October 2024 marked the launch of the LDN Community Engagement Academy, a first-of-its-kind programme designed to strengthen consultation and engagement practice across local authorities. One year on, the impact has been remarkable.

What began as a shared idea has grown into a nationwide movement. Over the last 12 months, councils across the UK have come together with a shared purpose: to build confidence, capability and consistency in how they understand and engage their communities. From frontline officers to strategic leads, learners have embraced the opportunity to gain structured training, recognised qualifications and a supportive network of peers.

Below, the three people at the heart of the Academy’s creation reflect on its journey so far and the collective effort that made it possible.

“An incredible journey…”
Emily Graveling
LDN Apprenticeships

“It’s been an incredible journey working on the LDN Community Engagement Apprenticeship Academy over the last two years and seeing it continue to grow.”

For Emily, the Academy represents both a long-term vision and a collective effort that quickly gained momentum. What began as a single idea soon revealed a much wider need across the sector.

“This started as an initial idea from the wonderful Charlotte Joffe at Westminster Council, who recognised that there was a lack of consultation and engagement skills across councils. This idea quickly progressed once we realised how many people were keen to join.”

“With the ongoing support of London Councils and a fantastic advisory board, our first cohort of learners started in October 2024. I still can’t believe they are halfway through already!”

Demand soon extended beyond London, prompting the Academy to expand nationally, something Emily describes as a real milestone.

“We soon realised that there was also a lot of interest outside of London, so were delighted to open up the Academy to local authorities nationwide.”

At the heart of the programme, for Emily, is access and recognition for people doing vital work.

“I have spoken to so many fantastic learners who have never had the opportunity to gain formal training or qualifications around the incredible work they do. Being able to give people this opportunity, as well as seeing the impact these new skills are making across local authorities, has been so rewarding.”

“A remarkable journey from idea to national programme…”
Charlotte Joffe
Westminster City Council

“A few years ago, I realised that there wasn’t a standardised approach to community engagement and councils across the UK were spending a lot of money on employing external consultants to deliver public consultations.”

Charlotte’s journey with the Academy began with a simple but powerful observation: engagement skills were essential, yet inconsistent and undervalued. Searching for solutions led her to the apprenticeship model.

“After searching for a number of apprenticeships, I came across a community apprenticeship role being advertised in the charity sector… delivered by LDN Apprenticeships.”

“I then reached out to LDN and met the wonderful Emily and Marcus (Simmons), who have been on this journey and are both an integral part of making this apprenticeship so successful.”

Working with London Councils, the programme was shaped to reflect the realities of community-based roles.

“After presenting to London Councils, we worked as a pan-London approach to make this apprenticeship bespoke and meet the needs of individuals working in a community setting.”

“After a number of promotions and information sessions, we now have councils from across the entire UK enrolling their staff onto the programme.”

Reflecting on the past year, Charlotte says:

“It is truly remarkable to see how this has grown, developed and been such a success. It has really been a huge team effort and I am forever thankful to LDN Apprenticeships.”

“It’s been such a pleasure to be part of the Community Engagement Academy and to see how it’s helping councils strengthen their engagement practice.”

As an Apprenticeship Skills Coach, Devina has worked closely with learners as they build confidence, capability, and a deeper understanding of how engagement fits within wider organisational priorities.

“Supporting teams to build their skills and confidence in engagement, while also reflecting on how this connects to wider operational responsibilities, has been incredibly rewarding.”

What has stood out most for Devina is the reciprocal nature of the programme.

“I’ve learned so much from the brilliant apprentices on the programme; their insight, passion, and commitment to making meaningful connections within their communities are truly inspiring.”

“In such uncertain times, seeing their dedication and creativity gives me real hope for the future of local government and the role that meaningful engagement can play in shaping it.”

She also highlights the lasting organisational impact of the learning.

“It’s wonderful to see the ripple effect of this work, as teams take what they’re learning and apply it to create more inclusive, thoughtful approaches to engagement across their organisations.”

Looking Ahead

The first year of the LDN Community Engagement Academy has shown just how much appetite there is for high-quality, consistent and practical community engagement training. What started as a simple idea has become a national initiative, one shaped by collaboration, shared purpose, and the belief that strong engagement leads to stronger communities.

As we move into 2026, we’re excited to continue supporting local authorities across the UK to build the skills, confidence and capability needed to deliver meaningful engagement.

If you’d like to learn more or join a future cohort, you can register your interest below.

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