I am a creative community engagement expert with a Masters Degree in Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies, and over 20 years’ experience of working with people and communities to help them create positive impact in their local area.
Before I joined Forever Consulting, I worked as a freelance Creative Engagement Consultant across a range of sectors. I helped individuals, communities and organisations design and deliver community environmental projects by creating bespoke facilitated, gamification workshops. I am passionate about inspiring and empowering individuals to make a positive difference in their areas locally, nationally and internationally, as well as making sure everybody’s voice is heard – not just the loudest.
Why I chose this career…
I believe an area is what you make it. It doesn’t matter where you are, connect and make a positive impact to the people and community around you. This Buddhist quote helped kick start my environmental community engagement journey:
‘If you sink your roots into your community, together we can withstand even the strongest storms’ – Daisaku Ikeda.
My career started from my passion for volunteering in my community. I lived in Moss Side for 18 years and I loved connecting, creating friendships and facilitating environmental projects to bring people together.
When I was 30, I retrained and achieved my Masters. Afterwards I became involved in the environmental movement, working with organisations including Action for Sustainable Living, British Council, Asha Centre and Young Advisers. This involved training and supporting communities to create their own green urban living projects.
Places I love…
I moved to Manchester in 1998 for the music and creative scene and I have lived in several areas across the city since then, settling for the longest time in Moss Side. I will always have happy, amazing memories from living there as it has had a huge impact on who I am today. I feel more Mancunian than my original roots from Yorkshire and am proud to adopt Manchester as my home.
The project I’m most proud of…
While working for the British Council as their UK Climate Generation consultant, I designed and delivered a Green Urban Living course. I brought 35 young people from all over Europe to Manchester to inspire and empower them to create their own green urban living projects, which they implemented in their own communities.
jo@foreverconsulting.co.uk
0161 214 0940