No Passport Required: Making a difference at home

“When I stepped into the working world, I realised there was so much happening here in the UK, so many opportunities to support people and improve our communities. I wanted to be a part of that change.”

Isobel Thompson is glowing as she shares her story in building a career not behind a desk, but through action, connection and occasionally muddy boots. She sits in a sunlit corner of the Raise: Cumbria offices where maps of the vast forestry line the walls.

Isobel is a Program Manager for Raise Cumbria Community Forest, a charity partnering with communities and policymakers to address the climate crisis and connect local communities with wild Cumbrian Forest. The small but impactful team of 6 covers all 1300 square miles of the breathtaking woodland.

Gateshead to the Great Outdoors

Growing up in Gateshead, Isobel’s connection to the natural world and the Northern region began just across the Tyne. " We’d go for walks, visit forests, feed ducks by the river… probably things we weren’t meant to feed them," she laughs. Isobel beams fondly recalling her early connections to the environment. However, it wasn’t until her current role that she found herself reconnecting to the outdoors with a new sense of wonder.

“I always think it's not about when does your love of nature start? It's about when it restarts.” Isobel contributes her job to reigniting her love of nature. “Because I work in forestry, now when I look out my window and I don't just see a tree. I see what type of tree and what kind of conditions it's in, and whether it's having a good season or a bad season.” She beams as she explains how her job has transformed how she experiences the natural world.

Epiphany upon the Tyne

Isobel had spent months hunting through university prospectuses from every corner of the map. Considering everything from Hawaii’s volcanic landscapes to the campuses of Southern England. Searching endlessly to find the perfect place to study combined honours Geography and International Law. Yet, one ordinary evening would redefine her direction completely.

Walking across the Millennium bridge with a friend, the cities lights rippling on the Tyne below. she experienced a sudden clarity. “Why am I trying so hard when I’ve got this amazing city on my doorstep?” The realisation snapped her focus back home, marking the start of her journey towards local impact.

Doing more than talking about change

During University, Isobel travelled to Serbia to take part in a volunteering programme. “It was genuinely useful work,” she says, “and I learned more from the people I met than I could have imagined. It taught me the difference between helping meaningfully and just being performative.”

For Isobel volunteering isn’t just a side hobby it’s a lifestyle and has been a constant throughout her career. She has spent 5 years as a rescue officer for the HM Coastguard jumping into disaster and humanitarian aid like a real-life superhero. In 2019 Isobel also took on the role of trustee for the Scottish Islands Federation. Supporting the tight knit island community.

Her project as of this year, has been working with Northumberland Hedgehog rescue. Isobel has been rolling up her sleeves cleaning cubbies and preparing newspapers for nests. Getting stuck in, having fun and making a difference.

Lessons learned along the way

Isobel shared some simple and practical advice for graduates aspiring to follow a similar path. Passion counts far more than polish. “Everyone says ‘volunteer’ but really do it! It shows what you care about. Join a wildlife trust, help in a community garden, take part in a tree planting day. It doesn’t have to be glamourous.”

Don’t be afraid to reach out. “Small charities love enthusiasm. Ask to shadow someone for a day.”

Early Career, Global dreams to local achievement

Prior to entering the workforce Isobel explained that she had a lack of awareness of local community initiatives operating within the UK. Primarily being exposed to international charities.

Isobel admits that her original plan envisioned an idealised career in international development drawn to global charity work. She candidly reflects with honesty and humour. “In hindsight, I had a very romanticised idea of what that was,” she laughs. “It’s a difficult world. It’s hard to make a difference, and personally it is challenging. You’re away from home all the time. You don’t really get a work-life balance. It becomes your entire world.”

She describes being struck by the vast opportunity available locally. This inspired a shift in her path with the realisation that meaningful change was happening in her local community.

Isobel’s CV is colourful and a testament to the power of local action. From her time as an operations manager in the Orkney islands for Westray trust to her role as a sighted guide volunteer experience officer she has been at the forefront of local change. Proving that making a difference doesn’t require a passport.

Burnout and Balance

Despite her passion, Isobel acknowledges the risks of overworking. The pandemic reinforced her desire to work closer to home. Finding great importance in balancing meaningful work with time for family, friends and the landscape she loves.

When the opportunity arose to join Raise Cumbria Community Forest, she felt everything align. The local opportunity was exactly what she was looking for.

Raise Community forest, pride in Impact

Isobel shares with pride, a ream of projects she has been involved with since joining Raise. She explains with joy that her job simply isn’t just planting trees, it’s all about creating connection in community and land. She notes that she is particularly excited about her current work in regenerative farming practices. Where farmers and nature thrive side by side.

Full Circle

Her career has led her right back to her academic passions that first inspired her. "I feel like I've come back full circle. My geography degree was all about people and places, the impact people have on the environment and vice versa. That's perfectly embodied in my job now.”

Looking back, Isobel reflects fondly on her time at Newcastle. When asked to pick a standout memory, she hesitates. For her, it wasn’t a singular moment. Rather, it was a feeling.

“I loved being a student. I never lost that joy of going to lectures. In my master’s especially, everyone was so passionate. You find your crowd. Those friendships still shape my life.”

Meaningful change doesn’t always require crossing oceans. For Isobel, impact began at home.