Public sector comms have a great resource

I've been doing a bit of training in Government and have been preparing by doing some research on the Engage site of the UK Government Communication Network.


Because I'm doing some teaching I've been shown around the site and was gob-smacked by some of the resources up there.  If you know anyone in the Civil Service with access you must get them to show it to you.

Two things in particular are striking.

Firstly, there is a heavy emphasis on connecting with audiences.  The philosophy is very clear - you can't expect to be an effective communicator if you don't invest time understanding how the receiver might respond or want to hear it.  This is such a dramatic sea-change from the way many of us are used to being communicated with by the state.

Secondly, external and internal communications seem interchangeable.  How many organisations really think of both types of stakeholders with the same care?  True integration in the underlying theme.

Now, both of these features may be an aspiration rather than reality - but well done GCN for drawing a line in the sand.

And...if you get a chance - look at some of the case studies on there...excellent stuff, especially on the use of research.

And no mention of tea drinking anywhere....

Liam