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Could 'helping people' be what you are searching for to achieve job satisfaction?  Graduate trainee Matthew Genner and myself, Kirsty Russell, share our views on working within the Public Sector:

'Sat across the table from me Joanne started to talk passionately about the frustrations she has faced since seeking asylum in the UK around seven years ago. Joanne is a fully trained and highly skilled midwife. Having fled persecution in her country of birth, she wished to become a midwife in the UK. However, due to the laws governing asylum seekers she wasn’t allowed to work until she was granted the right to remain, a process which can take years. Once she moved from seeking asylum to becoming a refugee, Joanne once again tried to get a job as a midwife. This time another problem arose. Joanne had been out of work for too long and was told that she would have to go back and re-train from scratch. Not a refresher course designed to allow refugees to transfer their skills and apply them effectively in the UK, but instead three years of fulltime training teaching Joanne what she already knew. With no money this was not an option. Joanne had missed out on a career which she loved and Sandwell had missed out on utilising the skills of one of its residents in an area where there is a shortage of workers.

Listening to Joanne and hearing stories of others like her brought to life some of the problems facing refugees; a human face to an often misrepresented group of people. Monday mornings aren’t supposed to be this interesting but working in local government has provided me with many opportunities to meet people from a range of backgrounds, to listen to their problems and then work as part of a team to help solve them. I was listening to Joanne at a conference hosted by the Scrutiny Unit at Sandwell MBC who are currently carrying out a review looking into the services provided to refugees and how they can be improved.

For the past few months I have been helping officers to organise the event and it was rewarding to see around 50 people engaged in such important and stimulating discussions. The final recommendations of the review will be published later in the year and will allow the borough to significantly improve the services provided for refugees, helping them to flourish in the difficult situations which they face. Although I have played a very small role in what will be a thorough and complex review it’s been rewarding work in which I have learnt a lot.

When I left university last year I had little idea of where to go. The variety of work which I have been able to witness taking place in local government and the numerous projects to which I have been able to contribute has now given me a better idea of what I want to do. Local government may have a reputation of red tape, men in grey suits and a life of being stuck behind a desk but I’ve found it to be a stimulating, varied and, whisper it quietly, exciting environment. I have also met many friendly and inspirational characters who will go out of their way to help others. If you’re a graduate and want something more rewarding than a company car and bonus at the end of the year then local government is a fantastic place to start looking.'

'Being on a graduate placement within KCC, I have to agree with the post above.  I know with confidence that the work I am doing on the Innovations Team is slowly, but surely, changing the way that the organisation runs and the services that we provide to members of the public.  It's extremely satisfying to know that my psychology background is directly useful in regards with our bid on anti social behaviour, that the gaming student we are working with could potentially design a successful game which changes people's recycling behaviour, and that by maintaining and editing this blog, I can help to inspire and bring together different people within Kent and beyond who are interested in 'innovation'. I am extremely proud to work for an organisation that puts its customers' wellbeing first, and with staff who are not only friendly and helpful, but have my career development in their best interests. So if you are interested in putting your degree to work and passionate about helping people, then you should seriously consider working in the public sector.'

- Kirsty Russell


- A special thank you to Matthew Genner, Graduate Trainee for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

Picture: A black and white photo taken from a low angle showing a woman dressed in graduate robs throwing her graduation cap into the air with thanks to -Weng- for publishing on Flickr under a Creative Commons license some rights reserved.

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Want high levels of job satisfaction?

DC10plus is the national collaborative authority on Digital Inclusion issues and how they impact at a local level. The DC10plus vision is to be a network for change, helping local authorities and their delivery partners to empower people and connect communities through technology and innovation.

Three years after its formation (following the Government's Digital Challenge competition), DC10plus has considerable experience of what works in Digital Inclusion, and, perhaps just as importantly, what doesn't work. DC10plus is now moving into its second phase of development which involves rolling out successfully developed products to new local authorities and their partners.

DC10plus has carefully mapped its products against Local Area Agreement National Indicators and established that they make vital contributions to key local targets. Products have been developed in six work streams which map against priorities familiar to all local authorities. The work streams are:

• Communities Building Capacity - proving the vital contribution digital technologies can make to community development, community cohesion, and tackling worklessness.

• Digital Environment - driving forward the fight against climate change using digital technologies, and making sure the carbon footprint of the technologies themselves is reduced.

• Digital Switchover - utilising the switchover from analogue to digital television to build platforms for the digital delivery of local authority services.

• Next Generation Connectivity - creating well-targeted and innovative interventions for “next generation connectivity” (NGC) through the deployment of high-speed broadband (100 Mbs and above) using fibre, cable and wireless connectivity.

• Independent Living - aiming to improve citizens quality of life through making access to services easier and more time efficient, basing services around customer rather than provider needs, for example providing specific technologies such as assistive technologies and remote healthcare to help people with disabilities or dependency issues lead independent lives

• Regional Engagement - DC10 plus members work with partners in their regions to promote the take-up and use of digital technologies to tackle social exclusion and improve the places in which people live.

The current climate faces local government with many challenges, not least of which is dealing with increasing demands on its services at a time of tightening public resources. While it is by no means the only reason for seeking to adopt technological solutions, increased efficiency and effectiveness are proven outcomes of some of the successful DC10plus products. Adoption of DC10plus products offers local authorities and their partners opportunities to work together to achieve efficiency savings while meeting the needs of residents and businesses.

There are more than 20 DC10plus products which have been developed and tested by local authorities who are part of the network. These products are now at a stage where they are ready to be rolled out into new areas, by individual local authorities and their partners, and, in some cases, on a joint basis. Examples of products include:

• PC Loans Scheme - Developed by Milton Keynes Council with Microsoft, and has so far loaned around a 1000 used public sector computers to low-income residents. Has been also adopted by Sunderland and Durham.

• Welcome to Birmingham - A website providing access to information, advice and guidance for refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers.

• Techno Footprint - Developed by Connecting Bristol, a model for advising businesses about energy use and sustainability.

• DEHEMS - Manchester’s Digital Environmental Home Energy Management System (DEHEMS)

• Digital Media Guides - User friendly practical advice on planning and delivering meaningful digital media projects. Developed by Shropshire County Council.

•STREAM Personal TV - Developed in Hull, STREAM provides older people with access to locally relevant and personalised information, online services and communications through their television.

• E-Neighbourhoods Programme - Devised in Sunderland, a programme of capacity building and community development using ICT, focused on the most disadvantaged communities.

DC10plus is now seeking expressions of interest from local authorities and partner organisations wishing to explore the opportunity to adopt one or more of its products. If this interests you, please can you please add a comment to this post, and/or email your contact details to michael.dodd@sero.co.uk confirming your interest in the potential to adopt one of more of the DC10plus products.

With special thanks to John Popham & Michael Dodd from Sero.

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DC10plus – Rolling out Digital Inclusion Products

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