We're putting jobs back at the centre of all we do - well it is at the heart of our name: Countryside JOBS Service after all.

Over the last few years we've said yes, of course we can do that to pretty much everything and CJS has become somewhat diluted as a result - still very much countryside focused and providing excellent service but we've realised this has come about at the cost of the jobs and careers CJS was created to promote.

Like many people we took last year's lockdown as a chance to take stock and re-evaluate what it is we do, why we do it and what we want to do in the future. The answer came back the same but better, which as so many of you tell us what we do is already excellent (thank you for all your lovely comments by the way, they brighten up our days no end) is going to be a tough task but we think we're up to it.

So with this in mind:

We have already changed the work days section in the volunteers directory; instead of a huge unmanageable list of conservation tasks you'll find a directory of organisations offering single day working parties or regular conservation tasks, divided by region to make it easy to find a group local to you.

Surveys and fieldwork: whilst citizen science is an incredible resource for data it's now easy to find who wants and needs your records, to download an app to take with you on an outing. Like workdays this has been simplified into a single page where any specific events and data requests are listed.

Grants and Funding: like citizen science the information is now easy to find so we're no longer collating resources here, however any specific funding opportunities directly relevant for CJS readers e.g. sponsorship to attend a conference or grants for training opportunities are now listed on our new Useful Information bulletin board here.

Likewise for volunteer recruitment days and events send us a 50 word listing and we'll include where we think is most appropriate, including on the bulletin board.

For all of these sections you can send us a 50 word listing for inclusion free of charge online and in whichever of the newsletters is most suitable: daily email, CJS Weekly or CJS Professional.

We took the decision to refocus CJS Focus this year back to careers, the Volunteers edition went out in February and as ever was well received and very popular. The next edition will be looking at Careers in Ecology and Biodiversity in association with the Chartered Institute for Ecologists and Environmental Managers and is due for publication in September. Which careers should we look at in 2022? Tell us..

It's not all about what we're not doing there are new things too.

After last year's readers survey we've been actively seeking job adverts in some of the areas you requested: more wildlife and zoology work, adding in specialist research areas like plant pathology; we recently started looking to source more sustainability and waste awareness type roles - not many of these yet but we're making contacts across the sector.

We've added a new Job Profiles section which has profiles of some of the many varied job roles you might find across the sector. Written by people actually working in the field explaining exactly what the job entails, the qualifications and skills they need and offering a little advice to people looking at a similar career. Read them here. We're also adding in some job specific profiles and articles in the features published each week.

The In depth features are also getting a make over, being tailored more to working in the sector with profiles of jobs, people and organisations being added as well as more articles with an emphasis on employment and careers. There are still interesting features on specific elements of the sector giving insight to life behind the scenes, how projects get off the ground and highlight some exciting developments. We're always looking for more features and if you'd like to contribute contact Amy, Features Commissioning Editor here, there's a little information online too here.

We've run some online webinar and facebook sessions looking at how to progress your career, although not quite as many as we'd hoped this year, everyone has been rather busy getting back to work. If you'd like to give a talk please contact Amy for information.

For advertisers there is now an online portal where you can manage your job ads with CJS all in one place, see what was advertised, make changes and even reactivate older adverts.

We've opened up the CJS Professional mailing list to anyone in the sector not just office addresses. A reformatted daily email with more images and simplified layout was launched earlier this year, sign up here.

News and Training sectors are unchanged and both continue to grow, providing vital up to date information to help everyone across the sector.

And once again we're offering free CJS Weekly subscriptions to this year's new graduates to help get started on their career in conservation, sign up here.