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Meet Jen our GCP Learning and Development Coordinator
Meet GCP’s Learning and Development Coordinator
As GCP’s Learning and Development Coordinator, Jen plays a key role within the Members Services team.
In less than a year, Jen has made a significant impact creating, supporting and delivering GCP’s structured learning, training and apprenticeship programmes for members and volunteers of all ages.
Her work, across the board, including with GCP’s Young Members is already making a real difference.
We were keen to find out more about Jen, what brought her to GCP and her ambitions for 2025 and beyond!
More about Jen
Jen started at GCP in spring 2024 having moved back to Scotland from Winnipeg. Born in Canada, she had lived in Edinburgh years ago and was happy to move back.
Initially, Jen trained as a high school teacher in Canada and worked in high needs schools,
I really enjoyed working with young people coming from all different types of backgrounds, needs and abilities. It often feels much more meaningful.
When she arrived back in Edinburgh, Jen was keen to find a role which still involved engaging youth, helping them to learn and facilitate opportunities for growth and development. Luckily for us, she found GCP,
GCP immediately struck as the type of place that mirrored my own values and teaching practices. It’s person-centred, strengths-based, trauma informed, welcoming and accepting. In other words, meeting people where they’re at!
We asked Jen why she feels passionate about her wrok?
I’ve always had friends and family who have encountered adversity including unstable home life, poverty, trauma and learning disabilities, so have seen their struggles when they didn’t have support. I’ve also seen the amazing accomplishments that they could achieve when given the right support and environment.
This is why I’m passionate about helping to create the opportunities and environment to help others reach their potential, even if they didn’t previously believe they could.
Why this job and why GCP?
GCP reflects so many of my own values. It’s open, accepting and centred around the idea that despite challenges, every individual has value and deserves to feel respect and a sense of belonging.
Jen strongly believes the most effective and practical way of enacting change in our society is by starting at the community level,
Even if we can’t change the world in one go, we can start to make impactful changes in our own communities by forming positive relationships with our neighbors.
Those little changes, over time and with enough people, can genuinely alter our environment for the better. GCP really embodies that ethos.
I love that GCP truly is a community of equals.
Staff, volunteers and members are constantly working together to support each other. In many ways, this embodies the idea of holistic learning, as we are all learning from each other and teaching each other every day. This learning/teaching dynamic allows us to participate, change and adapt to meet more needs more effectively. Ultimately, this makes us a stronger community.
What do you love most about your role here?
As an educator, I love any and all opportunities to help people to learn and discover new things, both about the world and about themselves.
GCP is full of individuals of all ages and backgrounds who are so passionate about trying new things, taking risks and expanding their skills and knowledge. It really is an educator’s dream!
What have been your highlights so far?
The Christmas party was a big highlight! It was amazing to see how many people came together to make it such a great event.
We had volunteers, staff, and members all helping out, including our young members. Without being asked, they decided to help out as if it were the most natural thing in the world! They helped make decorations and set up the hall. They also showed guests to their seats, which helped to create such a welcoming atmosphere. I was really proud of them for that.
Hearing the feedback from guests, it was genuinely touching to know that the event held so much meaning for so many of them.
Every week, I end up amazed at some new accomplishment from our members. I love those days when you just notice what seems like a small change, but it’s actually huge.
For example, noticing that a young person who had been really quiet is suddenly chatting with a group like it’s the most casual thing in the world, or you see a member sign up for a new activity or experience, because they suddenly feel more confident and ready to take the next step.
Ambitions for 2025 and beyond?
Jen is working on some great new projects and initiatives to open up opportunities, to help young people access and enjoy all aspects of Grassmarket Community Project, including young volunteer opportunities and work experience placements.
I’m looking forward to introducing more opportunities for members under 30 to get involved with volunteering in different parts of GCP. Having this practical experience is so valuable when it comes to employability.
I’m also excited to create more opportunities for our younger volunteers to get involved in running activities for our young members. This gives both an opportunity to develop their own skills and put their education into practice (as many are students of various social sciences). Also, all of our young people, whether they’ve come to us as volunteers or members, have so much to teach each other and so much to learn from each other.
Jen and the team are also developing a great new range of work experience placements here at GCP. These provide an opportunity to gain practical work experience over 6-8 weeks working at GCP and its award-winning social enterprises. This can be a great stepping stone towards GCP’s apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programmes.
Sponsor the Members Programme
Help transform lives directly by sponsoring a Members Activity
Our Members Programme is the beating heart of what we do. Your direct support here helps ensure we continue to deliver our essential work to support the most vulnerable in our community. We guarantee at least one of our Members Activities will be the perfect fit for you or your organisation, or both!
Let’s discuss which suits you best and how we can tailor the package and relationship to your budget. Join the best of company at THE good place to be.
A BIG THANK YOU
The Grassmarket Community Project’s Members Programme relies on the generosity of our customers, funders and donors. Our key funders for this area of our work are Nationwide Community Grants, The Robertson Trust, Digital Lifelines and EVOC/Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund. We thank them for their essential continued support.
