Masterclasses – Ethelo https://ethelo.com Mon, 03 Feb 2025 03:09:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://ethelo.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/cropped-ethelo-button-logo-decisions-blue-1-Photoroom-1-32x32.png Masterclasses – Ethelo https://ethelo.com 32 32 Masterclass4 https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass4/ https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass4/#respond Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:38:31 +0000 https://ethelo.com/?p=7780 Read More >]]>

Masterclass #4

Planning for Successful Engagements

with Joan Botkin

Learn the foundations of planning an effective public engagement

When done properly, public engagement has the potential to build social capital and create a positive partnership with administration and the community. But good engagement requires proper planning and preparation – and sometimes local government staff do not have the time, knowledge or resources to do this effectively.

In this masterclass series, you’ll learn the key principles for effectively engaging your residents through five free, daily videos.

Join Joan Botkin, former Manager of Communications for the Town of Okotoks, as she walks you through the main steps for planning a meaningful engagement process.

Masterclass Overview

Why Take the Masterclass?

  • Learn how to plan and implement successful engagement activities with your community
  • Gain tips and guidelines for planning an authentic engagement that aids decision-making
  • Get access to templates and resources for planning your public engagement

Who Should Take the Masterclass?

This masterclass is for any local government staff leading public engagement activities. 

Have an upcoming engagement on the calendar? Don’t have time for a full class or training program? This masterclass will cover the basics of public engagement planning and point you to resources for further learning.

Start Now!

Our classes are meant to fit into your busy schedule. Sign up for short 5-6 minute videos, sent to your inbox every day for five days, that can be watched whenever you have the time.

Day 1: Understanding the issue and context

Learn why good design is important and get introduced to four fundamental design principles from

Day 2: Identifying internal stakeholders and resources

Learn how to use simple font changes and repeating visual elements to draw your audience’s attention to key points and guide them through your document.

Day 3: Understanding your audience

Dive into the meanings and uses of different types of alignment, including how to use it to make your text easier to read.

Day 4: Making it authentic

Get to know how putting related items close together, through spacing and layout, makes documents more legible.

Day 5: Communicating with the public

Now that you’ve learned about the four design principles, find out how to use them all together in a document. Then get some final tips and tricks from Andrea on further developing your design skills.

]]> https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass4/feed/ 0 Masterclass3 https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass3/ https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass3/#respond Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:24:36 +0000 https://ethelo.com/?p=7747 Read More >]]>

Masterclass #3

Design 101 for Public Servants

with Andrea Reimer 

Learn to Design Documents That Will Attract Your Audience’s Attention​

Whether you’re putting together a presentation for stakeholders or a report to council, you know you only have a limited amount of time to get your message across.

Join former Vancouver City Councillor Andrea Reimer as she highlights simple ways you can design your documents to be more accessible and legible – no special skills or software required.

Masterclass Overview

Why Take the Masterclass?

  • Get a primer on the basics of graphic design from a local government perspective
  • Understand how to create documents that draw people in and are easy to follow along
  • Learn visual communication techniques you can easily apply with the tools you already use

Who Should Take the Masterclass?

You don’t need to be a designer to be able to do good design. This masterclass is for any local government staff who want to increase the clarity of the documents they create, such as:

  • Presentation slides for council
  • Web pages and print materials for residents
  • Reports for colleagues and stakeholders
  • Any other document you design on your computer

Start Now!

Our classes are meant to fit into your busy schedule. Sign up for short 2-5 minute videos, sent to your inbox every day for five days, that can be watched whenever you have the time.

Day 1: Introduction to C.R.A.P. Principles

Learn why good design is important and get introduced to four fundamental design principles from

Day 2: Contrast & Repetition

Learn how to use simple font changes and repeating visual elements to draw your audience’s attention to key points and guide them through your document.

Day 3: Alignment

Dive into the meanings and uses of different types of alignment, including how to use it to make your text easier to read.

Day 4: Proximity

Get to know how putting related items close together, through spacing and layout, makes documents more legible.

Day 5: Using All the Principles Together

Now that you’ve learned about the four design principles, find out how to use them all together in a document. Then get some final tips and tricks from Andrea on further developing your design skills.

]]> https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass3/feed/ 0 Masterclass2 https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass2/ https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass2/#respond Thu, 30 Jan 2025 12:57:36 +0000 https://ethelo.com/?p=7712 Read More >]]>

Masterclass #2

Reaching Beyond The Usual Suspects

with Andrea Reimer and Ben West

Learn how to Significantly Boost Participation and Hear From Underrepresented Groups

As someone who works in local government, you know how challenging it can be to reach a broad cross-section of your community and hear from underrepresented groups. In this Masterclass series, you’ll get access to five free, daily videos, highlight tips and tricks to expand your public engagement. Join former Vancouver City Councillor, Andrea Reimer, and Community Engagement Expert, Ben West, as they walk through the how-tos of micro-targeting, connecting with local influencers and utilizing both digital and traditional forms of advertising.

Masterclass Overview

Why Take the Masterclass?

  • Get insight into the best practices for micro-targeted campaigns and how to meet people where they are 
  •  Learn practical advice from two industry experts with over a decade of experience in local government and community engagement 
  • Learn how to optimize your digital and traditional outreach strategies to ensure you are making the best use of your advertising budget

Who Should Take the Masterclass?

  • Local government staff looking to expand their public engagement to reach a representative sample and ensure community buy-in
  • Team leaders interested in improving the effectiveness of their engagement campaigns through tried and true digital marketing strategies
  • Local government staff interested in determining more specific and impactful stakeholder groups and learning how to reach them

Start Now!

Our classes are meant to fit into your busy schedule. Sign up for short videos, sent to your inbox every day for five days that can be watched whenever you have the time

Day 1 - Know Who You Need To Reach

The first step to reaching underrepresented groups is identifying who they are. Andrea Reimer provides insight into how to identify these communities as a first step in the process of broadening your reach. 

Day 2: Use A Micro-targeted Communications Approach

How can micro-targeting be utilized to focus on underrepresented groups within your community? Ben West details how micro-targeted campaigns can help ensure any engagement process is more fair, inclusive and reaches people that aren’t usually being heard from.

Day 3: Complement Digital Advertising With Traditional Outreach

Digital advertising is typically viewed as the clear path for reaching a diverse audience. But is it always the most effective? Learn how to improve your marketing strategy using targeted traditional advertising methods.

Day 4: Build Relationships With Local Influencers To Help Promote Your Engagement

Influencers have always been a crucial part of our communities, as people we look to for advice and guidance. This video dives into the importance of identifying and connecting with influential people within your community.

Day 5: Evaluate The Demographic Breakdown Of Your Engagement As You Go

Monitoring your audience as you go and re-adjusting and re-targeting your outreach are a key part of ensuring your engagement process is inclusive and wide-reaching. Learn how to effectively track the results of your engagement to improve the end results. 

]]> https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass2/feed/ 0 Masterclass1 https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass1/ https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass1/#respond Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:29:32 +0000 https://ethelo.com/?p=7581 Read More >]]>

Masterclass #1

TOP TIPS FOR
Better Presentations
to City Council

with Andrea Reimer

Become a Better Presenter in Five Days, for Less Than Ten Minutes a Day

If you work in local government, you know that the all-important presentation to City Council can make or break your pitch or proposal. In this Masterclass series, you’ll get access to five short, daily videos to help you improve the design, narrative and delivery of your presentations.

Listen along as engagement expert and former Vancouver City Councillor Andrea Reimer teaches practical tips for outstanding presentations, every time.

Masterclass Overview

Why Take the Masterclass?

  • Get the fundamental tips you need to inform, engage, and impress City Council at your next presentation.
  •  Learn practical advice from a teacher with over a decade of experience in evaluating and delivering presentations within local government.
  • Learn about designing for clarity and flow, narrative and storytelling, visual presentation, and skillful oral delivery. 
  • Get links to additional resources and report-building tools.

Who Should Take the Masterclass?

Whether you’re already a master presenter looking to refresh your skills, or are someone who needs to start at the basics, this masterclass is designed for local government staff who want to bring more effective presentations to City Council.

Team leaders who want to build a roster of excellent presenters will also benefit from sharing this series with their team.

Start Now!

We know you’re busy. That’s why classes are only 5-10 minutes, sent to your inbox every day for five days to be watched whenever you’re available – even if that’s the night before a Council meeting.

Day 1 - Who's In the Room?

“Councillors are like a box of chocolates” – unless you do your research, you never know what you’re going to get.

Before you start preparing your presentation, you’ll need to know who you’re talking to and how to attract their attention. 

Day 2 - Nailing Down the Narrative Arc

Once you know your audience and what they want to hear, learn how to organize your presentation to provide crystal-clear context and clarity, from beginning to end.

Day 3 - Make your presentations a pleasure to look at

Good news: you don’t need to be an ace graphic designer to design slides that Council actually looks forward to viewing. Discover design shortcuts, tips for data visualization, and recommendations for making even the text-heaviest look good.

Day 4 - Make your presentation a Pleasure to Listen To

Now that you’ve crafted your flow, narrative, and design, it’s time to drive it home with engaging delivery. Learn strategies for public speaking, identifying your star presenters, and helping your team become more comfortable in front of Council, even during virtual meetings.

Day 5 - Expect the unexpected

Good news: you don’t need to be an ace graphic designer to design slides that Council actually looks forward to viewing. Discover design shortcuts, tips for data visualization, and recommendations for making even the text-heaviest look good.

]]> https://ethelo.com/blog/masterclass1/feed/ 0