GCS launches new Development Award

6 May 2021 11:57 AM

The Government Communication Service (GCS) has launched a new initiative to recognise the achievements of government communicators in the area of learning and development. 

Building on the new GCS Curriculum, the GCS Professional Development Award will be presented each month to a government communicator who has demonstrated excellence in learning new skills and applying them in their role.

On setting up the new award, Alex Aiken, Executive Director of Government Communications, commented: 

“The new award will showcase how government communicators apply learning and development in their roles, to improve their own performance and the effectiveness of their team’s communications in practice.

“The communications landscape is constantly changing, which is why as a profession we must prioritise learning and development in our everyday. The scale and pace of challenge and change in our work demand that our professional practice is constantly moving forward and is of an exceptionally high standard.”

The GCS Development Award will be judged by a GCS Curriculum Board member. Winners will be given an opportunity for a series of 1-2-1 coaching sessions with a member of the board. They will also be awarded a digital certificate and 5 CPD points.

Suzanne Edmonds, Group Communications Director at the Department for Transport and a member of the GCS Curriculum Board, gives the following advice on submitting an entry:

“Anyone can nominate anyone, recognising a one-off piece of work and/or sustained contribution. I’d really encourage you to consider how people went about the piece of work, as well as the impact it had, as both matter equally. 

“By sharing the stories of our winners, we hope to provide further inspiration while raising awareness and understanding of the importance of investing in our own talents, and those of our colleagues.”

Send your entry now for the GCS Development Award 

To enter:

  1. Whose learning and development are you nominating; your own, your team’s or someone else’s?
  2. Tell us about the learning you have completed. What did you do, how did it come about it, how long did it take?
  3. What aspects were new and challenging? How did it take your skills and knowledge further? 
  4. How has the learning improved your performance and the standard of your work? What are you doing differently as a result?
  5. What piece of advice would you give to other people, based on what you have  learned?