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Your events, training and resources
Welcome to 2024. I hope it’s treating you well so far.
Welcome also to your 2024 Socitm membership.
When you’re sat at your desk feeling stuck or exasperated or puzzled. Socitm is your nice virtual colleague. We have people and resources to make it a bit easier.
I have 2 tips to get you started:
- Check (or create) your user account on socitm.net.
Followed the guide and still can’t get it to work? Let us know. - Subscribe to/unsubscribe from some emails – get the info you most need.
Click unsubscribe at the bottom of the newsletter in your inbox and select from accessibility, events, President’s Conference, regional meetings, training, webinars.
This newsletter does summarise everything so can be a good one to keep 😉
Please add hello@socitm.gv-c.com it to your Outlook safe senders list – a key piece of support could be stuck in your Junk folder.
In the true spirit of January and Janus, Socitm is looking backwards and forwards this month. The review of 2023 is live and the predictions of digital trends for 2024 are on their way. What do you want from Socitm this year? Think about it and tell us on Tuesday 30 January.
My favourite stat that didn’t it into the review is that 94% of members who registered for Presidents’ Conference joined us in Brighton. It probably is mostly of interest to me and my colleagues but is a nice indicator of the appeal of the event. And possibly the weather at the time. It was a lovely couple of days by the seaside. Make sure you join us in Birmingham on 13 and 14 June.
Best wishes,
Alex.
Your Resource Hub
Just published: 2023 in review
Navigating success in 2023: A year defined by progress and purpose
Revisit the highlights that underscore a year marked by ambition, resilience, and purposeful strides towards improving the lives of the people and communities we all live and work in.
Don’t forget about…
The AI policy template (already used by so many of you) that was a brilliant team project with colleagues in New Zealand and the United States.
Website accessibility
Log in to check your Silktide Score. If you’re competitive, see where you’re council ranks in the monthly Index. It’s not all about being #1. Neath Port Talbot Council is up 40 places to move into the Top 30. Brilliant effort!
Watch the most recent webinar: An introduction to manual accessibility auditing
For ease of viewing, the recording is 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.
Service design and transformation
09.30 to 16.30 on Wednesday 28 February in Sheffield
The types of services that support your community don’t change that much. How you design and deliver them, and how people experience them, can change lots.
For the parent who’s run out of data and the pensioner who doesn’t have a mobile phone let alone a smart one, how can they get stuff done? What are you doing to make it easy for those that can, so you can have time for those that can’t?
Get to Sheffield to find people with answers.
National conference days are member-only events.
Training
January’s and February’s CPD certified workshops
- Thursday 25 January and Tuesday 6 February Managing and Motivating Remote Teams| 1 point
- Tuesday 30 January Equality, Diversity and Inclusion| 1 point
- Thursday 1 and Monday 26 February: How to be an effective coach | 1 point
February’s CPD-certified in-person programme
- Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 February: Top Talent | London | 4 points
NEW in-person leadership programme
- Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 March: Place-Based Leadership | London | 4 points
Training places are included in your organisational membership – subject to availability and membership level. If you have any questions or would like further information, please email the training team.
Events
Member-only meetings
Meet people for catching-up, problem sharing (and solving) and great networking.
- Thursday 1 February: in-person meeting for Northern Ireland (Belfast)
- Friday 2 February: virtual meeting for Scotland (on Teams)
- Wednesday 28 February: in-person conference day on service design and transformation (Sheffield)
Free webinars (from Socitm and our partners)
- Wednesday 31 January: Meet Hitachi Solutions
- Wednesday 7 February Can AI take citizen services to the next level?
- Wednesday 14 February: Revolutionising social care with AI
Missed a webinar? Past recordings are available to watch in the resource hub.
Webinars are open to anyone in the public sector, membership is not necessary, so please do share them with your network.
Come and say hello
- Wednesday 28 February: HETT North 2024 (Manchester)
Join Institute Director Sam Smith for a fireside chat with Mark Nicholas from NHS England: what does the future of digital look like in social care?
Presidents’ Conference
Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 June in Birmingham
Birmingham has a lot to live up to. From Cardiff to Brighton, the annual conference has grown since its return post-pandemic. Your feedback shapes each event and your participation makes each one worthwhile. We can be serious and a little silly. It’s reinvigorating.
Crown Commercial Services needs you
CCS is inviting Socitm members to shape the future direction and collaboration of public sector interoperability.
Q: What is interoperability?
A: It is the ability of two or more systems to exchange information securely to use independently of technology.
Here’s how you can contribute:
CCS would like to interview volunteers virtually in a one-hour session to gain insights on the capability maturity required for delivering interoperable outcomes through procurement. Your understanding is vital in shaping the path forward. This can be the limit of your commitment, or you can stay involved in the process if you wish.
Based on the discoveries made a paper that charts the course for future advancements together with a communications campaign and training will be developed.
Thank you for reading (or scrolling) this far! Just one more thing…
Guest chatbot host, Roberta interviews Alan Shark as he talks about his annual list of predictions: 12 Tech Predictions for 2024 – AI is everywhere (including the guest host)
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash