Here at the Westco Commission, we believe you can’t confront a problem effectively until you clearly define what the challenge is.

So we’ve been through the multiple research papers and spoken at length with our commission colleagues  in past few months to get to the bottom of exactly what issues public sector communications need to tackle going forward.

No matter the trial ahead, one thing has been clear- communications has an essential role to play in the public sector.  Albeit, different to what we have done in the past.

We are pleased to launch The Future of Public Service communications: From Theory to Practice paper exploring the challenges facing the future of communications.

Over 5 parts, the paper will give you a concise overview of the challenge ahead and set the foundation of how we collectively should focus the move forward.

It identifies the current gaps in our approach to the changing public service landscape and sets out three key focus areas  for communicators  to embrace, develop and up-skill to improve our ‘communications game’.

These three key areas are:

Realising Economic Growth

  • How to enable organisations to realise their economic growth agenda and secure alternative funding models as a means to delivering effective communications services going forward.
  • Our suggested areas of development for public service commuincations organisations.
  • Context, providing a clear understanding of what the current position is.

Using new technologies to build trust

Following on from our From Theory to Practice event, this document presents the processes in which new technologies can address the crisis in trust between the public sector and its audience.

Within the document, we explore:

  • How to use new technology and shift audience behaviours to transform how public services engage with the public at large.
  • Our suggested areas of development for how public service communicators can make the most of readily available technologies.
  • The opportunity at hand for public services  and the processes for required for it to be fully realised.

Understanding and influencing audiences

Following on from our From Theory to Practice event, this document presents the processes in which new technologies can address the crisis in trust between the public sector and its audience.

Within the document, we explore:

  • How to use new technology and shift audience behaviours to transform how public services engage with the public at large.
  • Our suggested areas of development for how public service commuincators can make the most of readily available technologies.
  • The  opportunity at hand for public services  and the processes for required for it to be fully realised.

This paper is just the start of things to come. Over the coming months, Westco will provide you with the practical tools, guidance and support you need to help address the 15 recommendations set out in this paper.