Vanessa Halhead

Background

About Vanessa Halhead

I have worked for over 25 years as a practitioner and researcher in rural and community development, in Scotland and internationally, including a special focus on sustainability and environment. I have worked in the public (national and regional), academic, private and NGO sectors. I have had extensive trans-national experience, including managing several large EU funded partnership projects. I have worked throughout Europe, and am a board member of several European rural development networks and manager of projects. I have particularly close working links with the West of Norway since 1996. In a Scottish context, I worked for 2 years as Advisor to the Scottish Government on the development of Scotland's first Rural Parliament, modelled on the Swedish example, and am now Director of Scottish Rural Action, the organisation established to implement the Rural Parliament. I also work as a rural development consultant, currently involved with the EC Western Balkans travelling workshop on rural development, development of the European Rural Parliament, preparation of LEADER Local Development Strategies, Specialties: Rural development policy and implementation; community development and consultation process; sustainable development and environment; transnational partnership and networking; project development and management; partnership development and management; fund raising; communications (presentations, reports, websites etc.); international study visits; conference organising; working with government agencies, NGOs and local communities