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Policy and Communications

Upcoming Dates in the National Capital Region

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Summary

This practical one-day course It also covers practical strategies for identifying roles and tasks, developing a common approach within key projects and working synergistically to employ the full potential, knowledge and expertise of the two groups to best effect.

Who should participate in this course?

Officers and managers within federal communications and policy shops who work in cross-disciplinary environments should attend this course

Participants will be able to:

  • Build on strengths by understanding the roles to enhance collaboration
  • Work with the communications experts to create common products, approaches and advice for multiple audiences
  • Use communications and policy tools and expertise to achieve objectives
  • Assess what it important or urgent from policy and communications perspectives
  • Implement joint planning strategies to determine what priority level is given to which initiatives, and who should be involved when
  • Integrate short-term communications needs with medium and long-term messaging and approaches
  • Use specific tips and strategies to construct a winning communications and policy interface.

What you can expect

The course is delivered with speakers who are seasoned policy and communications practitioners. We also feature practical exercises and cases that reference real-life situations to help you build your “toolkit.”

Course fee

The cost of this course is $890 (no HST) per person. The price includes expert facilitation, lunch and course materials. Registration is done through an online registration system so credit card payment is required or an invoice can be issued.

Location

At the IOG premises at 60 George St. in the Byward Market, downtown Ottawa.

Time

Our courses run from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. 

The challenge

Across most government departments and agencies and in crown corporations, the communications and policy functions operate in parallel and are sometimes brought together very late in either the strategic communications or policy development processes.  Tension between these groups is often the result, as the policy and communications functions both seek to provide the best possible product to their client in their own way. Time pressures and a high-stakes decision-making environment can further impede the ability of these two functional groups to work together, often to the detriment of the objective of service to a common client - the Minister, Cabinet and the numerous stakeholders external to the organization.

Political leaders, the public, stakeholders, and the media are increasingly attuned to the need for governments to communicate policies and programs clearly and seamlessly across multiple communications platforms. Doing so requires both communication and policy professionals to work closely as never before, building on each other’s expertise and resources.

The IOG value-added

All IOG courses are prepared and taught be those who have held senior positions in the federal government. They are guided by a Learning Committee of senior federal government public servants which is chaired by the DM of AAFC, John Knubley.

For those who wish to have an adapted course that is specific to their issues and requirements, customized course offerings can be delivered on request for branches, teams or groups, in English or French in any part of the country. For more information, contact Learning Lab. 

The IOG also offers the Coaching Circle, to assist executives and officers at all levels of government as well as non-profit and other organizations in the development of their leadership skills.