Is this strategy course for me?
Is it time to turn your organisation’s “wafty” ambitions into actual results? We all hear them: “We need to increase our influence and impact.” “We need to be more collaborative.” But how do you deliver on those vague ideas?
Want to master the building blocks of persuasion and strategic communication? Then our online policy communications course is for you. Gain practical knowledge needed to transform big visions into tangible objectives.
Strategic policy communication course overview
| Time Commitment: 10 hours | Duration: 5 modules over 5 weeks |
| Price: £375 GBP (+VAT) / $500 per person | Study Mode: Tutor guided online learning |
We are able to provide a discounted price for teams (5+ seats), to learn more contact our Training Lead Chi at [email protected].
What will I learn?
On completing this online policy communications course, you’ll know how to write useful SMART objectives, what a good audience segmentation looks like (read: not “policymakers”), understand issue framing and when it is and is not useful. It is designed for people with some communications experience, who know that their understanding of strategic communications is perhaps not as strong as it could be.
In this course we go back to ancient Greece, to Aristotelean rhetorical appeals. These appeals remain to this day the building blocks of a persuasive argument. But in order to use them effectively, you need to layer in the much more modern skillset of the strategic communications professional. That means a focus on SMART objectives, audience segmentation and insight, and framing. You’ll come away from this course with a reference point for all of the above.
This is a practical course. You will be tasked with implementing the lessons onto your current policy/communications work so you can test and learn (and ask for help as needed) as you proceed through the course.
This course is developed based on the Cast from Clay team’s experience advising nonprofit senior management teams. If you want to get a sense of how we think and what is in this course, read our CEO, Tom Hashemi, writing about ‘wafty goals’ in Policy Unstuck. You’ll have a chance to explore Tom’s thinking (and/or challenge it!) in one of the live sessions.
By the end of this course, you will:
- Know how to write a SMART objective, and understand how to create audience segmentations that are useful
- Be able to construct an argument that uses all of Aristotle’s persuasion methods—and know what each is good for
- Understand issue framing: what it is good for, how to do it, and what the signs are that it hasn’t been done properly
About your course leader: Jamie Horton
Jamie is an experienced public affairs and communications consultant and has advised businesses, foundations and civil society organisations in the UK and internationally on strategic communications, advocacy and positioning. He currently leads Cast from Clay’s energy and climate work.
Previously, he worked at a boutique public affairs and strategic communications agency specialising in the energy transition, where he led client accounts across a range of renewable energy and Net Zero technology areas.
Jamie has advised clients including E3G, Ocean Energy Pathway, EAT Forum, the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, Thames Water Ventures, Drax Group, and the Centre for Future Generations. Jamie has a BA (Hons) in History from the University of Oxford and is a chess National Master.
Want to take your whole team on a journey of learning?
Get in touch to learn more about our team discount
Accessibility statement
If you require additional accommodations or encounter any accessibility barriers, please contact us at [email protected]. We will address any accessibility concerns promptly to ensure an effective, enjoyable learning experience for everyone.