GovComms: The Future of Government Communication

Creating a strong future STEM workforce starts with helping young people see what is possible. Host David Pembroke is joined by Dr Melanie Bagg, CEO of the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF), to talk about how NYSF connects students with real STEM people, workplaces and pathways they cannot always access at school. They discuss what changed through Covid, how a small team works with a large volunteer network, and how NYSF tailors communications across channels while keeping the “human” experience at the centre. Melanie also shares what their long-term evaluation reveals about confidence, belonging and career direction, plus practical lessons for government communicators on testing, listening and staying audience-led.

KEY POINTS
- Make STEM real, not abstract: Young people respond when they meet real people in real workplaces and can see multiple pathways into careers.
- Design for inclusion, not ‘elite’ performance: A friendly, youth-led approach can reduce imposter syndrome and widen participation, particularly for young women and regional and remote students.
- Use data to prove impact and shape programs: NYSF surveys students on day one, day nine, one year and five years to track shifts in confidence and options, and to inform new offerings.
- Match channels to audiences: NYSF adjusts tone and content by platform (eg Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn) and uses feedback loops to keep learning.
- Adopt AI carefully and ethically: AI can speed up external-facing work, but sensitive information needs clear boundaries, checks and governance.

Links mentioned in the podcast:
● National Youth Science Forum (NYSF): Youth-led STEM programs including the Year 12 Program
https://www.nysf.edu.au/
● National Youth STEM Summit: NYSF’s program for early-tertiary/VET and early-career STEM participants
https://www.nysf.edu.au/programs/national-youth-stem-summit/
● Rotary International: NYSF’s founding partner mentioned in the episode
https://www.rotary.org/
● Science & Technology Australia: Professional membership organisation mentioned as part of the STEM ecosystem
https://www.scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/
● Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE): Learned academy mentioned
https://www.atse.org.au/
● Australian Academy of Science: Learned academy mentioned (and Melanie’s previous organisation)
https://www.science.org.au/

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Measurement should make our work clearer, not harder. Host David Pembroke is joined by Stacey Barr, a specialist in organisational performance, measurement and evidence-based leadership, to unpack why evaluation still feels elusive in government, even when toolkits and frameworks are readily available. They discuss the hidden “missing pieces” that undermine many measurement approaches, how to strip out vague “weasel words” from strategy, and how Stacey’s PuMP methodology helps teams define results, identify credible evidence, and report performance in a way that supports better decisions. The conversation also explores the role of leadership, the reality of public accountability pressures, and where AI can (and cannot) help.

KEY POINTS
- Start with results, not activity: Be clear about the outcome you want to improve before you decide what to measure, otherwise you end up tracking busywork instead of impact.
- De-weasel your strategy language: Replace vague terms such as “quality”, “transparency” or “diversity” with plain, specific wording that everyone can interpret the same way.
- Define evidence before choosing measures: Ask what you would see, hear or observe that proves progress, then work out how to quantify that evidence.
- Report performance to reveal real signals: Move beyond traffic-light reporting and focus on patterns that show meaningful change, so you don’t overreact to noise or miss early warnings.
- Tie initiatives directly to the KPI they shift: Keep actions and results connected, so you can prove whether an initiative actually closed a performance gap.

SHOW NOTES:
● PuMP® (Performance Measurement Process): Stacey Barr’s practical methodology for performance measurement mentioned in the episode
https://www.pump.academy/
● Practical Performance Measurement (book): Book by Stacey Barr mentioned in the episode
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Practical+Performance+Measurement+Stacey+Barr
● Prove It! (book): Book by Stacey Barr mentioned in the episode
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Prove+It%21+Stacey+Barr
● Australia Centre for Evaluation (ACE): Australian Government evaluation initiative mentioned (including toolkit/library resources)
https://www.pmc.gov.au/resources/australia-centre-evaluation
● Harvard Business Review (website): Stacey notes her content has appeared on HBR’s website
https://hbr.org/
● ManageMentor (platform): Program Stacey describes as featuring her content
https://www.managementmentor.com/
● OKR Institute: Organisation mentioned in relation to the OKR Institute World Summit
https://okrinstitute.org/
● Objectives and Key Results (OKR) framework: Framework explicitly referenced (“OKRs, objectives and key results”)
https://www.whatmatters.com/faqs/okr-meaning-definition-example/
● State Library of South Australia: Organisation cited in Stacey’s case example
https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/
● Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): Organisation cited in Stacey’s case example
https://www.faa.gov/
● info@PuMP.academy: Email Stacey provides for arranging a “discovery discussion”
mailto:info@pump.academy

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The GovComms Institute podcast is produced by contentgroup.
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When technology speeds up, trust and truth are put under pressure. Host David Pembroke is joined by Sree Srinivasan, who reflects on what he learnt broadcasting daily from New York during the early days of Covid, and how those lessons apply to today’s AI-driven information environment. They discuss what consistent, two-way communication can achieve in a crisis, why misinformation spreads so easily, and the risks of leaving AI decisions to a handful of powerful companies. Sree also shares practical guidance on building AI strategy and policy inside organisations, with an emphasis on transparency, staff input and regular review.

KEY POINTS
- Consistency builds trust: Turning up at the same time every day helped create a reliable source of information people could return to during uncertainty.
- Two-way communication matters: Making space for audience questions and comments improved clarity, relevance and engagement.
- AI policy needs shared ownership: Don’t leave it to tech teams alone; involve the whole organisation and build guidance people will actually use.
- Plan for constant change: AI tools and risks evolve quickly, so policies and governance need frequent review, not set-and-forget documents.
- Use AI to lift quality, not just cut costs: The best use cases focus on improving work and capability, rather than simply reducing headcount.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SREE:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreenivasan
Substack: https://sreenet.substack.com/
Sree's Presentation: https://bit.ly/sreeaibrochure
NYTReadalong: https://www.digimentors.group/nytreadalong

LINKS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:
StreamYard: Live-streaming tool Sree used to broadcast across multiple platforms https://streamyard.com/
Don’t Look Up (Netflix): Film Sree referenced as an analogy for ignoring looming crises
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC): Organisation Sree mentions running a workshop with
Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI): Institute referenced (Fei-Fei Li)
Columbia Journalism School: Institution Sree mentions teaching at
Stony Brook University: Institution Sree mentions teaching at
Sebastian Mallaby: Author referenced (book about Demis Hassabis mentioned)

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Government comms has shifted from crafting messages to shaping meaning in a fast-moving digital world. Host David Pembroke is joined by Brenda Duran, director of external affairs at LA County’s Justice Care and Opportunities Department, to reflect on what has changed since they last spoke in 2019. They discuss the COVID-19-driven digital acceleration, the rise of direct-to-public communication, and how misinformation has become a high-volume, targeted threat. Brenda also shares practical approaches to faster approvals, building trusted messenger networks, and creating content that earns attention, before looking ahead to why storytelling and public trust matter even more in an AI-shaped environment.

KEY POINTS:
COVID-19 accelerated digital government for good Government teams had to pivot quickly to virtual briefings, real-time updates and direct-to-public channels, permanently changing how service information is delivered.
Treat misinformation as a trust and security problem Countering false narratives now requires proactive “pre-bunking”, real-time monitoring and partnerships with trusted community messengers, not just reactive corrections.
Fix approval bottlenecks by redesigning decision rights Define preauthorised “lanes” for routine updates, rapid approvals and high-risk crisis content so teams can move at the speed of public need.
Act like a publisher, not a noticeboard Build weekly content plans, create evergreen explainers, use subject matter experts on camera, and turn government data into meaningful stories people can use.
In an AI-driven world, storytelling becomes the differentiator As content volume increases, trust becomes scarcer—public sector communicators add value by creating narratives that restore context, clarity and humanity.

Links mentioned in the podcast:
AMEC Barcelona Principles: Measurement principles for communication (outputs, outtakes, outcomes) https://amecorg.com/barcelona-principles-3-0/
AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication): Organisation behind the Barcelona Principles and comms measurement resources https://amecorg.com/
Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture (edited by Melissa Vela-Williamson): Book mentioned (Brenda Duran contributed) https://www.routledge.com/Latinas-in-Public-Relations-Shaping-Communications-Communities-and-Culture/Vela-Williamson/p/book/9781032547805

If you enjoyed this podcast then please:
Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts
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Watch our videos on the GovComms YouTube page
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The GovComms Institute podcast is produced by contentgroup.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Governments cannot afford to keep talking about AI as a future challenge when citizens are already expecting better, faster, and more human-centred services.

In this episode of GovComms, David Pembroke speaks with Pete Williams (Chief Edge Officer at Deloitte) about why the real risk is not moving too fast, but moving too slowly.

Together, they explore how AI can help government shift from clunky documents and static websites to conversational, accessible and practical service delivery. From internal capability and leadership to chatbots and global examples, this episode is a clear-eyed look at what government needs to do next and why the right time to act is now.

#GovComms #AI #government #communication #Deloitte
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