Does this sound like your usual day? Challenges coming thick and fast. No time to have a minute to stop and think. Increasing demand versus reducing resource. If you’re attending Comms Academy in Leeds there’s a workshop just for you.
by Emma Rodgers
In my role as vice chair of LGcomms I am lucky enough to talk to many public sector comms professionals up and down the country and it feels that there is a familiar theme across the sector. Generally we’re being asked to do more and more with a lot less. All while the environment we operate in gets tougher.
2017 has been one of the most emotionally challenging years ever – the role of public servants and in turn the role of communications professionals has been front and centre through devastatingly tragic events such as the Grenfell fire and Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge terror attacks. I don’t know a communications colleague who hasn’t asked what if it happened here. How would we handle it?
And it doesn’t happen in isolation; many teams are also working hard to meet challenging income or budget saving targets at the same time. Quite frankly it feels like it’s never been tougher be in public service communications. I don’t say that lightly – I’ve worked in the sector for 12 years.
That’s where events like The Public Sector Communications Academy come in.
The event, which sees over 60 sessions take place over two day in Leeds, is for the first time specifically targeting different levels of communications experience – new to the job, aspiring managers, and established heads of communications. Which means you can tailor your experience. It is a chance for all public sector professionals to come together and learn from some of the industry’s leading lights. Those who are doing the best of the best and who are willing to share what they learnt first-hand.
And an all-new workshop session gives everyone the chance to talk about the biggest challenges facing you right now with a room-full of people who may be able to help.
Facilitated by myself, @emmarodgers and @darrencaveney, creator of comms2point0, we’ll crowd-source the ideas, solutions and answers via a live, open discussion to help and support those in the room.
We’re sure it will be a lively debate and we're keen to see as many people involved as possible. It’s a safe space to talk and share and we hope will help you leave with solutions to some of your biggest challenges and ideas crowdsourced from a collective hive.
I’m interested – how do I get involved?
Ahead of Academy just download the free Sli.do app to your phone, or visit the Sli.do website, and simply use the code #7622 to join in the conversation and add the big issues and challenges you would like to have tackled and discussed.
Then come along on the day with your ideas and solutions and join in a lively, helpful conversation where you really do shape the agenda.
You can sign up for this workshop in advance right here.
Emma Rodgers is strategic manager, communications, at Stoke-on-Trent City Council and vice chair of LGcomms
image via N Stjerna
