Ruth Maxwell
Key Worker
Ruth moved to Stirling in 2010, becoming a student at the University of Stirling. Ruth graduated in Environmental Geography and Education to become a Secondary Teacher. She taught in various schools across Scotland before taking a career break to raise a family. Ruth is passionate about the third sector, having volunteered with youth work and supported camps in Romania for people with disabilities and disadvantaged children. Her passion to help others, led to her working as a community wellbeing worker in Stirling before starting with us at CERT as a key worker.
ruth.maxwell@clacksregen.org.uk
07769370348
Stephen Johnstone
Project Assistant
Stephen.johnstone@clacksregen.org.uk
01259 272 017
Natalia Jelewska
Trainee Key Worker
Natalia Jelewska is a Trainee Key Worker at CERT. She offers support that is tailored to one’s circumstances and barriers. She has lived experience as a previous Positive Moves client, thus offering a unique approach.
She graduated with an MA degree in English Philology from The University of Warmia and Mazury in Poland. She moved to Scotland in 2017 and has been engaging in volunteering work and trying to make a positive impact in the community.
Natalia is passionate about the third sector and has been volunteering for the Neil’s Hugs Foundation, providing 1:1 support to those bereaved by suicide. She’s keen on horticultural therapy and helping others to improve their mental health. Therefore, she’s a facilitator of a gardening group at the Wimpy Park in Alloa where she also volunteers by helping at various local community events.
She has been nominated for 2025 Clackmannanshire Volunteers’ Awards organised by CTSI. The nomination was for the category ‘Clackmannanshire Community Champion of the Year’ due to her contributions as a volunteer for the Wimpy Park Community Group and the Neil’s Hugs Foundation.
Natalia is passionate about supporting young adults with Additional Support Needs, providing them with unique social opportunities. She’s been working as a Social Support Worker for Play Alloa before also joining CERT in late 2024.
Claire Murphy
Project Executive
Claire worked for an adventure travel company before leaving to travel around the world for two years and eventually settled in Australia, setting up an Art and Furnishings business in Sydney. She moved to Scotland to start a family then worked in the Corporate Business Centre at Prudential for 5 years in pensions and investments. Claire then went on to study psychology at University of Stirling graduating with honours, whilst at the university she worked within the kindergarten research facility and has worked in a number of local primary schools as a learning assistant. Claire has a MSc in Clinical Health Psychology and has worked on a number of independent research projects some of which are now published in academic journals.
Claires role as Childcare Project Executive is to look at all aspects of childcare in Clackmannanshire and identify any barriers that parents may have when looking to either get back to work or increase their working hours. Claires dedicated aim is to reduce any childcare related difficulties, helping to improve opportunities for families to increase their earning potential and reduce social inequalities.
claire.murphy@clacksregen.org.uk
07769396279