Getting to know.......Lisa Snedden

A blog post by Lisa Snedden

Posted 24/09/2020

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This is the fifth of our 'getting to know' blog posts, where we talk to those who work for our charity and find out a little bit more about what they do and how they came to work with us.

In this blog we speak to Lisa Snedden our Heritage Officer.

I started my career as a primary teacher in rural Perthshire, inspired by the local surroundings I developed my skills in outdoor learning eventually becoming a Forest School practitioner. Keen to continue working outdoors with young people I left teaching to take up the position of Learning and Interpretation Officer with the Tay Landscape Partnership. This role combined my love of the outdoors and working with people to explore their heritage and the history of their local area.

I continued in a similar role with the Scottish Waterways Trust until I transferred to Keep Scotland Beautiful in April 2019 when it adopted a heritage strand to complement existing environmental activities.

I am a strong believer in lifelong learning and as such enrolled in a part time Masters in Environment, Heritage and Policy and the University of Stirling. It has been challenging but I have been able to put into practice what I am learning in the classroom!

In my role I have the pleasure of working with communities to help them explore their heritage so there is no such thing as a typical day. One day I can be using traditional mortars to preserve canal bridges, another day I can be delivering guided tours (and due to Covid-19, just last week, my first virtual online tour as part of Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival). With a background in teaching I really enjoy working with young people to cocreate projects such as the Ruchill Mural.

Ruchill mural

Since March I have been working on adapting programmes so that I can continue to deliver throughout the pandemic. This has involved getting to grips with new technology to offer online experiences such as our Summer Camp Heritage Heroes. A four-week programme that encouraged people to go out into their local area and learn more about the buildings, the people, and the landscapes.

I am looking forward to getting back out into communities when it is safe to do so. In the meantime, I have been doing as much advanced preparation as I can. This has included online meetings with potential new partners, creating resources which look at the link between climate change and the historic environment and developing digital solutions to help me deliver sessions safely.

Lisa launching our new Historic Environment Scotland funded Placemaking Through Heritage activity in April

Scotland has a rich heritage not only in its historic buildings but also in the stories of its people. I am passionate about helping people to connect with their own heritage, recognise its value and take action to protect it.

Find out more about how we can work with you via our 'Placemaking through heritage' activity by contacting Lisa or read the final report from the last three year project.