6152posts
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Part 2: making sure pupils are ready for test, and that no test goes to waste
Loveday Ryder, DVSA CEO shares what we're doing to help make more tests available for driving test candidates.
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Why we’ve stopped using the term ‘BAME’ in government
Richard Laux and Summer Nisar explain why the UK Civil Service has scrapped the label ‘BAME’ in referring to different ethnic minority groups within society. How we write about race and ethnicity matters a lot. As civil servants, we need …
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Uncovering potential at the Insolvency Service: Learning at Work Week
In our second blog to celebrate Learning at Work Week 2022 (LaWW), we look at why learning at work is so important to the Insolvency Service and what activities took place during LaWW.
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Repairing the broken asylum system is a moral imperative
Home Secretary Priti Patel and Vincent Biruta, Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, write for the Daily Telegraph. The global asylum system is broken. There are 80 million people who have been displaced, ripped from their homes by …
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Next generation public policy design
Dr Lucy Kimbell and Andrew Knight write about a major new initiative to join up government and universities on championing design as key for making policy and services that drive outstanding public value.
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Supporting my spouse with dementia
by Heather Lawson, UK Health Security Agency Many people have to balance a home-life with a work-life, but usually it is to bring up children. I did it to look after my husband who was diagnosed with behavioural variant frontal …
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Dementia Action Week: social care's essential role
For pretty much every major disease or human condition, there is a social care dimension. For many reasons, some of them cultural and institutional, this vital thread in the wider web of health and care is frequently lost, as attention tends to be focused on the more clinical aspects of an innovation or strategy. Dementia care is no different.
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Co-creating digital services for everyone
Emilia Okoye is working to make Find a Grant accessible for as many people as possible. Read why she signed up in her blog.
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Gardening without invasive plants
In this blog Lucy Cornwell, from the APHA Non-Native Species secretariat, explains about the impact of non-native invasive plant species, the importance of gardening choices to avoid introducing them and actions to address any problem areas.
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Celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day on GOV.UK
To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day, here’s what GOV.UK has been doing in the last year to make the site accessible for all users.
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Emma's story: caring for my Grandma with dementia
The theme for this year's Dementia Action Week is diagnosis. Alzheimer's Society research shows that the misconception around memory loss being a sign of normal ageing is the biggest barrier to people seeking a dementia diagnosis. We hear from Emma …
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Taking a Leap of Faith: Changing Careers During a Pandemic
Before joining LAA Digital, I worked in the Higher Education sector teaching Computer Science at a Midlands University. It wasn’t something I’d planned or aspired to, but I fell in love with the role and the opportunity to shape the …
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Tips on developing a collective futures vision with the public
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has been conducting a participatory futures exercise involving the people of Wales, exploring their relationship with nature to develop a shared vision for the future of the natural environment. They have been utilising mixed-methods including …
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Introducing You To...
Hi! I’m Laura and I’m an Information Rights Caseworker for the Rural Payments Agency, based in Cumbria. I answer requests for recorded information under three pieces of legislation: the Environmental Information Regulations 2004; the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and …
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Review: UCD Conference Day
Our design values talk about encouraging an environment of learning and sharing knowledge. And in that theme, last February, we held our first UCD Conference. The day was full of talks, first hand service user experiences and conversations around …
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Launching the trailer safety accreditation scheme
Mark Winn, DVSA’s Chief Driving Examiner, explains how the trailer accreditation scheme has taken shape and sets out our plans to promote accredited training to motorists.
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People and Nature Survey: How has COVID-19 changed the way we engage with nature?
Dr Tom Marshall, Senior Responsible Officer for the People and Nature Survey shares what new data can tell us about how our relationship with nature has changed since coronavirus. It has been over two years since coronavirus restrictions were first …
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Launching our experimental policy design methods
Design thinking continues to permeate our work, but over the last year, we have been scanning the horizon to identify the next wave of innovative methods that could improve the way policy is made, tested and delivered in order to de-risk interventions and make processes more effective.
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How wonder of workplace adjustments made life easier
To mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day on 19 May, Kerry Twort reveals how assistive technology and workplace adjustments have transformed her life for the better. Now she’s even on track to achieve A-grade success. Last year, I started an evening …
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Introducing the new groups grant to protect against Oak Processionary Moth
The new Oak Processionary Moth Groups Grant has opened. Here's why and how you should apply for it.
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How can I improve my maths skills? How the Multiply programme supports adult learners
Having a good understanding of numbers is vital for everyday life, from working out a restaurant bill, managing personal finances, cooking, or helping children with their homework. This National Numeracy Day (18 May) we have launched a new online quiz …
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Understanding users and their support needs
19 May 2022 marks the eleventh Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), a day dedicated to raising awareness around accessibility in the digital world. The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access, inclusion and …
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How we are reducing car driving test waiting times: Part 1, more tests and examiners
Loveday Ryder, DVSA CEO provides an update on how driving test recovery is going and what we're doing to reduce driving test waiting times.
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Exam Season: All the resources you need including how we’re making exams fair after disruption, revision help, and what to do if you have Covid
Exam season is upon us meaning up and down the country young people will be doing exams for their GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and other qualifications. We understand this can be a worrying time – especially for those students …
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Civil Service Live 2022: Meet the Speakers
Woohoo! It’s nearly time to take Civil Service Live 2022 on the road. We put the spotlight on some of this year’s guest speakers and hear why they can’t wait to take to the stage. THE POWER OF PENSIONS Whatever …
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Media coverage of Government response to EAC inquiry on water quality
Today we are looking at coverage of the government response to the EAC report into water quality in rivers.
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Tony Juniper: Green Paper – an opportunity for an integrated approach to Nature recovery
During recent years there has been a very important shift in how we approach the task of looking after the natural world in England. Whereas once it was the idea of conservation that shaped ideas and actions, today the notion …
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Working with ADHD: how I harness my strengths and manage the challenges
For years, content designer Alice Winters assumed she just wasn’t trying hard enough to get things done - then she found out she had ADHD. In this post, Alice shares her diagnosis story, how she harnesses her ADHD in her work and manages some of the challenges it brings.
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The cycle of legal updates that could lead to better outcomes for Britain’s cyclists
The TRA’s work is underpinned by regulations which were made in 2019. However, any lawyer will agree that the passing of legislation is rarely the end of the story – things need tightening up and adjusting as the regulations make …
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Spring 2022 portal changes: View Applications
We've changed the name of our View My Applications service to View Applications as customers can now search for their colleagues' applications as well as their own.
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Minister Pow visits Oxford to welcome the start of the bathing water season
Today we are looking at coverage of the start of the 2022 bathing water season and Minister Pow’s trip to a newly-designated bathing site in Oxford.
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How could we stay connected with astronauts on Mars?
Meet the company preparing for humans' first mission to Mars by creating a new communications technology to help astronauts stay connected and emotionally supported. This innovative technology, developed by Braided Communications with funding support from UK Space Agency, is already …
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Innovative pathways into tech for graduates: our Dynamic Development Scheme
In the second part of our series on the Home Office Dynamic Development Scheme open to graduates, Anastasia Bower shares her experience as a Business Analyst on the scheme.
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Water resources on BBC Countryfile
The challenges facing England’s water resources was covered by BBC Countryfile last night.
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Intern to data scientist: the Civil Service’s innovative tech talent pipeline
To celebrate Learning at Work Week, Summer Diversity Internship Programme (SDIP) graduate Jake Rutherford explains how the opportunity to learn whilst working was instrumental to his career.
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Breaking the menopause taboo in the Civil Service
Antonia Romeo, Civil Service Gender Inclusion Champion, welcomes the new Civil Service Menopause in the Workplace Policy and explains what it means. The Civil Service should be at the forefront of inclusivity, breaking down barriers and treating every one of …
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Continuing professional development at the Insolvency Service
To mark Learning at Work Week 2022, a couple of our Official Receivers write about the difficult task of achieving the Joint Insolvency Examination Board (JIEB) qualification.
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Why and how to embed design training in your organisation
Read for tips on how and why to embed design training within your organisation
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Discards are damaging – Invasive Species Week
The annual Invasive Species Week is taking place between the 16 and 22 May 2022, led by the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) with many organisations taking the opportunity to raise awareness of the issues and what work is being done to address invasive …
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Why I’m supporting Mental Health Awareness Week: Charlotte’s story
In Mental Health Awareness Week, Defra Digital, data and technology project and programme manager Charlotte Bernthal opens up about the challenges of looking after her own mental health.