1. The National Community
of Practice for Public Sector
Communication Professionals
Cymuned Ymarfer Genedlaethol Cyfathrebwyr
Proffesiynol yn y Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus
Sara Moseley (Chair| Cadeirydd)
Gethin While (Project Manager | Rheolwr Prosiect)
10.12.12 ,Llandrindod

3. CommsCymru,
the public service
communicators’
network in Wales, is supported
and facilitated by the
Communications
Directorate of the Welsh
Government.
“We aim to make the most of
the advantages we have as a
small joined up country with
a government which values
public services and connects
with citizens”.

4. Background
• In existence since October 2010
• Enabling professionals across all sectors to work together to
build capacity and capability
• Members from a variety of areas of professional activity and
levels of seniority
• ALL public sector communications and engagement
professionals are eligible:
• Central Government
• Emergency and Security services (“Blue Lights”)
• Education (HE & FE)
• Health, Local Government
• 3rd Sector
FREE!

5. Membership
• Predominantly central government, agencies and local
• government
• Growth areas HEI, FE and 3rd Sector membership (20<)
• More than half of membership work in SE Wales (215 in Cardiff)
• Oriented for regular scientific market research, assessing skills needs,
expectations and sub-sectoral characteristics and types of current
professional knowledge

6. Priorities
• Decrease the learning curve of new members to
our profession
• Respond more rapidly to citizen needs and
inquiries
• Reduce unnecessary revision and prevent
"reinventions of the wheel"
• Spawn new ideas for products and services

8. Events
31 January 2013 - Know-How-Session: Master Class with Richard
Sambrook
February/March
Know-How Session: Welsh Language & Digital Channels TBC (2 site) /
Cardiff Uni Corporate Comms Team
Members Skills Survey
15 April 2013 - CommsCymru Spring Conference - 1 ONS , Newport
24 April 2013 - CommsCymru Spring Conference 2 – Llandudno
LGComms Academy – 21-23 May 2013, Cardiff
CommsCymru Autumn Conferences – October 2013

9. Training
• Accreditation Frameworks and Proofs
• Longer-term Programmatic approach:
– Spring & Autumn Conferences
– Know-How Sessions
– Subsector partnerships events
Capitalising on departmental training initiatives
for follow-on offers to broader public sector
comms community e.g. Comms Directorate & GCN
GCN Courses running in Cardiff over next quarter
Strategic Approach to Comms
• Planning and Implementing Evaluation
• Digital PR and media Management -
• Other GCN courses possible
• Collaboration with Participation Cymru!

10. Regional activities

11. CHANNELS
• Ebulletins & circulars
www.commscymru.info/
Twitter: @CommsCymru
(113 followers)
• www.facebook.com/CommsCymru
• LinkedIn
• Partner digital channels

12. Partnerships
• Government Communications Network
• LGComms
• Participation Cymru/ PEWG
• PSMW & Academi Wales
• HEIs
• Other potentials: Sector Skills
Councils, CIPR, CIM, Cyswllt, Cyfrwng etc; Non-UK
(Ireland), WCVA

15. Aims:
Unique fusion of practice, research and
learning
Vibrant and sustainable network of news hubs
in Wales
Research and learning of world wide interest

16. How:
Research, mapping and monitoring
Networking and advice
Training
Outreach

17. Who:
Emma Meese
Sara Moseley
Prof Richard Sambrook
Prof Justing Lewis
Dr Andy Williams
Prof Ian Hargreaves
Prof Justin Lewis
Glynn Mottersehead
Prof Duncan Bloy

18. Opportunities:
Projects and support
Training
Resource base
Publications and events