The local govt stakeholder engagement network is a secure video-based communications hub accessible to all staff, providers and users of services.

The programme opens a direct video dialogue between:
• directors
• frontline staff
• providers
• service users

It abolishes silos between departments, teams, services and communities.

It works across:
• social care
• health
• mental health services
• LD services
• Older People services

Each online community has its own channel and content manager and at the click of a mouse you can see what is happening internally and externally through video diaries and comment, internally and on location at outside events.

The emphasis is on recording human experience to produce better outcomes for people. The communications hub will help you:
• understand how the changes underpinning the individual budgets programmes affects all stakeholders
• to engage with isolated and vulnerable people in the community
• to engage and connect with a large multicultural community
• to hear from all stakeholders about the issues that affect their lives.

An editorial board meets to talk about content going onto the site each month. Each Thursday an email goes out to all registered users to give them highlights of the latest uploaded content. So it’s a managed, proactive network.

You can analyse all data on the site to see the most popular videos, most visited area of the site, most commented on videos and even add a monthly poll to ask people targeted questions. You can then analyse this data.

Importantly, the communications hub will also save you money. We sit down to find out what is spent on internal media, workshops, events, transport and communication costs, particularly around personalisation. We can then show you how we can cut costs by X% a year AND we can hook you up to a network that will involve all stakeholders. The idea is to get more out of less.

Below is an interview I did with Terry Dafter, director of adult services for Stockport, where he talks about how people inside and outside the council have to engage if services are to improve

http://www.andrewtalkingtoterry.com/