Julie West

Julie West, has spent over 35 years working in play within the private, voluntary and statutory sectors, and directly in schools for the last 9 years. Underpinning this experience, is her degree in Playwork and an MA in Non-Directive Play Therapy. Having taught and delivered in both these areas, Julie has both the theoretical and practical know-how to
support schools to understand, appreciate and implement the OPAL programme. Julie is freelance which means she supports OPAL Mentors across the North of England and occasionally elsewhere across the country.

Alongside her OPAL work with a whole school approach to play, she also delivers Play and Filial Therapy to individual children, families and small groups in schools. All of which is outdoors, which combines her Forest School and 8 Shields Nature Connection training and experience. Julie also has the responsibility of School’s Liaison for a nature conservation
farm at Lime Tree Earth and Sky near Ripon.

To unwind, Julie wild swims throughout the year, cooks and loves to spend quality time in nature and with friends and family. Her dreams include co-creating a community with land to grow connections between people and nature, living simply on the land.