Being ahead of the game and understanding how policy decisions are taken is essential in today’s political environment.
Connect Training is one of the leading parliamentary and public affairs training services. We are unique in our approach – bringing together the expertise of our professional public affairs and parliamentary specialists in a practical training format.
Read more about Connect Training…
All our courses are half-day sessions taking place from 9.30am until 12.30pm followed by a sandwich lunch providing an opportunity for further discussion and networking. We also run a full-day masterclass on ‘How to manage a successful public affairs campaign’.
All of our courses are held at our offices in Millbank Tower, in Westminster.
Please click on a course, or scroll down, for more details:
Public affairs skills and strategies:
An introduction to public affairs
How to manage successful public affairs campaigns - a practical full-day masterclass
Understanding whitehall and westminster
How to influence legislation - from the Queen's Speech to the statute book
Stakeholder mapping - the who and the how
How to work with and influence local government
Using social media to get results
How to make the media work for you
Getting the most out of Parliamentary events and party conference fringe meetings
Policy analysis by sector:
What will the Health Bill mean for you?
What does the coalition government mean for policing and justice?
What does the coalition government mean for housing and planning?
An introduction to public affairs
Date 1: Thursday 12th August
Date 2: Thursday 16th September
Date 3: Thursday 11th November
An essential course for those new to public affairs, as well as for anyone working in policy-making or government who needs a greater understanding of how decisions are made.
Our popular introduction to public affairs course provides an excellent overview of UK political decision-making and how it works. This course is delivered by experienced practitioners to give those new to the sector an introduction to the key elements of public affairs, covering:
- UK decision making – the basics
- How to influence Parliament and Government
- The importance of building and sustaining relationships
- Keeping track of policy and political developments
- An introduction to public affairs tactics
- Useful websites, tools and where to go build political insight and intelligence
Click here to register for this course
How to manage successful public affairs campaigns - a full day 'masterclass'
Date 1: Thursday 2nd December
A new course for those new to public affairs and how it works.
This course is delivered by experienced practitioners to give those new to the sector an introduction to the key elements of public affairs, covering:
- UK decision making – the basics
- How to influence Parliament and Government
- The importance of building and sustaining relationships
- Keeping track of policy and political developments
- An introduction to public affairs tactics
- Useful websites, tools and where to go for more information
Click here to register for this course
Understanding Whitehall and Westminster
Date 1: Thursday 23rd September
Date 2: Thursday 28th October
Understanding how Whitehall and Westminster work helps you engage with the legislative and decision making process.
This session will take a practical look at how policy decisions are made and the role of Parliament, MPs and civil servants in the decision and policy making process.
This is an essential course for anyone seeking to engage with politicians and decision-makers. This course covers:
- The policy and legislative making process
- How to engage with the influencing and decision making process
- Parliament under the Coalition – what has changed?
- How does the politics of Westminster and Whitehall work?
- Who’s who in Parliament, Whitehall and government?
Click here to register for this course
How to influence legislation from the Queen's Speech to the statute book
Date 1: Tuesday 19th October
Understand how legislation is made and how to influence: the Coalition Government has already announced its first Queen’s Speech with key policy priorities across many departments. This course will take a practical and in-depth look at how legislation is made from its earliest stages through to its passage through Parliament. It will cover:
- Understanding the Queen’s Speech
- Green papers and white papers
- Role of Bill Committees and parliamentary staff
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd Readings
- Amendments and debates
- The Commons .v. the Lords
Click here to register for this course
Stakeholder mapping explained - the who and the how
Date 1: Thursday 21st October
The starting point for any effective public affairs or communications strategy is to understand who your key audiences are. This practical session will look at stakeholder mapping, in detail, looking at how to determine your audiences, build influence and dialogue and get results.
In today’s political environment it is crucial to know who is important, who will be interested in what you have say and how you can engage with them. This session will:
- Help you identify key stakeholders
- Understand your audiences
- How to run an effective mapping exercise
- How to target influencers and decision makers in Whitehall, Westminster and local government
Click here to register for this course
How to work with and influence local government
Date 1: Thursday 30th September
Date 2: Wednesday 24th November
The advent of localism amd community-based policy making means that local government is more important than ever. But just how do local authorities function and what will new debates about localism mean for councils?
The session will cover all aspects of understanding, working with and influencing local government. Previous attendees have come from service providers, developers, housing associations and the voluntary sector.
The course covers:
- An overview of the structures of local government
- An introduction into how local authorities work
- Understanding the different roles of councillors and officers, including responsibilities, pressures and motivations
- Exploring the political dimension of a councillor’s role and how it may impact on their approach
- Local authorities’ role in a ‘Big Society’
- The impact of the budget deficit and new economic and political context
Click here to register for this course
Using social media to get results
Date 1: Tuesday 12th October
Increasingly, organisations, parliamentarians, and policy influencers are using social media tools such as blogs, Twitter and Facebook to communicate with their target audiences.
As part of an integrated communications approach, such tools can help generate and strengthen support for your cause, and ensure your key messages resonate with the right people.
This practical session will help you understand and use social media to your organisation’s advantage. It will look at:
- An introduction to social media
- An overview of tools and techniques
- Social media in the political landscape
- What social media can (and can’t) do for your communications strategy
- Who to target, and how
- Useful websites, tools and where to go for more information
Click here to register for this course
How to make the media work for you
Date 1: Wednesday 8th December
Knowing how to use the political media to best effect is key to achieving success for your communications activity.
Political events and media coverage can thrust you and your organisation into the spotlight at any time, so it is essential to be ready and able to deal confidently and effectively with the media.
This session will give an overview of how to handle the media, as well as some practical techniques you can put into practice to further your organisation’s communications activity. It will cover topics such as:
- An introduction to dealing with the media
- Using the media to help you influence political audiences
- Honing your message
- Handling radio / tv / newspaper interviews
- Dealing with local media
- Avoiding negative coverage or criticism
Click here to register for this course
Getting the most out of parliamentary events and party conference fringe meetings
Date 1: Tuesday 26th October
Political events are an essential component of any communications strategy, and in the current economic climate can provide a targeted and cost effective means of building and sustaining key relationships and influencing the decision making process.
This course is delivered by experienced practitioners, and will help you identify how you can:
- Build profile and recognition
- Highlight specific policy issues and lead the debate
- Influence the decision making process
- Deliver a high profile and successful launch of a report or campaign
- Make the most out of the party conference season and hold successful fringe events
Click here to register for this course
The Big Society Explained
Date 1: Tuesday 7th September
Date 2: Thursday 4th November
The Big Society is emerging as the dominant theme of the coalition government, but what does it really mean?
From an initial manifesto promise through to a coordinated approach to community and social action, this session will look at just what the ‘Big Society’ means. The session will cover all aspects of the Big Society today as well as looking at how it might develop in the future, including:
- The Big Society from manifesto to making it happen
- The big challenge of localism and the Big Society for local government
- How will the voluntary sector, social enterprise and mutual solutions work
- Where are the tensions and the opportunities to engage
- What and where is the challenge to the Big Society?
Click here to register for this course
Localism explained: what does the Coalition mean for regions and local government?
Date 1: Thursday 26th August
Date 2: Thursday 14th October
Regions in retreat and a new localist agenda has been promised by the Coalition. They have not wasted any time in setting out plans for new Local Enterprise Partnerships and dismantling the regional policy. But just how will the new Local Enterprise Partnerships work and what will localism actually mean?
This bespoke training course will assess the direction of regional policy and priorities for the coalition government, and examine the future local government and economic development. This structured session will explore:
- What will happen post RDAs
- Implications of the Decentralisation and Localism Bill
- Conservative and Liberal Democrat approaches to the regions and local goverment
- Development of Local Enterprise Partnerships and the new growth fund
- How will the regions be governed?
- Where next for city regions?
Click here to register for this course
What will the Health Bill mean for you?
Date 1: Thursday 7th October
The NHS and healthcare face a radical shake-up this autumn as the coalition government takes forward its Health white paper.
This practical session will explore the emerging health agenda and look at how to engage with the government’s approach to the NHS and public health.
This session will focus on how health policy is likely to change under the new government and what lessons we can learn. It will give you an up-to-date policy snapshot and examine the:
- Implications of the Health white paper
- New political and economic context
- Proposed new infrastructure and management of health services
- Who’s who and how are the relationships developing
- New Coalition thinking and their interest and experience in health
Click here to register for this course
What does the coalition government mean for policing and justice?
Date 1: Thursday 18th November
Crime and justice have become key priorities for the coalition government, with a new white paper focusing on improving accountability and cutting bureaucracy within the police, all within the context of tightening resources.
As the government aims to promote Big Society, it is also looking at how criminal justice partners can work across the board to reduce crime and strengthen justice.
This half-day policy and training session will examine how to engage with the emerging policy agenda behind the coalition government, including:
- An introduction to the political context
- Implications of elected police and crime commissioners
- Where will the cuts fall?
- Legislative agenda for policing and criminal justice
- Who’s who in the new Parliament
Click here to register for this course
What does the coalition government mean for housing and planning?
Date 1: Thursday 7th December
This popular and updated course will look at the coalition government’s approach to housing and planning policy. Localism, a bonfire of the quangos and funding changes are already making their mark on housing delivery. But how will the new legislative and policy agenda affect housing and planning for the future?
The session will look at the new government’s reform agenda in housing and planning, including:
- The new political and economic context
- Key policy priorities for housing and planning policy
- How localism will affect housing, planning and regeneration delivery
- New institutional architecture
- Who’s who and how are the relationships developing
- The new MPs with an interest in housing and planning
Click here to register for this course
Connect also provide a bespoke in-house training service, providing specialist, tailored courses addressing the issues most relevant to you.
Why not contact us today to find out how our in-house training can be a cost-efficient way of keeping your team up-to-date and equipped with the specialist skills necessary to make the most of today's challenging environment?
