Overview
East London Waterworks Park is looking for speculative ecologist volunteers to lead community-engagement projects in creating our community-owned park.
What difference will you make?
You will have a significant impact on the creation of a new biodiverse community-owned park with free access natural swimming ponds. By leading speculative ecology research projects that explore how diverse professionals (architects, ecologists, etc.) collaborate to shape community infrastructure, volunteers will directly contribute to the development of a park that reflects the needs and desires of the local community. Your input will help craft ecological habitats that restore, conserve, inspire, educate, and engage our wildlife, the bioregion, service users, stakeholders, funders, and the general public, ultimately driving support for the park\'s mission and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
What are we looking for?
Foundational Knowledge & Skills
* Understanding of Ecological Principles
* Strong grasp of ecological concepts like biodiversity, ecosystems, and environmental systems
* Knowledge of local ecology, including the flora and fauna of the East London Waterworks Park area
* Speculative Thinking & Futures Studies
* Experience with speculative design, fiction, or other creative methodologies that explore potential futures
* Ability to think critically and imaginatively about alternative ecological scenarios and possibilities
* Interest in exploring what-if scenarios and challenging existing assumptions about nature and urban environments
Community Engagement & Facilitation
* Excellent Communication & Interpersonal Skills
* Ability to communicate complex ecological concepts to a diverse audience in an engaging and accessible manner
* Experience in facilitating workshops, discussions, and other participatory activities with community groups
* Community Engagement Experience
* Experience working with diverse communities and understanding their needs and perspectives
* Ability to build trust and rapport with community members and foster inclusive participation
Research & Project Development
* Research & Analysis Skills
* Ability to research and analyse information from various sources (scientific literature, local data, community input)
* Project Development & Management
* Ability to develop and implement community-led projects related to ecological restoration, urban greening, or other environmental initiatives
* Strong organisational and project management skills
Desirable Skills
* Experience with permaculture, ecological design, or regenerative agriculture
* Knowledge of local environmental policies and regulations
* Experience with community-based research methods (e.g., participatory mapping, citizen science)
* Proficiency in design software or tools for visual communication
What will you be doing?
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that won a 2024 New London Architecture award and has raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
We are looking for speculative ecologists to participate in our community-led working group who are co-designing the park with the local community and wider public. You\'ll have the chance to create speculative habitats to engage the wider public across dry brownfield ecologies, wetlands, natural swimming ponds, forest school and learning spaces, pond-dipping areas, and indoor community spaces.
There is opportunity to lead on speculative ecology projects collaborating with volunteer architects, ecologists, community researchers, political campaigners, fundraisers and communications professionals coming together to create community infrastructure.
The Design Circle currently meets monthly on a Tuesday evening on Google Meet, and spends voluntary time outside of the meetings completing agreed tasks remotely. There is also optional monthly in-person meetings for those near North East London.
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