Case Study

Bedfordshire County Council

Brief

DTW Vavasour was tasked with training Officers from Bedfordshire County Council who had varied communication abilities and responsibilities within the Council to handle the media effectively. The training needed to encompass broadcast media as well as press and had to be accessible to staff with little or no media experience.

DTW Vavasour also had to train Councillors to work with the media and cater to opposing political persuasions within each group.

Approach

In order to meet the varied needs of the different participants taking part in the training, DTW Vavasour put together a bespoke programme that could be adapted to suit the needs of each group.

The training involved a combination of group sessions that introduced the world of media at a basic level to develop greater understanding of how the industry operates. Then each medium was studied in turn and practical tips were given for getting the best out of each situation.

DTW Vavasour also developed a series of hypothetical scenarios appropriate to a local authority that could attract media interest. The delegates had to prepare responses for a range of media and then be recorded in lifelike interviews. The interviews were then re-played and reviewed with individual feedback given to each person.

The training sessions also involved basic media relations strategy and encouraged both Officers and Councillors to work with their Communications departments to get the most from the media. DTW Vavasour put together a media relations handbook that could be taken away at the end of each session and used as a reference for future use.

Outcomes

• The Bedfordshire County Council press office is now securing regular coverage in both the local and national media (both trade and commercial) helping to raise the profile of Bedfordshire County Council.
• The Communications team has also forged strong links with Councillors and Council officers, helping them to recognise the importance of media liaison. Media strategies have now been devised to raise the profile of individual departments.
• DTW Vavasour continues to provide media training to Bedfordshire members and officers.

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