Hi, I’m Carolyn, Communications Officer at Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, and the team at Communicating Digital have asked me to put a few words together to demonstrate why this group is so important to me.
Why did you join the Community of Practice?
I have been a member of this group for over a year now; I got an invite originally by chance. It mentioned some of the topics to be covered and they certainly rang a bell with my everyday struggles.
The first few meetings I just listened and that was fine, but the group is so welcoming and soon I felt my thoughts and opinions could be useful to others. Nobody comes across as knowing everything, we all have questions and challenges.
What have you found most valuable?
I work as part of a VERY small communications team, and we all work from home; my teammates tend to come to me for advice on the latest technology or tips to get the best from campaigns or the website.
Knowing that I am part of this group means that I’m not on my own trying to find answers, there is always someone who either has the answer or we can find it together.
We are all so busy, it’s good to set time aside to think about our challenges and investigate new ways of approaching things. New technology is moving so fast this group has helped me get to grips with it much quicker than I could on my own.
A moment that’s stuck with you
My most memorable session was about AI, I went in thinking oh no I’m never going to get this, maybe I’m getting too old for this game! I came away realising that we were all thinking the same, but also with a newfound confidence and a bit more knowledge to face it head on.
My most memorable quote was ‘We are all just blagging it!’ which we are, and we keep on trying until we get there.
How has the community made a difference in your work?
I really enjoy the sessions where we talk about what tools and applications we use, this has given me insights to how we at Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council can improve our systems.
I have more confidence to tackle issues, and I am always learning something new.
What would you say to someone who’s unsure whether to get involved?
I would say come along, what have you got to lose? You can just come and listen.
This group is so welcoming and there are no silly questions (if there are, it’s usually from me!)
There is no pressure to speak up, but I guarantee you will want too very soon.
Everybody’s experiences are valued and respected and It’s a wonderful feeling when you can help someone else with your experience.
So, if you feel like the old age, ‘doing the same thing and expecting a different result’, come along and think differently!
