NEWS & BLOGS

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

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

We’ve recently delivered our new 'AI for Engagement: Your Essential Human Guide' course to NHS engagement and communications professionals — and the feedback has been exceptional. Designed specifically for public sector teams, the course gives people the skills, confidence and governance awareness they need to use AI safely and effectively in real engagement and consultation work. Participants described the training as “very clear and inspiring… changed my perspective on AI”

I went paddleboarding recently when the sunshine came out. I took my eye off the ball for two minutes to take some pictures, and the strong wind nearly had me in the reeds. It struck me that paddleboarding is a good metaphor for where a lot of engagement professionals are right now with AI. Getting on the board is the easy part. Everyone can do that. But without a paddle you are not really in control - you are just being pushed around by the wind, drifting sideways, watching

Public sector budgets are tight and training is a luxury. When you invest in professional development, you need to be certain it will make an immediate impact – that people leave with skills they can apply right away, not concepts to revisit in the future. For public sector engagement and communication teams, a development area becoming increasingly urgent is around digital skills. The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has taken us into a new realm and is changing how pe

We're pleased to announce that dates are now confirmed for three of our Open Voice Lab training courses, and bookings are open. This is training for engagement professionals - not adapted from a communications programme, not generic digital skills training. Our courses are built from the ground up through the engagement lens, by people who truly understand what this work involves and why it matters. Whether you want to get to grips with AI in your consultation practice, sharp