Return to Work - Planning: Communications Toolkit for Councils

Return to Work - planning: council toolkit COVER
A how-to communications toolkit for councils

Introduction

Return to Work – Planning is one of four return to work programmes, developed by the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Government Equalities Office. With the aim of supporting councils with recruitment, the LGA will run a national recruitment drive on their behalf and carefully select a cohort of people who have worked in town planning, to receive free training so they are ready to return to work in local authorities.

Candidates accepted onto the programme will be professionals with experience in planning or with transferable experience from other services, who are currently on a career break and who require additional support to take the step back into their careers. They will receive free training from the Planning Advisory Service, who specialise in providing government officers and councillors with high-quality advice and training on planning and service delivery.

Councils who sign up to this free programme will be given the chance to connect with our selected participants to discuss job vacancies.

To encourage experienced planners living in your area to apply for our programme, we ask you to help us by sharing the opportunity with your networks. In this guide, you will find templates for multiple communication platforms to make sharing the programme as simple as possible. Please feel free to tailor the examples to suit your area and organisation.

For more information about the Return to Work – Planning programme, please visit our website.

Suggested tweets

#ReturnToWork as a planner.

Have you taken a career break to care for someone, looked after someone during the COVID-19 crisis, or been out of employment for 12 months or more? @LGAcomms want to hear from you!

Find out more ⬇️

local.gov.uk/return-to-work-planning
Calling planners. Would you like support to return to work after a career break?

We’re pleased to introduce @LGAcomms’ free training programme, which can help you step back into your profession.

Find out more on the LGA's website ? local.gov.uk/return-to-work-planning

#ReturnToWork
We're proud to support @LGAcomms’ Return to Work - Planning programme.

It will provide planners with free training from @pas_team, so they can refresh their skills and get back to work after a career break.

Apply on the LGA's website ⇨ local.gov.uk/return-to-work-planning.

#ReturnToWork
People who work in councils benefit from:

⚪ a wide variety of projects

⚪ flexible working

⚪ the chance to shape where they live

Apply for @LGAcomms' #ReturnToWork programme for the chance to connect with councils that have vacancies.

Apply online ? local.gov.uk/return-work-campaign

Suggested Facebook post

Do you have experience of working in planning? Do you want to play a part in shaping your local area?

If the answer is yes, you may be interested in @LocalGovAssoc’s Return to Work – Planning programme. This programme will support those with experience in planning to return to work after a career break.

You will be provided with free training from the Planning Advisory Service, who will help you to refresh your skills and hit the ground running.

We look forward to welcoming individuals who can bring fresh ideas to our organisation.

Sign up to the programme today for the chance to work with us ⬇

local.gov.uk/return-to-work-planning

#ReturnToWork

Suggested LinkedIn post

We are delighted to announce that we have signed up to the @LocalGovernmentAssociation’s Return to Work – Planning programme.

This free programme will support those of you with experience in planning, to refresh your skills and get back to work after a career break.

You will complete training with the Planning Advisory Service, who specialise in providing government officers and councillors with high-quality advice and training on planning and service delivery.

The training will help you to update your knowledge so you can play a part in shaping developments in your local area.

For more information about this unique opportunity, visit the LGA’s website today ⇨ local.gov.uk/return-to-work-planning

#ReturnToWork

Suggested intranet post

People are being encouraged to work in council planning as part of a new recruitment drive.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched the Return to Work – Planning campaign, providing those with experience in planning with free training and support to return to work after a career break.

Training will be delivered by the Planning Advisory Service, who specialise in providing government officers and councillors with high-quality advice and training on planning and service delivery.

The training will help participants to update their knowledge and skills so they can play a part in shaping developments in their local areas.

With funding provided by the Government Equalities Office, the campaign aims to support those who have taken extended career breaks to care for someone.

The programme will also consider applications from planning professionals who have caring responsibilities and have become unemployed due to COVID-19, or who have been in long-term unemployment.

Amanda, a senior planner who took a break to care for her family, encourages people to return to work:

“Returning to a local authority provided me with a supportive environment, allowing me to take time off around my childcare commitments.

You will find that as soon as you step back into this world there are great people, interesting projects to work on and a genuine enthusiasm to support you on brushing up your knowledge and skill set.

Just give it a go and before you know it, you will feel like you have never been away!”

Local government planning is a diverse profession, allowing individuals to specialise in different areas including land use, design, economic development and climate change.

In whatever role they enter, returning professionals will be at the forefront of shaping the places where they live and supporting the COVID-19 recovery.

Anne-Marie, a planning consultant working in Havering Council, notes:

“The interesting thing about working for local government is that you don’t get closer to the rockface than this!

You work directly with those making plans and delivering work, and with the people who benefit from the delivery of the projects (ultimately the community).”

Returning to work after a period away can be daunting, but the support offered by the Return to Work – Planning programme will help returning professionals regain their confidence and skills.

If you know anyone who has experience in planning and who would like to return to work, encourage them to consider this programme.

Visit the LGA’s Return to Work – Planning website for more information.

Suggested bulletin article

We are delighted to introduce the Local Government Association (LGA) and Government Equality Office’s Return to Work – Planning programme.

People with experience in planning will be provided with free support and training so they can return to work after a career break.

Training will be provided by the Planning Advisory Service, who specialise in providing government officers and councillors with high-quality advice and training on planning and service delivery.

For the chance to complete this training and play a part in shaping developments in your local area, apply for the programme via the LGA’s website today.

Suggested email

Subject line

Return to Work – Planning programme

Body

Dear colleague,

We are pleased to announce that we have signed up to the Local Government Association’s (LGA) new Return to Work – Planning campaign.

Designed to help those with experience in planning to return to work after a career break, this programme will provide them with free training and support.

Training will be delivered by the Planning Advisory Service, who specialise in providing government officers and councillors with high-quality advice and training on planning and service delivery.

The training will help participants to update their knowledge and skills so they can play a part in shaping developments in their local areas.

With funding provided by the Government Equalities Office, the campaign aims to support those who have taken extended career breaks to care for someone.

The programme will also consider applications from planning professionals who have caring responsibilities and have become unemployed due to COVID-19, or who have been in long-term unemployment.

If you or someone you know has experience in planning and would like support to take the step back into work, please tell them about this programme.

Returning to work after a period away can be tough. The Return to Work – Planning programme will support individuals to gain the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to restart their careers and shape the places where they live.

More information can be found on the LGA’s Return to Work – Planning website.

Suggested press release

[INSERT COUNCIL] ANNOUNCES RETURN TO WORK - PLANNING PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITIES

We are pleased to announce that [INSERT COUNCIL] has signed up to the Local Government Association’s new Return to Work – Planning programme.

Working with the Planning Advisory Service, the programme has been designed to help those with experience in planning to return to work after a career break.

The LGA will provide a selection of committed professionals with free training to refresh their skills and update their knowledge of council operations and political processes.

Candidates will also be provided with an opportunity to connect with councils who have opportunities and vacancies.

With funding provided by the Government Equalities Office, the campaign aims to support those who have taken extended career breaks to care for someone.

The programme will also consider applications from planning professionals who have caring responsibilities and have become unemployed due to COVID-19, or who have been in long-term unemployment.

People who work in councils benefit from a wide variety of projects, flexible working, and the chance to shape the place where they live.

Earlier this year, the LGA successfully launched a Return to Social Work programme to enable up to 200 previously qualified social workers to return to the profession with local councils across England

[INSERT COUNCIL] said it is a great opportunity for people to bring fresh ideas to work on national issues like the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the housing crisis and climate change.

Whether you are experienced in planning, this programme can support you to take the next step in your career.

For interested, you can sign up via the LGA’s campaigns page on their website or email [email protected] 

Cllr [INSERT NAME], [INSERT ROLE], [INSERT COUNCIL], said:

“We are delighted to support the LGA’s free Return to Work training programme.

“Returning to work after a period away can be tough. The Return to Work – Planning programme will support people gain the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to work in planning and to shape the areas where they live.

“If you or someone you know is a planner who wants to return to work after a career break, please tell them about this programme.”

ENDS