |||
| Forest/Woodland management | x | |||
| Forest School Training | x | |||
| Other (please specify) | ||||
| Skills | ||||
| Media/Communications including social media | x | |||
| Business/Marketing | x | |||
| Fundraising | x | |||
| Events | x | |||
| Public Speaking | x | |||
| Other (please specify) |
Please indicate which role you would like to apply – job descriptions for the Treasurer and Company Secretary are attached.
| Directors | |
| Post | I would like to apply for this post on the FSA Board (please tick) |
| Director – Company Secretary | |
| Director – Treasurer | |
| Director – Without Portfolio | x |
Please tell us a bit about yourself (max 500 words), including;
- Why you are standing for FSA directorship?
I am a creative and imaginative leader working in the children and young people’s community and voluntary sector (CVS). I am the Director of a sector infrastructure organisation which supports and represents other organisations across Essex. Prior to my current role I ran a children and young people’s therapeutic charity for eight years which delivered a range of one-to-one and group intervention services including Forest School. This work was delivered in a range of community settings and with a range of partner agencies including schools.
As a result of my work over the last ten years I have a wide range of experience and skills to bring with me as a Director of the FSA. I have been constantly involved in fundraising and developing resources – anyone working in the CVS will know and be familiar with the constant need to ensure sufficient funding is available for the delivery of services. I have a successful track record in both capital and revenue projects – I have led a major project focusing on building refurbishment/development which involved funding from a range of sources including Big Lottery. Revenue funding for service delivery has been a challenging area in recent years but in my last role I was able to lead successful funding campaigns with statutory and non-statutory agencies including Comic Relief and Children in Need.
With grant funding increasingly difficult to secure it is vital that organisations look at a wide range of ways to generate income – having a quality ‘product’ with which you are able to trade is another way of ensuring a sustainable future. Projects supporting emotional health and wellbeing are increasingly valued by potential partners and I have a track record of setting-up and maintaining very productive trading relationships in this area.
In addition to generating income to support the delivery of services leading a CVS organisation requires a considerable range of expertise and ‘people’ skills – communication, HR, IT, the delivery of presentations and public speaking are all required on a virtual day-to-day basis. Working, often under pressure with tight deadlines and getting the best from staff and volunteers is all part of the package for a CVS leader.
I am confident that I have an effective work background to bring to the role of Director, but an essential addition to this is my lifelong interest and love of the natural world and the way we interact with it. It is essential to have Director’s of the FSA with a wide range of skills and experience but I believe it is equally essential to have Director’s with a Forest School heart….and that sounds just like me!
- Your Forest School experience (and this is not necessarily a pre requisite but you will need to have some basic working knowledge of Forest School)
I was introduced to Forest School by my wife who is a primary headteacher – she attended a FS intro weekend being held by the Greenlight Trust and then enthused me with the way she was starting to use it at school. Three years ago I trained as a Level 3 FS Leader and began delivering sessions myself….the rest is history! I was able to work with a wide range of primary school age ranges in my last job and am now looking for freelance opportunities to continue something what has become an important part of my life.
- How you personally can benefit the FSA.
I think that I have outlined this above in terms of the skills and experience that I have been able to build in recent years. In addition to this I am a strong team-player, willing to contribute, take responsibility and play my part in supporting the larger strategic FS agenda.
- Please declare any special interests or affiliations with other organisations in the Forest School sector including commercial, public sector or voluntary.
I have no special interests to declare.
