Keep getting everything you can from your membership
Your events, training and resources
A few things for you today
- Get the data you need on us this year.
Started your 1 complimentary benchmarking module yet? - ICYMI Free training with Microsoft and Socitm this month
Tue-22 and Wed-23-Apr | 09:00 to 16:30 | Change Agent | 0 points - Share Digital Trends content with your colleagues.
We’ve put together a slide deck for you with a detailed overview of the collection’s content. Include any of them in your presentations. - Working in geospatial? Get more info about Geospatial Leadership Certificate
- Published yesterday (Thu-3-April): PUBLIC’s report Using the Competitive Flexible Procedure for Innovation
- JUST CONFIRMED for Friday 11 April: The Magic of Mentoring: Aidan Matthews in conversation with Jodi Ezekiel (Digital Accessibility Lead at Kent County Council)
Take care. I hope you can have a great weekend.
Best wishes,
Alex.
In Your Membership Resource Hub
AI@Socitm
Get to know and use AI. Find practical help, skills, and a deeper understanding of applying AI responsibly.
From the Ada Lovelace Institute blog: The case for a local gov AI taskforce
Tue-29-Apr |11:00 to 13:00 | Using intelligent automation to meet the challenges facing local government in Northern Ireland
Case studies
Filter and find relevant case studies for what you’re doing or where you are.
What’s missing? Let us know. Send us yours.
Cyber@Socitm
Get and stay secure. Find practical help, skills and a deeper understanding of cyber security in local public services.
Find and join your WARP.
Read: Leading through a cyber attack: Learning from crisis
Wed-30-Apr | 13:00 to 14:00 | CymruSOC: Insights from the UK’s first National Security Operations Centre
Wed-7-May | 13:00 to 14:00 | Strengthen cyber resilience and stay ahead of ransomware
Digital Trends: Contextual drivers
The barrage of external pressures have never been more challenging. Making it hard to find the space, risk appetite, resources and prioritisation for change. Many of us end up buying new tech and systems rather than implementing complex change.
You might have missed…
Watch:
- Embracing the inevitable: How AI is transforming data governance
- Harnessing AI for a smarter S/4HANA migration
For ease of viewing, the recordings are divided into easy to navigate chapters, with subtitles and transcript available via the video player toolbar.
You will need a user account on socitm.net to access member-only resources. Let us know if need any support.
Data driven decision making with Place Insight
Membership add on
Place Insight blends data into a single, simple-to-use platform. It’s a comprehensive Social Progress Index using 56 datasets per authority [in England]. Giving you a multi-layered view of social progress where you are.
Your members-only offer
Gain cost-effective access to Place Insight as an add-on to your membership.
To find out more contact Head of operations Poppy Brummell.
Accessibility and inclusion
Check your website’s Silktide Accessibility Score
Log in to find your personalised monthly report and advice by clicking the ‘Check your website’s accessibility score’ tile.
How’s your Digital Accessibility Maturity?
The DAMA is a comprehensive self-assessment. Hassell lnclusion send your score plus a report with next steps for how to improve your current position.
In your membership: Courses
Leadership
Empowering Women
- Taunton |Tue-1 to Wed-2-Jul and Fri-3-Oct | 3 points
- Huntingdon | Thu-18 to Fri-19-Sep and Thu-20-Oct | 3 points
Place-based Leadership
- Manchester | Tue-13 to Wed-14-May | 4 points
- Birmingham | Mon-27 and Tue-28-Oct | 4 points
Top Talent
- Glasgow | Wed-25 to Thu-26-Jun and Thu-28 to Fri-29 Aug | 4 points
- Cardiff |Tues-9 to Wed-10-Sep and Mon-13 to Tue-14-Oct | 4 points
Core skills
- FULLY BOOKED Tue-15-April | 09:30 to 12:30 | Introduction to Emotional Intelligence | 1 point
Spaces still available in September and November - Tues-6 and 20-May | 09:30 to 12:30 | How to be an Effective Coach | 1 point
- Tue-17-Jun | 09:30 to 12:30 | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | 1 point
Registering for training
Read your guide to using training points. Log in for the current number of available points. Don’t have enough or you’ve run out? Let us know.
Things happen. If you can’t make the date of your training course let us know ASAP and we’ll get you onto the next suitable one available. And your training points will transfer with you.
Please note: non-attendance without letting us know will mean training points getting deducted from your organisation’s annual total.
Free training with Microsoft
Get the knowledge and confidence you need to lead a change delivery
- Tue-22 and Wed-23-Apr | 09:00 to 16:30 | Change Agent | 0 points
- Mon-16 and Tue-17-Jun | 09:00 to 16:30 | Change Agent | 0 points
This free course is a collaboration between Microsoft and Socitm. You do not need to be a Socitm member to attend this course.
Better data improves everything
For 2025 only: complimentary use of 1 benchmarking module
Choose from: cost, delivery, performance or user skills.
IFollowing significant organisational upheaval (merging 6 councils into 1) we were looking for assurances that services continued to be effective. and for help understanding any improvements we might want to make as a merged council.
James Ailward, Head of IT Operations/CTO for Dorset Council
Events
Member-only meetings
- Mon-7-Apr Meeting for the Midlands in Birmingham B2 5EP
- Fri-11-Apr The Magic of Mentoring: Aidan Matthews in conversation with Jodi Ezekiel (Digital Accessibility Lead at Kent County Council)
- Thu-24-Apr Members’ connection hour
- Fri-9-May Meeting for the North East on Teams
- Thu-22-May Meeting for Yorkshire and Humber in Leeds LS1 5NS
- Fri-30-May Meeting for Scotland on Teams
- Tue-10 and Wed-11-Jun President’s Conference 2025 in Birmingham
- Tue-14-Oct Socitm in Wales in Cardiff
Free webinars and meetings hosted by Socitm
Next: Wednesday 9 April | 13:00 to 14:00 | How Microsoft Fabric can give you a single view of your authority
This unified platform integrates data (across social care, housing, finance) providing AI-driven insights and real-time analytics to drive better services.
- Tue-29-Apr| 11:00 to 13:00 | Using intelligent automation to meet the challenges facing local government in Northern Ireland
- Wed-30-Apr | 13:00 to 14:00 | CymruSOC: Insights from the UK’s first National Security Operations Centre
- Wed-7-May Strengthen cyber resilience and stay ahead of ransomware
- Fri-16-May | 13:00 to 14:00 | Transforming the Resident Experience at West Lindsey District Council
Missed one? Recordings of Socitm webinars are available in the Resource hub.
Fill up your notebook/notes app with ideas, contacts and things to do.
Everything will wrapped by Socitm’s members’ community to create the best mix of presentations and people in a collaborative and relaxed atmosphere.
Mostly free webinars and events hosted by partners and others
- Wed-23-Apr 5G Innovation Region Series: TAY5G Programme
- Thu-24-Apr Accelerating secure adoption of Copilot for M365
- Tue-29-Apr Digital Access Solutions in Primary Care: The Role of Technology
- Wed-30-Apr Make a difference, work for your local council – national recruitment campaign for local government
- Wed-30-Apr and Thu-1-May GDS and the Incubator for AI: local government innovation hackathon [Leeds]
- Wed-7-May Microsoft Innovation and Collaboration Forum
- Thu-8-May Transforming public Services 2025 [Glasgow]
- Thu-22-May GeoPlace Annual Conference [London]
- Thu-22 and Fri-23-May Local Government Partnership Network North 2025 [Manchester]
Socitm President Carol Williams is chairing both days - Wed-4-Jun Microsoft Innovation and Collaboration Forum
- Thu-12-Jun Public Sector Digital Transformation 2025 [Edinburgh]
- Thu-19-Jun LocalGovCamp South West [Taunton]
- Thu-26-Jun CIVILAB Conference 2025: Connected Communities [Derby]
Keynote speaker is VP Yogita Popat [Barnet Council] - Thu-25-Sep | 12:00 to 13:00 | Change management for digital transformation
LGPN North 2025
Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May | Manchester M3 4LQ
Socitm’s President Carol Williams (from Walsall) is chairing this one. If you’re going please seek us out to say hello. It would be great to catch up.
Find something of interest on the agenda (and the registration info).
Geospatial team leadership course
Whether you’re developing business cases, influencing decision makers or marketing products and services the Geospatial Leadership Certificate (GLC) is designed for you and your organisation.
This is a £course run by ConsultingWhere.
Once enrolled you’ll be assigned a tutor who will contact you for extra information about you, your organisation and what you wish to get most from the course.
Thank you for reading (or scrolling) this far! Just one more thing…
Listen to The 6-Day Race episode of the Atlas Obscura podcast.
The physical and mental benefits of walking cropped up in our team call this week. We didn’t have 19th century competitive walking in circles in mind 😀
Photo by Boba Jaglicic on Unsplash