Author: W4MP Editor

Webinar: Introduction to PolicyMogul for Parliamentary Users

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Time: 12:00
Date: Wednesday 27 November 2024

This online webinar is your chance to learn about the value that PolicyMogul provides for MPs, peers and parliamentary staff.

As well as an overview of the platform’s features, we will highlight some best practices related to getting the most out of the platform. Session includes Q&A.

PolicyMogul is the essential online tool used by UK parliamentarians and their teams to stay up to date with the latest political updates and intelligence related to their work and responsibilities.

For full details and to register, please visit https://about.policymogul.com/parliament/

IPSA Consultation – please respond

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IPSA has launched a new consultation: ‘Supporting trust in democracy in the new Parliament’.

IPSA is consulting on proposed changes to how it regulates and publish MPs’ funding, including changes to the Scheme of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs.

It’s really important that as many MPs and staff as possible respond to the consultation, and you can access the document and the link to the online response tool here: https://www.theipsa.org.uk/publications/consultations

The consultation closes on 13 December 2024.

Calling all Women Councillors

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All councillors in the Elect Her community are invited to Join Us

Bring a coffee☕/ tea 🍵/ drink🥛🍸of your choice! Choose a time that best matches your schedule…

Thursday 21st November, at 1-2pm and also 7-8pm

If you haven’t already told us that you’re a councillor tell us here… https://www.elect-her.org.uk/events-workshops/councillors-coffee-nov21 and we’ll email you zoom details to join!

How to become a Member of the Scottish Parliament

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An Online Workshop with Elect Her On Wednesday 27th November

Join our workshop to help you prepare to stand in 2026. You’ll also hear from current politicians – on what it is like to stand, win and be an MSP!

We are grateful to have Roz McCall MSP, Scottish Conservative, and Gillian MacKay MSP, Scottish Greens, and also for the evening session Emma Roddick MSP, of the SNP’s, and Carol Mochan MSP, of Scottish Labour.

“How to become a Member of the Scottish Parliament”

On 27th November

We are running the event at both – 12pm and 7pm – choose the time that works for you!

Registration: https://learning.elect-her.org.uk/registration-page-ce870d33-a60c-40bc-95f3-3895e4792422

How to be a Member of the Senedd

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An Online Workshop with Elect Her On Wednesday 20th November

We are running the event at both – 12pm and 7pm – so choose the time that works for you!

At 12pm – 13.30pm – we’ll be joined by Natasha Asghar MS, and Sioned Williams MS.
At 7pm – 8.30pm – we’ll be joined by Jane Dodds MS, and Hannah Blythyn MS!

Whether you are new to politics, already planning to stand, or in the dark and wanting to know more, then this session is for you.

Registration: https://learning.elect-her.org.uk/registration-page-1

Finding balance: Mastering the Art of Work-Life Harmony

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The Wellness Working Group is excited to share the below in-person session that The House is hosting during the New Parliament Fair https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2294

Please do take a look at what we feel will be a really helpful session

Title:  Finding balance: Mastering the Art of Work-Life Harmony – 14:00 – 14.30pm (Boothroyd Room), 20th November 2024

  • Explore proven techniques for setting boundaries and managing time to enhance both work performance and personal satisfaction.
  • Gain insights on prioritizing tasks and aligning work with personal values for a more fulfilling life.
  • Learn simple adjustments to daily routines that support a healthier, more sustainable balance between work and life.

Booking link here

Maria is a great speaker with a background in psychological wellbeing and really understands the working environment and pressure experienced by Members’ staff.

The Right to Remain Toolkit

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The Right to Remain Toolkit is a step-by-step guide to the UK immigration and asylum system. It’s free to use, and it’s for people who want to learn more about the legal process, or a particular part of the legal process. It’s written in simple terms by legal experts and by people who have lived experience of the system, and it is available in many languages.

It’s aimed at people who are currently navigating the UK immigration and asylum system as well as those who are helping them to do so.

To read more about this fabulous resource and to access the Toolkit, please see the Right to Remain website by clicking the link below.

Right to Remain Toolkit

Bank of England Briefing Session

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The Bank or England invites parliamentary staffers into the Bank of England for a briefing session, covering the Bank’s main policy areas.

The event will take place in the Bank’s offices on Threadneedle Street, and will consist of talks and Q&A sessions with Bank staff on their areas of expertise.

Time: 09:00 – 12:00
Date: Friday 10 January 2025
Venue: Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH

To register, please email [email protected] from your parliamentary email address.

The Open University Westminster Showcase

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Invitation for Parliamentary Staff

The Open University Westminster Showcase

Thursday 14 November, 1.15-3pm (drop in at any time)
Attlee Suite, Portcullis House

Dear all,

We would like to invite you to The Open University Westminster Showcase, an event dedicated to Parliamentary staff members. The event will be held on Thursday 14th November, 1.15-3pm in the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, Westminster. Refreshments will be available.

The event is an opportunity to find out how The Open University (OU) can support you in your day-to-day work in Parliament and in the constituency, the free resources you can share with constituents and local businesses as well as the free learning and development opportunities available.

On the day you can:

  • Learn about the free OU research and insights available to use when you’re writing briefing notes, policy documents or speeches.
  • Explore our free learning and development opportunities available to you and constituents.
  • Hear about the free OU insights local businesses and public services can access to support them with skills development and workforce planning.
  • Have a go at an online experiment via our Queen’s Anniversary award winning OpenSTEM Labs which enables OU students to access scientific equipment wherever in the world they are studying.
  • Network and meet colleagues from across parliament and the research and think-tank sectors.
  • Discover what Mars smells like…

The OU plays a significant role in local communities across the UK, with OU students based in every local area – including in the constituency you support.

Please RSVP and let us know if on the day you would like to collect a copy of your Constituency Profile, which includes useful facts and stats on the number of OU students in your constituency and their demographics.

All parliamentary staff members are welcome so please do share this invitation with anyone you think might like to attend.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Research with the Parliamentary Digital Service

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User researchers in PDS are currently planning research on several topics in the coming months to better understand the needs of Members and their staff. This research will ultimately inform new digital services and improvements to existing services, including how amendments to bills are tabled and supported, how Hansard is used, and how interests are submitted by Members and staff.

As well as Members and others, we are particularly keen to conduct research with Members’ staff, crucial users of our digital services. We hope that this will be an interesting opportunity for Members’ staff to shape the design of digital services in Parliament and potentially test prototypes of new or improved products and services.

The exact requirements for each research project will differ but we expect that most would require around 30-45 minutes of your time and involve an open, informal interview about your experiences and preferences or testing out new prototypes. All participation would be on a confidential basis and sessions would be scheduled at a time that suits you, either in-person or online.

You can express your interest in participating in user research in the coming months by completing this form. If you express an interest, we may contact you in the coming weeks to try and schedule a research session. By completing the form, you are not committing to take part in any specific research initiative and we would try to ensure that no-one takes part in more than one research session every quarter.

We would like to hear from a wide range of Members’ staff. If you have any colleagues who may be interested in taking part in the research, please do share this message with them.