Policy Writing Skills

Learning outcomes:

This course will help policymakers tackle correspondence, briefings and submissions confidently and effectively. We will explore the foundations of effective civil service policy drafting, focusing on techniques to achieve accuracy, brevity and clarity. A series of writing exercises and discussions will help delegates put these into practice across the written communications they are most likely to come across in their policy roles.

After attending this course. delegates will be able to:

• Write with greater clarity and brevity, understanding how to adapt style, tone and content to different audiences to achieve the desired impact
• Use a range of techniques to bring clarity to complex or ambiguous topics
• Draft replies to official level correspondence, maintaining policy lines whilst being responsive to the needs and concerns of correspondents
• Prepare written briefings which enable Ministers and senior leaders to hold productive policy conversations
• Develop a structured line of argument in support of policy recommendations, using this to draft submissions which allow Ministers to take effective decisions based on a full and balanced picture