Partnership Development Team

Introducing the Partnership Development Team

Highland CPP welcomed the Partnership Development Manager, and a team of Partnership Officers in June 2023.​

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• Provide strategic direction at Highland and local level​
• Ambassadors for Community Planning work across Highland​
• Support alignment of strategic and local priorities​
• Connect Community Partnerships with regional and national strategic developments​
• Deliver consistent approach to Community Planning across Highland​
• Develop tools and frameworks to support Community Partnerships​

Partnership Development Team Community Partnerships

• Review existing Community Partnership activity
• Support identification of Community Partnership priorities aligned with HOIP Outcomes
• Provide guidance and signposting support for Community Partnerships
• Create and implement tools and templates for Community Partnerships
• Support development of Community Partnership Plans
• Provide reports to Community Partnership meetings on HCPP and HOIP Delivery Group activities
• Increase community and agency awareness and involvement in Community Partnership activity
• Identify potential collaboration opportunities for Community Partnerships
• Promote shared learning opportunities and events with Community Partnership from across Highland

Gail Prince – Partnership Development Manager

Gail is originally from Stornoway, in her teenage years her family moved to Scrabster where her parents remained for over 20 years before they moved to Tayside.  In October 2020, mid Covid-19 pandemic, Gail returned to the Highlands, having studied, lived and worked in Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and Midlothian.   

With over 20 years of experience working in Community Development across the third sector Gail’s most recent experience includes managing a national Sports Development organisation, leading the Sutherland Adaptive and Collaborative Communities project working with the Sutherland Community Partnership, and working in the public sector as a Senior Development Manager with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, where she directly supported the Caithness Community Partnership. 

In her spare time Gail enjoys photography, walking, cycling, yoga, volunteering and learning, she recently completed a Certificate of Higher Education in Social Sciences from the Open University to add to her other qualifications including a Business degree. 

Lynn McNeil – Partnership Officer 

Lynn has lived in Inverness with her family for the past 22 years.  Before becoming a Partnership Officer, she worked for the Highland Council as a Community Support Co-ordinator supporting the Inverness Community Partnership in its approach to locality planning across the City and Area.  Prior to that Lynn worked as a Residential Officer within HMP Inverness for 21 years, building and maintaining relationships, breaking down barriers and supporting those committed by the courts to desist from re-offending by encouraging them to engage in rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives.  

In her spare time Lynn can often be found at the side of a shinty pitch.  As well as being a qualified shinty coach she also volunteers most weekends at Inverness Shinty Club, facilitating and supporting off field operations.   When she isn’t volunteering, she spends her time travelling the length and breadth of the Highlands supporting her husband and daughter who are both involved with the sport.    

Jamie Kellas – Partnership Officer

Jamie grew up in Strathpeffer and went to Dingwall Academy, followed by a period at Inverness College. In September 2016, Jamie moved to Glasgow to study Politics at the University of Glasgow. Whilst at University, Jamie completed an internship with Bill Kidd MSP, as well as volunteering with Glasgow charity Help4thehomeless.

After graduating from University, Jamie worked in the Fairer Falkirk team at Falkirk Council, helping low-income households to maximise their income, as well as developing a toolkit about the impact of poverty. The toolkit has been delivered to over 500 employees within Falkirk Council and has helped raise awareness of the challenges those living in poverty face. In 2022 Jamie returned to the Highlands but continued to work for Falkirk Council, commuting every 2 weeks. Jamie is the newest member of the team, having joined at the beginning of August 2024.

In his spare time Jamie enjoys golf, bouldering and listening to music. Jamie spends most of his weekends outdoors with his wife Alison and his children Ada and Hamish.