About the Civil Service
Role of communication in government
Modern government needs modern communication and new technologies bring new challenges for government communicators. The changing media landscape means people now get their information from a rapidly expanding number of sources.
The more traditional methods of communicating, like news and advertising, are fast being caught up, or even over-taken by digital media, which include blogs, on-line forums and other personal networks. All of these provide fresh challenges for government communicators.
The Government Communication Network helps communicators do their jobs better by giving them the tools, knowledge and support they need to meet these new challenges.
As well as raising professional standards and improving the way that communications are co-ordinated across departments, GCN also helps to ensure that good communication becomes an integral part of developing and delivering policies.
The Government Communication team works with government departments to
encourage 'genuine engagement with the public as part of policy
formation and delivery' – which was one of the recommendations set out
in the 2004 Phillis
Review. [External website] 
We have also developed the new Engage programme, which will give our communicators the training, guidance and tools they need to reach and communicate with their audiences better. The programme encourages them to use communications effectively to support policy makers in their work to enhance society and improve the quality of public services for every citizen.