NEWS & BLOGS

Episode 2 of our Open Voice Lab Podcast is now live! And we are diving into one of the biggest debates in modern engagement: are community stalls still effective, or has digital engagement already taken over? Community stalls have been a core part of engagement and consultation for decades. But with digital reach, targeted ads, online listening, and high‑volume conversations happening on social media every day, many organisations are asking whether traditional face‑to‑face me

If you've ever taken part in university research, you'll probably have noticed the mountain of information provided before a single question. This is the result of scrutiny from an ethics committee, whose role is to ensure research is worthwhile, proportionate, and carried out without harming participants. While engagement professionals often work with the same methods and many of the same audiences, we rarely have an equivalent process. What could public engagement learn fro

Digital engagement is now central to how public‑sector and VCSE organisations listen, involve and communicate with communities. But most engagement and comms teams were never formally trained in what “good” digital engagement looks like - or how digital channels can support trust‑building, inclusion and better decision‑making. Open Voice Lab has launched the September cohort of our Digital Engagement Masterclass, a practical four‑session online course designed for people work

“So this is our first ever Open Voice Lab podcast, and we're a little bit excited, we're a little bit nervous. Hopefully we're gonna have some fun…” Introducing our UK engagement and consultation podcast We are so excited to announce the launch of our new podcast designed for people working in community engagement, consultation, participation and public involvement across the UK public sector, NHS, charities, and VCSE organisations. We will be bringing clear, honest conversat

An exploration of the complex relationship between AI and writing, considering that while AI can be a useful tool for organising ideas and improving clarity, it cannot replicate the human emotion, judgement and authenticity that make writing truly impactful. It highlights the importance of the human touch in engagement, and considers the growing need for transparency around AI use, particularly in public consultation and engagement where trust and accountability are essential

A dog wearing sunglasses relaxing on a deck chair on a beach wearing flip flips and a beach towel. Most organisations treat July and August like a “quiet period”. Engagement pauses, new projects wait until September, and teams assume nobody will come to an event. But people don’t stop caring when the weather gets good - and summer can actually be one of the most powerful moments for meaningful insight. That’s why Open Voice Lab is running a free lunchtime learning lab: Summer

A close up of some credit cards in a pile. A few years ago, I was sat at my NHS desk, trying to figure out how to get an important piece of engagement work in front of the right people. I knew paid social was part of the answer and I knew exactly who we needed to reach. But our finance team wouldn’t let me have a credit card. I did what any good public servant would do – and consulted Google for an answer. If you've ever found yourself searching "how do I run paid social with

From the doorstep politics of Makerfield to national leadership contenders, this blog reflects on what Starmer, Streeting and Burnham’s records say about their commitment to community voice, consultation and meaningful engagement.

A tour through the jargon of engagement that shows how lived experience, listening, consultation and co production all fit together — and why doing them openly, respectfully and accessibly is what really counts.

The importance of ‘making friends’ with whoever owns your digital channels Are your digital channels working for engagement or just working? There's a pattern we see regularly when reviewing digital engagement strategy for public sector organisations. Digital channels exist, usually managed by someone in the communications team, and they share numbers as a measure of success. Yet the engagement professionals – the people whose job it is to understand communities, gather insig

We hear this a lot from public sector teams. Think about the last time you heard about a local service change, or something that had people frustrated in your community. Where did you find out? Chances are, you saw it online somewhere - a Facebook group, a comment thread, a post shared by someone in your network. That's not a coincidence. Conversations about organisations are happening continuously online, whether those organisations are present or not. Only a very small port

If people can’t access your communication, can they really engage? A reflection on accessibility, trust, and inclusive engagement practice.

NHS reforms risk erasing community memory—the trusted relationships engagement teams have built with marginalised groups. As staff and structures disappear, these connections can’t simply be handed over, and weakened engagement will deepen health inequalities. Without deliberate planning and continuity, much of this hard‑won trust may be lost.

Continuous engagement and meaningful listening means meeting people where they are and paying attention to what they are telling you, regardless of the means they use, including flag flying.

Rebuilding trust in maternity services requires continuous engagement, inclusive digital infrastructure and action on health inequalities.

What the 2026 GP contract means for patient access, communication and engagement, and why meaningful listening must sit alongside digital reform in primary care.