Case Studies

City of Westminster Council: Effective Briefings and Submissions

25 members of the Strategy, Performance, Analysis and Business Support teams at City of
Westminster Council wanted to improve their briefings and submissions by learning how to read quickly, identify crucial facts and gain a range of techniques to create consistent documents for their busy workplace.

The full-day face-to-face course held at City of Westminster Council’s offices was designed to
prepare the team with the skills, knowledge and techniques to create effective briefings in the
future.

Crown Commercial Service: Effective Briefings and Submissions

When members of the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) wanted to improve their briefings and submissions and improve overall communication across the organisation, they reached out to our expert In-House team for bespoke training.

The two sessions (one virtual and one face-to-face) focused on constructing key sentences, informative paragraphs and useful documents to create the kind of impact that public sector organisations and professionals require.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service: Interview Techniques

The Avon Fire and Rescue Service team worked closely with our in-house team to tailor our Interview Techniques training course to suit their needs and objectives in a bespoke session.

The full-day face-to-face session, held at Avon Fire and Rescue fire station, was designed to prepare the team with the skills, knowledge and techniques to conduct more effective interviews. 


  • University of Bristol had a need for training in Digital Marketing and commissioned our Effective Marketing for Higher Education Training course. Read on to find out how they benefited from the day.

    What were the initial requirements from the training?

    My team had requested training in Digital Marketing as they felt under equipped in this area as well as under resourced in both time and budget.

    Why did you choose UMG In-House training?

    I had seen an email from UMG which advertised the course “Effective Marketing for Higher Education.” It was exactly what I was looking for, for my team.

    What were the training outcomes?

    Andrew gave us a really good insight into very low cost tools that we could use effectively, as well as initial guidance on how to set up goals to measure and evaluate activity most effectively.

    How will the skills gained on the training course be utilised in your organisation?

    As this training was delivered In-House, we were able to open this up to all relevant teams, (digital, publications, social media, UX, campaigns). This has given us all a common starting point to develop future campaigns.

    Any Further Thoughts?

    Andrew was a really engaging trainer. I feel both overwhelmed and inspired by his level of knowledge and generosity of spirit in sharing it. Thank you!

  • St Peter's Learning Centre wanted to a one-day course, to be delivered locally, to train a group of Pupil Premium Leads and Headteachers on effective Pupil Premium strategy and practice.

    What were the initial requirements from the training?

    A one-day course delivered locally to train a group of Pupil Premium Leads and Headteachers on effective Pupil Premium strategy and practice.

    Why did you choose UMG In-House training?

    I saw that UMG were running exactly the course I wanted as an open course in London which was also available as an In-House session.

    What were the training outcomes?

    Improved staff knowledge of the range of strategies that research has proven to be most effective in accelerating progress for children entitles to the PPG;

    Enhanced clarity – participants learned the importance of PPG spending being focussed on individual needs which are driven by barriers to learning;

    Increased confidence in relation to the language of Pupil Premium; A clear plan of action to enhance practice in our schools.

    How will the skills gained on the training course be utilised in your organisation?

    We will develop a much more detailed strategy which is based on evidence and barriers. We will then trial new initiatives, measuring their impact against a control group where possible.

    Any further thoughts or comments?

    We could not have asked for more support from UMG. The service provided has been superb and the team were extremely lovely and attentive. Thank you for organising such a super day.

  • Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group were looking for a course specifically tailored to their organisation. Find out how we were able to help fulfill their requirements.

    What were the initial requirements from the training?

    To introduce staff to Trusted Assessment

    To ensure the privacy of personal information when sharing information, whilst conforming to the Data Protection Act & GDPR

    Establishing a common knowledge base and understanding of information sharing practices across the region

    Understanding the benefits, importance and challenges of information sharing practices in our service

    To gain unique insight from an external Data Protection expert with experience leading similar successful information management programmes

    Why did you choose UMG In-House training?

    An advertisement came through and we liked the ability to tailor the training to our requirements, the flexibility of the trainer, and the professional way in which we were treated.

    What were the training outcomes?

    The training provided a good base from which to start pulling together a steering group and project team. It also raised awareness of the Trusted Assessment work and the general principles of data sharing and why we need to go with an explicit consent model for Suffolk.

    How will the skills gained on the training course be utilised in your organisation?

    Increased knowledge of information governance will enable employees of all the provider organisations that took part to have more confidence in their streams of work where data sharing has traditionally been perceived as ‘fraught with danger’.

    Any further thoughts or comments?

    I would not hesitate in recommending Understanding ModernGov In-House Training to any organisation. The expertise was second to none. The trainer worked with the organisers to establish the key outcomes and then tailor the course to our requirements. The day was incredibly successful and feedback from delegates was excellent.

  • The Leeds Teaching Hospital wanted to help senior nurses reflect on their leadership strengths and weaknesses and to aid them to develop a strong confident approach to leadership.

    What were the initial requirements from the training at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust?

    To facilitate senior nurses to reflect on their leadership strengths and weaknesses and to develop a strong, confident approach to leadership within our clinical service unit.

    Why did you choose UMG In-House training?

    Previous experience of UMG’s excellent speakers.

    What were the training outcomes?

    To have a strong united team of senior nurses with confidence to tackle strong characters within the teams.

    How will the skills gained on the training course be utilised in Leeds Teaching Hospital?

    To manage more challenging team members with confidence and to maintain standards at all times as a result of strong leadership.

    Any further thoughts?

    The days were excellent, good use of discussion, group work and reflective work, as well as team collaboration and support. Thank you!

  • Oxford Brookes University were looking for some training to enable them to take a more creative approach to their digital marketing campaigns. Find out how our tailored approach, helped them develop an agenda that met their needs.

    What were the initial requirements at Oxford Brookes University?

    We approached UMG primarily to help us develop innovative ideas to enhance our digital marketing campaigns. UMG offered a consultative and tailored approach to training that was refreshing, allowing us to take control of our own agenda.

    What were the training outcomes?

    The training itself was delivered by someone whose passion for the subject was infectious. We all came away from the day feeling motivated and inspired with a lot of ideas for new digital content and ‘quick-win’ campaigns, and the team was was better off for it.

    Final thought…

    I hope to be able to use UMG again in the very near future, for whatever training needs we may have.

  • Northern Devon NHS Trust wanted to support their teams in developing effective business planning and case proposals. We worked with them to develop a bespoke training programme, delivered at their own venue. Read on to find out how their teams were able to use the skills they gained from the session.

    What were the initial requirements at Northern Devon NHS Trust?

    We recognised that our teams needed training in developing documents that supported effective business planning and case proposals, and wanted to develop a programme that enhanced their ability to write detailed reports and documents in the most effective, efficient way, articulating all needs, plans and outcomes.

    Why did you chose UMG?

    The content of existing programmes delivered by UMG attracted us to the group, and the ability to deliver sessions in a bespoke way within our own venue ensured the best use of time and met the demand for such a focused programme. The feedback has been very encouraging, and has led to continued use of UMG to provide training.

    What were the training outcomes?

    To support our team to hone effective skills, improving the way they communicate with colleagues and service users. Also, we wanted to enhance team skills with effective communication across a variety of media and audiences, following a house style that was structured and focused.

    How has what the team learned been utilised in the organisation?

    The learning has been utilised to increase effective communication within our organisation, particularly in reports, which has supported more efficiently and effectively in promoting business cases and activity.

    Final thoughts…

    UMG listened to the challenges and personalised the content of the course to meet our needs, delivering it in a bespoke fashion that gave very positive responses and outcomes.

  • Nottingham Trent University were looking for team training for their Finance and Administration department. They wanted to help build confidence in delivering presentations and business cases to a high level audience.

    What were the initial requirements at Nottingham Trent University?

    Our Finance and Administration teams sought training to help build individual’s confidence in delivering presentations and business cases to a high level audience. Due to the diverse nature of our roles, we each hoped to gain insight and knowledge of top tips that would help to make an impact and influence the buy-in of our audience.

    Why did you chose UMG?

    We had seen UMG advertised online; the programme appeared to tick all of the boxes and offer expertise in additional areas, and the trainers came with excellent credentials.

    What were the training outcomes?

    Feedback from our attendee’s was ranked 100% positive, and the course exceeded our expectations and delivered far more than we anticipated – each individual took away a memorable lesson from the experience, not only in how to apply clever business techniques, but also a fresh perspective resulting in very valuable, personal, and enlightening insights and outcomes.

    Final thought…

    We would highly recommend training with UMG for a memorable day away from the desk that will pay dividends to your personal development and team building.

  • Oxfam were looking for a training session that could not only give them an overview of the UK's Data Protection Act, but also a tailored view that related specifically to areas of their business to which the DPA applies.

    What were the initial requirements at Oxfam?

    Oxfam’s initial requirements of Understanding ModernGov were to provide an overview of the UK Data Protection Act, and then specifically to areas of our business to which the DPA applies.

    What were the training outcomes?

    We then selected UMG to deliver a day-long in-house seminar to staff from across the business. The presenters were very knowledgeable and worked with the teams to ensure they understood the material, and the impact of the DPA concerning Oxfam’s areas of work specifically. The interactive approach worked well and we had positive feedback from those who took part. We would not hesitate in asking UMG to deliver further seminars.

  • Derby City Council wanted to develop their commercial awareness, in order to help their new commercial services department grow and take on new clients. Find out how, we were able to deliver a bespoke course that gave them the confidence that their commercial strategy was heading in the right direction.

    Who are Derby City Council?

    Derby City Council are a unitary Authority in the East Midlands, with the operational division Streetpride covering services including Highway Maintenance, Engineering, Street Cleansing, and Waste Management. We have a growing range of commercial services offered to both internal and external clients.

    What were the initial requirements?

    To develop our commercial awareness to enable our fledgling commercial services to grow and take on new clients from a variety of sectors. The increased income generated would then be used to subsidise essential public services.

    Why did you chose UMG?

    The course literature looked good, with a decent balance of theory and practical examples from other similar organisations. Previous feedback and testimonials were also very positive.

    What were the training outcomes?

    The confidence that we were heading in the right direction with our commercial strategy, with a better insight into client expectations and how to manage them.

    How has what the team learned been utilised in the organisation?

    The learning from the day has been used to better identify what our offer is to our potential customers, what makes us unique, and what the benefits are to our clients in coming to us. We have also been able to better target potential customers and manage relationships, making sure they are happy with our services in order to ensure repeat custom.

    Final thoughts…

    The course presenter was very knowledgeable, with directly applicable experience relating to our services and needs. He’d been in our position, and had come out the other side successfully.

  • Effective Strategic Thinking: Criminal Justice Operational Manager, Thames Valley Police

    “This course was a full day of interesting discussions and so many tips to help create Action Plans and meeting agendas, direction on how to lead within change using transition rather than change. Brilliant day!”

  • Effective Strategic Thinking: Town Centre Manager, Crawley Borough Council

    “I recommend the Effective Strategic Thinking virtual course with Understanding ModernGov! In these challenging times when attending training courses is not as was, I really enjoyed the format of the day, the breakout rooms, discussions and tutor led debates and teaching.”

  • Effective Data Visualisation: University of Edinburgh

    “This is an excellent course, well run by a practitioner in this field. I feel equipped to go and experiment with new techniques in representing data.”

  • Effective Data Visualisation: Research Associate, University of Manchester

    “Really interesting easy to follow interactive course covering all aspects of effective data visualisation.”

  • Effective Data Visualisation: Corporate Performance Management Officer, Carmarthenshire County Council

    “I have learned a great deal with many tips and ideas to enable to improve the authority’s reports.”

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