North East councils are piloting a new advertising campaign
Working in local government has never been more valued or important, given the hundreds of essential services provided every day by councils and combined authorities to keep our communities running.
Local government is a great place to grow a career in a wide variety of challenging, but equally rewarding, roles – whether it be caring for families, protecting children from harm, ensuring your favourite takeaway or restaurant is safe, or keeping our streets clean.
Yet more than nine in 10 councils are experiencing staff recruitment and retention difficulties as demand for services continues to rise, highlighting the vital need to attract more people into the workforce.
To help attract new talent, the LGA has launched a new local government recruitment campaign, which is being piloted by local authorities in the North East of England.
The campaign aims to encourage people to ‘make a difference’ where they live with a career in local government, highlights the variety of roles on offer, and challenges preconceptions about the sector.
Part of the LGA’s Sector Support Offer (funded by the UK Government) – and co-produced in partnership with local government and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (Solace) – the campaign has been designed to complement local authorities’ own recruitment activity, providing resources and assets that can be customised with local information, logos and images.
“This recruitment pilot is another example of how North East authorities continue to work together and in partnership with each other. There are many varied and rewarding roles working for local government, and these are roles where people can and do make positive differences for local communities, residents and businesses.”
Cllr Graeme Miller, Chair of the Association of North East Councils, North East Representative on the LGA Executive, and Leader of Sunderland City Council
The themes and branding were developed by professional agencies and tested in surveys and focus groups with 2,300 participants, as well as with council human resources and communications professionals across England.
The aspirational themes focus on ‘making a difference’, how careers in local government have a real social impact and change lives, and on work/life balance and the variety of career opportunities.
The North East pilot, which started in early January and runs into February, has been co-produced with local councils and the North East Regional Employers Organisation, to ensure it meets their needs. It is being supported by major advertising on billboards, radio and social media.
The pilot aims to enhance the good work councils and combined authorities are doing in the region to attract talent by encouraging individuals to find out how they can have a role working in one of the hundreds of services used by and relied upon by communities every day, ranging from adult and children’s services to planning, environmental health, libraries and leisure centres.
Subject to the pilot outcomes, the ambition is to expand the campaign to the rest of the country, inspiring people of different ages and backgrounds to see what difference they can make to their local area.
Find out more about the national recruitment campaign for local government.