Case study written by Deborah Adebola, Civil Service College
Background & Context
Following the success of the first Festival of Learning in January 2025, the Greater London Authority (GLA) wanted the 2026 programme to reflect staff priorities more closely. To achieve this, we supported the development of a survey based on ten core themes identified by the Communities and Skills Directorate, including change management, collaboration, wellbeing, AI, and communication.
The results gave a clear, data-driven picture of confidence and development need. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Collaborating in Hybrid Teams, and Stakeholder Engagement emerged as key strengths, while Practical AI for Public Sector Teams and Leading Through Change and Uncertainty highlighted clear development gaps. These insights provided the foundation for a programme designed around both immediate learning needs and longer-term organisational priorities.
Objectives
The festival theme, “Working Through Change: Tips for Resilience and Growth,” was shaped by the survey findings. The programme aimed to:
- equip staff with practical tools to navigate change and support others through transition
- encourage a growth mindset and openness to innovation
- address development gaps through targeted, practical sessions
- support wellbeing and sustainable working habits
- strengthen collaboration, communication, and leadership across teams
Programme Design & Approach
The festival was built around five 45-minute session slots, each offering five parallel workshops so staff could choose sessions most relevant to their role and development needs.
Civil Service College delivered a range of interactive workshops, including:
- Managers as Development Champions – building confidence in performance conversations
- Art of Collaboration – breaking down silos and strengthening matrix working
- AI in the Workplace – practical applications of ChatGPT and Copilot, with ethical considerations and prompt ideas
- Foundations for Sustainable Wellbeing: Resilient YOU – exploring what builds and erodes resilience
- Influence, Adapt, Lead – communication strategies for times of change
- Advanced Communication – public speaking, influencing, and elevator pitches for high-impact situations
The sessions combined live demos, practical tools, assessment exercises, and real-world examples to ensure learning felt relevant and directly applicable.
Delivery & Experience
The day opened with a keynote from leadership trainer Niran Mothada, who explored how leaders can create the conditions for growth during periods of change. Her message set the tone for the festival: when change is led well, it becomes an opportunity to build confidence, resilience, and development.
Across the day, staff selected sessions aligned to their priorities, with workshops focused on confident management, collaboration, communication, resilience, and personal effectiveness. The programme also included a wellbeing and personal development strand, with activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, and creative writing, helping to reinforce the link between performance, sustainability, and wellbeing.
The inclusion of Fair Shot merchandise also added a meaningful community-focused dimension, connecting staff to the wider impact of the work GLA supports.
Impact & Outcomes
The festival met its key objective of addressing development gaps while giving staff practical tools they could use immediately in their roles. Feedback showed that participants left with clear actions they intended to apply in day-to-day work, including:
- using AI more confidently to manage email, prioritise work, and improve productivity
- applying resilience techniques and “pause” strategies in stressful situations
- improving communication through clearer structure, public speaking, and the “rule of three”
- creating more space for conversation in teams and approaching difficult discussions more intentionally
- thinking more strategically about career development and progression
Overall feedback rated the festival positively, with staff valuing the mix of topics, the pace of the day, and the opportunity to connect with colleagues across the directorate. AI and resilience sessions were highlighted as especially relevant, with appetite for deeper follow-up in these areas.
Lessons Learned & Next Steps
The 2026 festival reinforced the value of starting the year with a focused learning event that creates shared momentum across the directorate. It also confirmed that when programme design is informed by staff feedback and aligned to leadership priorities, learning feels more relevant, engaging, and useful.
Using survey data to shape the content helped ensure the festival balanced individual development with organisational need. It also showed that evidence-led L&D can improve engagement and strengthen the likelihood of learning being applied back in the workplace.
Looking ahead, GLA plans to continue using data to shape future festivals, with a continued focus on high-interest areas such as AI, communication, leadership, and wellbeing.
