LG Challenge 2017 winner's testimonial

I was delighted when I was accepted as one of the ten contestants on to the local government challenge 2017, as I was looking forward to the prospects of better understanding how local government works. However, after five fast paced challenges and taking part in the finals, what I have received has by far exceeded all of my expectations.

Each of the challenges was different; a different, team, a different local authority, a different issue to solve.  We couldn’t really prepare ourselves for what was in store over the 24 hour period; from being given the brief to developing a solution.

It was a great learning experience having to work within a range of teams, understanding each person’s learning and working styles and how each person could best contribute to the team, whilst still developing something that was of value in a short timeframe. It definitely keeps your adrenalin flowing.

I enjoyed the chance to travel to other parts of England, to get the feel of a different local authority, meet people who were carrying out innovative work, hearing how they implemented best practice and understanding the dynamics that exists within the local community and the issues that mattered to them.

Not only was the learning from each challenge great, I found the feedback from the challenges the most rewarding.  After each challenge we received individual, tailored feedback which objectively evaluated our individual performance. Following this feedback I was able to reflect on my personal learning and the next challenge provided me with opportunity to try out a new skill or a way of working, in a safe learning environment.

Taking part in the local government challenge is hard work but it is an exciting experience. If you want to improve your problem solving, collaboration, communication and innovation skills and your political awareness and business acumen then this challenge provides you with the best chance to do this in a relatively short space of time.

Rarely do we get the opportunity to meet with chief executives and leaders, to step outside our comfort zone to explore other areas of work that we have no expertise in, to gain personal feedback on our strengths and areas of development and to travel across England to solve an issue. The learning I received over six months would have otherwise taken me years to accumulate.

I have learnt a lot about how local government works but I have also learnt about myself.

Denise Dixon (nee Blair)

Croydon Borough Council