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Civil Service

A great place to work

A range of blogs illustrating the theme of the same name, one of the four supporting pillars of the vision of 'A Brilliant Civil Service'.

The strapline for this theme is: "A brilliant Civil Service - a great place to work. It will continue to be inclusive, flexible, modern and connected, sitting at the heart of a wider public service. In everything we do we will encourage openness, challenge, innovation and excellence."

The three other pillars of the vision are: Improved outcomes; Effective leaders; Skilled people.

My only guaranteed hot meal was my free school lunch

Vicky McGurk, My Life, My Career

From part-time AO to thriving senior leader in the Civil Service, Vicky McGurk is living proof that you can overcome childhood struggles and make life a success. Interview: Lorraine McBride Born and raised in one of Blackburn’s poorest council estates, …

Civil Service winds of change

Images of civil servants who joined in the 80s

In the same week, Her Majesty celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, we speak to loyal, long-term civil servants on how life at work has changed over the decades. ‘I felt really modern having a push button phone’ Dawn Lennie is a …

Civil Service Live: What's on and what to expect

Civil Service Live, 2016 when a delegate asked a question

Civil Service Live is just around the corner with six dates spanning five cities in June and July 2022. Lorraine McBride’s here with a run-down on what’s on. After two years online, Civil Service Live (CSL) is back with an …

Breaking the menopause taboo in the Civil Service 

Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo

Antonia Romeo, Civil Service Gender Inclusion Champion, welcomes the new Civil Service Menopause in the Workplace Policy and explains what it means.       The Civil Service should be at the forefront of inclusivity, breaking down barriers and treating every one of …

Secret Art of Blogging

Image of scrabble letters spelling out BLOG

We’re here with everything you need to know about crafting a cracking blog post. As editor of the Civil Service Blog, I’m regularly asked what makes a great blog post, so let’s start with the basics. The goal for any …

Epilepsy Awareness - Purple Day 26 March 2022

image of the brain to show epilepsy

On Purple Day, hundreds of thousands of people across the globe come together to start conversations around epilepsy to raise awareness and fundraise to make a difference for people affected by the condition.      Clare Shillan, who works for the Cabinet …

Inside Policy: Unlocking the potential of young people

Image for Movement to Work

Since 2014, the Civil Service has provided around 6,000 work placements every year to jobless youngsters. Here, Debbie Alder explains how Movement to Work helps crack the vicious ‘no experience - no job’ cycle to help youngsters nail their first …

World Cancer Day: Big wins from small acts of kindness 

World Cancer Day 2022

Ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, Seonaid Webb tells how small kindnesses can help make such a difference to colleagues facing cancer. Over the past two years, the impact of COVID-19 on people affected by cancer has been …