Virtual Event
How to Write the Perfect Policy Brief
Exclusively for public servants and policymakers
Wednesday, Oct 23, 2024
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Speakers
What to Do Next
- Catch up via the 6-minute highlights video above, or dive into the full recording
- Sign up for our next event, Using AI on Open Data - Revolutionary or Risky?
- Keep connecting with public service peers by joining the Writing Effectively in Government Community
Resources
Speakers' presentations
Shared by the speakers
- Politics and the English Language, The Orwell Foundation
- When bright people make dull policy recommendations, Nesta
- How to turn your policy ideas into reality, cast from clay
Join the Writing Effectively in Government
The Writing Effectively in Government is a community of practice where you can share advice, insights and resources on government writing with peers across the global public service.
Event Description
Communicating complex ideas in a simple, concise and persuasive way is integral to effective policymaking. Policy briefs play a crucial role in this process, but are tricky to master — as anyone who writes them will tell you!
In this masterclass, participants will learn the art of writing the perfect policy brief — a tool designed to inform and persuade decision-makers. Led by experts in public policy communication, this session will cover best practices in structuring, writing and delivering clear, actionable briefs that capture attention and drive action.
Participants will gain insights into how different audiences — such as government officials, community leaders, or industry experts — interact with policy briefs. The session will end with an engaging Q&A where you can pose questions directly to the experts.
Who should watch:
This event is for public servants and policymakers at all levels who are eager to enhance their brief writing skills. Whether you are involved in policy development, implementation or have a general interest in policymaking.
Interested in how Apolitical can support you and your organisation? Learn about collaborating with us.
Speakers
Katie Driver
Dods Training Associate and Founder of the Thinking Alliance
United Kingdom
Dr Christian Reynolds
Reader in Food Policy at City University
United Kingdom
Katie Driver, Dods Training Associate, has rich experience of policy design and development. An experienced policymaker and senior civil servant, she led on policy areas such as pupil behaviour and truancy, and helped deliver cross-government initiatives like equality impact assessment requirements and better regulation. Katie had two stints in Private Office, as Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary, and to the Minister of State. Since leaving the civil service, Katie has continued to design and deliver training courses and programmes for public servants and public policy partners in the UK, the UK’s Devolved Administrations, and overseas. She focuses on leadership, strategic thinking, systems thinking, policy development, and effective communication.
Dr Christian Reynolds, Reader in Food Policy at City, University of London. His research looks at how we can eat more sustainably, reduce food waste, and improve food policies to improve the food system. He has worked with governments and international organizations to make food systems more environmentally friendly. Dr Reynolds is currently working on a number of projects, like how to use less plastic and waste less food by designing new products, and how food taxes affect the whole food system. Before the Centre for Food Policy, Dr Reynolds worked at WRAP, where he focused on making food more sustainable globally and helping people eat healthier and waste less.
