How we work

greenspace scotland has provided a national lead on greenspace since 2002. We have been influential in shaping a supportive policy context for greenspace, promoting good practice on greenspace delivery and securing resource to support local projects.

People tell us they want to work with greenspace scotland because of our:

strong track record – experience, knowledge and skills
access to specific services, products and approaches
ability to bring people together
national profile and context – which provides opportunities to do things differently, particularly for pioneer projects and action research
approaches which offer new thinking and constructive challenge

Our professional staff team and associates can provide bespoke consultancy services, support and training; work with you to develop pioneer projects, strategies and plans; undertake consultations and evaluations; develop project plans and logic models; manage grant programmes; support community placemaking and placechanging programmes; develop national programmes and projects.

…a bit more about how we work:

Everything we do is in partnership. We work with a wide range of national, regional, local and community organisations and groups on projects to create, manage, fund, use, promote and evaluate greenspaces and green networks. From supporting community groups with Tesco Bags of Help grants through to work with Ordnance Survey on the greenspace map and supporting Councils to develop Local Food Growing Strategies.

Pioneering new approaches to managing and resourcing greenspace. With parks and greenspace budgets under pressure, staff capacity being reduced and Friends groups looking to do more, a strong focus for our current work is pioneering new approaches to managing and resourcing parks and greenspace. This includes work on Climate Resilient Parks, Weathering Change, Scottish Parks Endowment Fund, the crowdfunding platform, MyParkScotland and a new ParkPower programme which is about generating energy from parks and greenspaces.

Bringing people and organisations together. Greenspaces are the glue which connect our communities. Our Community Placemaking and Young Placechangers projects help people make the most of their local greenspaces and community places. Through the Park Managers Forum, we connect local authority park managers from all 32 Scottish Councils, enabling them to share practice and work together to tackle shared challenges and opportunities.

Influencing policy and strategic priorities. We champion the importance of parks and greenspace and the many benefits they provide for people and places. We provided evidence to the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee and are looking forward to a more in-depth inquiry on access to greenspace in 2018/19. Working with the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces we are promoting the six-point Charter for Parks.

Working with you. We are here to help. Our staff team and associates have a wide range of professional skills and expertise. We can provide bespoke consultancy services, training and support for specific projects, for example, we are currently working with NHS Lothian to develop a Greenspace and Health Strategic Programme. We can work together to develop new projects and programmes, for example, our partnership with Youth Scotland to develop and resource the Young Placechangers programme.

How can we work with you? Check out our Services section for more information.

Latest

Young People Take the Stage in Dunfermline

Following on from the Young Placechangers project with greenspace scotland the town centre stage on Dunfermline High Street was launched on Saturday.
Creating a Heritage Orchard for Laigh Hills Park

A community orchard in Dunblane, thought to be one of the largest in Scotland, was planted by volunteers with a £4,975 grant from Bags of Help.
#GirlsGetOot campaign launched on world mental health day

Visiting the outdoors can improve physical and mental health but surveys have shown that girls aged 15-17 are significantly less likely to be active outside than their male counterparts.
The Place Standard partners are looking for feedback on its use

Having been widely used across Scotland and Europe over the last over two years, it’s now time to find out what is working well and whether there are any areas that can be improved.