What will I learn?
On completing this online policy communications course, you’ll know why persuasion is important in policy communications, and how to deploy persuasive techniques in your day-to-day role as a policy or research communications expert.
We’ve developed this course with experts and communicators in think tanks, NGOs, political institutions and university research centres. It draws on our experience of helping them solve communications challenges, including those specific to the worlds of research, policy, and public affairs.
The course covers:
- What the pros and cons of research-based communications are
- Why ‘policymaker’ is a terrible audience definition, and how to write a good one
- Why values matter, and how you can use them to reframe an argument
- Why narratives are more powerful than facts, and examples from our work
- What bounded rationality is, why it matters, and in what order to use rationality and emotion in an argument
Online training on policy communications
| Commitment: 2 hours per week | Duration: 5 weeks, starting 28th May |
| Price: £350 GBP (+VAT) | Study Mode: Tutor-guided, online learning |
A module is opened each week on a Wednesday, including the study content and a homework exercise, to be completed at your own pace. There are three live sessions, run via Google Meets, normally in weeks 1, 3 and 5. The dates for these live sessions will be confirmed soon!
Why take this policy communications course?
You should take this course if you want to learn how to:
- Deploy the three modes of rhetorical persuasion
- Frame your messages based on audience insight
- Cultivate your storytelling skills
By joining ‘Communicate to persuade’, you will be able to access The Craft, a global community of policy communicators, where you can share ideas or challenges you are facing with others to get their insight and thoughts.
Your instructor
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.
Hear from previous Cast From Clay students
Accessibility statement
If you require additional accommodations or encounter any accessibility barriers, please contact us at [email protected].