In an effort to make “Learning” more focused on the specific needs of our membership, we have reviewed our course offerings and launched a completely new programme for the next 12 months. The new programme offers a wider range of course, at more locations, and with more detail provided on each, to help you judge better who to nominate for the course, and the likely benefits to be achieved from it.

Social and digital exclusion go hand in hand. Yet digital technologies are often not recognised as an effective means to alleviate or overcome some of the barriers faced by the socially excluded. The take-up of the internet has slowed considerably since 2004, during a time when more and more essential public information and support services are being delivered over the Web, and when on-line shopping is often the route to the cheapest goods and services.

Currently in the UK:

Self Service is one of the most effective ways to achieve year on year budget savings and improved customer satisfaction. Doing it badly, however – offering inappropriate self-service options, for example, or failing to understand how customers will use the website – represents a major waste of resources and turns customers away.

A customer service strategy (including a customer access strategy) is crucial for ensuring that services are delivered efficiently and effectively to customers. Many councils make the mistake of thinking that they understand their customers' needs, but they rarely do unless they have specifically researched how their customers feel about the council and its services.

"Strategies for delivering customer-facing services (usually covering access strategies around customer location, disability, channel preference etc)"