By participating in the LG Challenge, you are given the unique opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and tackle complex issues which may fall outside of your daily remit of work. You could be working on challenges related to finance, culture and tourism, housing, the environment, local democracy – anything and everything a council is responsible for! The task for you and your team is to develop innovative solutions for local councils. By honing in on a diverse set of issues in different types of councils, you will widen your knowledge and expertise in order to succeed as a leader in local government.
You will develop innovative solutions, offering valuable consultancy to five different councils, giving back to local communities across the country. And, of course, the winner of the LG Challenge has the opportunity to develop their very own ideas and turn that into a reality in their council and local community.
With a focus on developing the next generation of local government leaders, the LG Challenge is designed to develop contestants in a number of valuable areas which are crucial to succeed and accelerate your leadership development within the sector:
- innovation and problem solving
- political awareness
- ability to inspire and motivate others
- business acumen
- communication
- working collaboratively
We want all contestants to finish the programme having developed themselves in a number of key areas to succeed as local government leaders. After the series of challenges, contestants will be able to present strong arguments, show an excellent understanding of local issues, demonstrate commitment to engagement with residents and stakeholders, consider political buy-in, and feel confident in being creative and putting forward their best innovative ideas.
Generating authentic ideas with a drive to implement change, contestants will have developed their ability to inspire and motivate others and gain an ability to carefully select the right approach to complex issues.
Contestants will also develop a strong understanding of the role of communication in working with others in the processes of decision-making, networking and communicating effectively with a range of diverse stakeholders to achieve a goal - and will be able to take an interview in front of camera in what is for many the first step into media exposure.
Senior leaders within the sector have to get used to thinking on their feet and answering questions confidently and competently, meaning media training forms an important role for senior local government leaders, now and in the future. Each challenge is therefore filmed, giving you the chance to develop your media skillset during your time on the programme.
Filming provides a unique way to reflect on the learning and development experience, especially your communication skills, over the course of the programme. It also helps to raise the profile of the good work of local government and the specific councils taking part, as well as the home councils of each contestant.
Taking part in the LG Challenge is a unique opportunity to raise your profile within the sector. Not only do you build meaningful professional relationships with fellow contestants and establish a peer network for the future, but you will also make links with officers of all levels at the host councils, and the LGA officers you will encounter during the programme. The LG Challenge therefore provides a unique opportunity to broaden your network by working in a supportive cross-sector environment.
In turn, you are given a chance to raise your profile as you showcase your talent and passion for the sector. Whilst LG Challenge is filmed, documented and dispersed across the LGA website, LG Challenge is also heavily promoted across LGA and host authority Twitter channels, meaning you expose your talents to officers, councillors and residents alike. If you are active on Twitter, you can seize this opportunity to raise your profile through your own channels by engaging with the tweets dispersed around the challenge. LinkedIn posts are another way to showcase the creative and innovative work you have developed for councils.