GOVERNMENT
Local, national, international
Whether you're working in local, national or international government, we offer a range of training courses, workshops and services designed for the sector - from our hugely popular dealing with difficult people sessions which are ideal for officers struggling with awkward colleagues or customers through to social media and broadcast media training for elected representatives such as MPs and councillors.
We’ve got literally hundreds of clients in local government from the very biggest authorities such as Birmingham and Wolverhampton to the smallest or furthest flung like Devon and Aberdeenshire. And nationally our clients range from the main government departments including the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Environment in England, the Assembly Government in Wales and the Parliament in Scotland. They use us because:
We’re brilliant at what we do and we’re great value for money.
A bold statement, but after a quarter of a century working with councillors, officers, MPs, civil servants and even the occasional High Court judge we know what we're talking about. And we know the specific needs and demands of the sector inside out.
We also know from experience just how hard it is to find the money for training and development (especially after Covid-19 on top of a decade or more of austerity) so our prices have been frozen.
POPULAR COURSES
This small selection of courses represents our best sellers in this sector. Click on the magnifying glass to see a short overview of each course or on the name to read the full description. And remember that if you book us to deliver any our workshops exclusively for your colleagues (think of it as in-house but online) the content can be tailored to your specific organisational needs.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
This course is aimed at individuals and organisations who may have to deal with the media during a crisis, whether that event is externally triggered – for example, by a so-called “act of God” – or internally by some kind of error, omission or malpractice. Participants are likely to be experienced in media and communications or hold senior management positions. During a crisis their roles may be public-facing or behind-the-scenes. Attendance is strongly recommended for staff from organisations such as local authorities, health trusts and housing associations that have a legal obligation to plan and prepare for emergencies under the Civil Contingencies Act.
Click here for the full programme, dates and venues (for face-to-face sessions).
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE
Awkward customers. Prickly colleagues. Meddlesome managers. Difficult behaviour can manifest itself in many ways in the workplace. But whoever it comes from, one thing’s for certain: the stress it causes can really hurt - even to the extent of illness and absenteeism. It also takes its toll on productivity and can be extremely time consuming. So, in this virtual training course you’ll learn how to deal rationally with difficult people whose behaviour can become demanding and aggressive. Find out how to say no and mean no. Discover how to be more assertive. Develop skills to cope by not taking things personally. And recognise the key stages in conflict escalation.
Click here for the full programme, dates and venues (for face-to-face sessions).
PRESENTATION SKILLS MASTERCLASS
Giving a presentation fills most of us with dread. Even the thought of standing up in front of a few colleagues (or, these days, sitting down in front of a webcam) can turn our legs to jelly. So, the prospect of speaking to an audience of hundreds can render normally calm and coherent individuals into gibbering, nervous wrecks. It doesn't need to be this way. Say hello to your nerves. Embrace them and turn the energy they bring into something productive rather than destructive. Let that energy stir your creative juices and make your next presentation – online or offline - extraordinary instead of ordinary. Memorable instead of forgettable. Enjoyable instead of tolerable (for you and the audience). But, most important of all, effective instead of ineffective.
Click here for the full programme, dates and venues (for face-to-face sessions).
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
How can you use Facebook to help you achieve your organisational aims and objectives? Can you Tweet for profit (or however else you measure success in your business)? Does blogging actually work and if so how should you go about it? Should I start a YouTube channel? What about pictures to Instagram? And isn't LinkedIn just a place for job seekers? If you've been grappling with these sorts of questions then this workshop is for you.
Click here for the full programme, dates and venues (for face-to-face sessions).
WRITING FOR THE WEB
We don’t read like we used to. In a linear fashion. Line by line. Page by page. Chapter by chapter. These days words are viewed more on screens than they are on paper. The web has turned us into skimmers and dippers - skimming online content until we see something interesting and only then dipping deeper. Which presents writers with a huge challenge. Because reading differently means writing differently.
Click here for the full programme, dates and venues (for face-to-face sessions).
Can't see the course you're looking for here?
These aren't the only courses we deliver for the sector. You can explore the complete range on our A-Z course finder page.