by Bridget Aherne

This is not a drill – we are  24 hours away from #commscampnorth so get ready to get yourself to Sheffield for some lovely learning and networkin’.

We’ve got a bit into our Pulp theme, being in their home town and all that, and continuing with that: you’re not thinking of going all Ian Dalton on us and bailing out before things have even begun?

If so, let us try and convince you to channel your inner Jarvis Cocker, go the distance and make it on Friday.

We’ve got a vested interest in convincing you to come – we’re the organisers and we don’t want to be eating the sarnies we’ve bought in until June – but we’ve also got 10 genuine gems to share, if you’re wobbling right now and thinking of cancelling.

These are things that we got out of previous unconferences that have made us and the day job better…

1. Free learning. As a public sector communicator, what other events will you attend this year at no cost?
2. It’s rare thinking time away from the office that isn’t your holiday. Precious time to think, develop new ideas and not just do the job.
3. A chance to work with others on the issues facing you in the day job right now because the sessions are agreed there and then.
4. Therapy and solidarity. It’s a safe space to talk about new ideas or that problem that’s bugging you. Following on from reason three, if you can’t come up with the answer, other people will be living it too or can empathise.
5. Cake.
6. A raffle.
7. Finding out something you didn’t know. A new skill, some insight into a social media channel you’ve not used before or tips for a good internal comms plan – all things we’ve taken away from other unconferences.
8. Cake.
9. Meet some amazing people. We’ve widened our professional networks and worked with many of these people since in many different guises. Better still, we’ve made some friends for life.
10. Refocus, reenergise and fall back in love with your work. Being a public sector communicator is an amazing privilege but can also be incredibly hard work when you’re communicating cuts, difficult adult social care issues or serious incidents. Every unconference we’ve been to has helped us remember what’s good about our jobs and why we do them.

Hopefully, that gives you the Jarvis Cocker-like discipline to go all the way and make it on Friday and we’re looking forward to seeing you there*.

*On a serious note, if you can’t make it, please let us know as we have a long waitlist and want as many people as possible to be there on the day.