I have been working as the Outer Hebrides Community Officer with Community Energy Scotland since November 2023. My main role within the organisation is within the Islands Centre for Net Zero in the Outer Hebrides (ICNZ) as a Community Officer, working as part of the ICNZ team. We work alongside Island Stakeholders, community members and local businesses within the Outer Hebrides, assisting communities to achieve Net Zero. I am also responsible for working with the ICNZ Community Action Network to engage the wider community within decarbonisation projects and to assist with trialing and demonstrating these projects to help reduce the emission of carbon and improve local air quality. Another task which I am involved in delivering is working with partners from the UHI and Herriot Watt University, helping to ensure that the ICNZ Outer Hebrides aligns with local priorities and needs, to support the development of decarbonisation projects.
I graduated from the University of Stirling in June 2023 with a Bachelors degree in Environmental Geography. This four year course has equipped me with knowledge on the current challenges we are facing globally. For my final year at University I conducted a study on the Benefits and Barriers to a Community Owned Wind Farm Project in North UIst, the Outer Hebrides. Following this study I found that community energy within Uist demonstrated unique challenges that I wanted to assist in addressing. I decided to join Community Energy Scotland to use my learnt skills at University and learned knowledge from my dissertation study to assist local members within the Outer Hebrides to achieve Net Zero, whilst combating issues such as fuel poverty and grid issues. I am motivated to have a positive impact on the Outer Hebrides and support these islands to become decarbonised communities.
