Key notes
  • This 20 week Public Policy 101 course may be for you if you want hands-on advice and experience across the policy cycle - and across analysis, advice (writing), process and people - because you:
                  1. Are already a policy analyst but want to boost your career.
                  2. Work in Government in another discipline such as research or law but are looking for a career change.
                  3. Are a policy analyst thinking of jumping into the world of contract work and want broader coverage.
                  4. Are a young professional looking for an early edge.
  • Run by a policy practitioner with 30 years experience; 20 of these as a contractor.
  • Available twice a year. Venue: central Wellington, close to Parliament.
  • Work in a tutorial-like setting with a small group of no more than 10 people.
  • All sessions peppered with real life examples, war stories and lessons learned the hard way.
  • Homework expected. Participants can bring their own material to work on, if not confidential. 
  • Build a portfolio of material. Chat room available for each course, and participants are invited in to talk.
  • Each course will be slightly different to cater for specific areas of interest and need.
  • Certificate on completion.
  • $3,500 plus GST per person including venue.
  • For options other than a 20 week off-site course, scroll down to the section on "alternatives".

20 week programme
Learning outcomes
Week 1: Understand:
  • The policy cycle.
  • Why you are working in policy or want to work in policy.
  • Which components of policy attract you the most and why.
Weeks 2 & 3: Understand:
  • The Machinery of Government (MoG).
  • The interface between policy and legislation/regulatory frameworks.
  • How to plan your policy project and take into account MoG requirements.
Weeks 4 to 6: Understand how to consider all aspects of a problem definition, gap analysis, research, constraints and context. Start to develop intervention logic and understand the power of modelling.
Weeks 7 to 9: Understand policy methodologies and how to develop policy options.
Consider intervention logic, supply and demand, the regulatory continuum, using a regulatory impact assessment (RIS) approach and more. Develop options with Treaty, te ao Māori, gender and cultural competency frameworks front and centre.
 Weeks 10 to 12: Understand how to evaluate policy options.
We will cover SWOT, evaluation criteria, exogenous effects, human behaviour, price and income elasticities, unintended consequences, who/what is impacted, cost benefit modelling, types of efficiency and more. Evaluate options with Treaty, te ao Māori, gender and cultural competency frameworks front and centre.
Weeks 13 to 15: Understand the role of regulatory policy, the importance of not ‘setting and forgetting’, how to prevent regulatory failure, and when and how to do cost recovery.
Weeks 16 & 17: Understand ways to influence and persuade the audience of your policy work. Learn some tips and tricks of writing to persuade. Look at the different ways in which you influence and persuade - e.g. issues and options papers, think pieces, briefings, Cabinet papers, RIS, CRIS, budget bids and business cases - and when to use them.
Week 18: Understand the difficult environment of people that is policy analysis, policy advice, the policy process, the public sector, and the government.
Weeks 19 & 20: Use all of the tools you have learned and write a compelling paper for managers and Ministers. Review your work using the Policy Quality Framework developed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC).
Calendar
Course 2020.1 –
  • 3 February to 10 April (10 weeks).
  • 13 April to 17 April (break).
  • 20 April to 26 June (10 weeks).
No course –
  • 29 June to 17 July.
Course 2020.2 –
  • 20 July to 25 September (10 weeks).
  • 28 September to 2 October (break).
  • 5 October to 11 December (10 weeks).
Application form
Download, complete, scan and email the application form to reserve your place
application_form.pdf
File Size: 451 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Footnotes
Applications and invoicing:
  • To reserve a place for the 2020.1 course (starting 3 February 2020), your payment of $3,500 plus GST will need to be received by 20 December 2019.
  • Once your application form is received and a course has been allocated to you, an invoice will be issued.
    Your booking is not secure until the invoice has been paid in full by the nominated date. For 2020.1 courses, that date is 20 December 2019.
Cancellations, refunds and transfers:
  • If an applicant is unable to attend, the allocated place can be re-allocated to a colleague or transferred to the following course.
  • No payment is refunded except in extreme situations, which will be considered on a case by case basis.
  • If a session is missed by a participant, the course material for that session will be provided and a chat room made available for participants to share their experiences.
  • If the trainer is unable to complete the course for any reason, fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis.
Alternatives
  1. IN-HOUSE OFFERINGS: As well as 20-week programmes off-site, the programme can be available (for a reduced price per person) in- house. Number of participants per course to remain at ten. Contact Angela for a cost estimate.
  2. MODULAR WORKSHOPS: Modular workshops can be held on-site, involving specific sessions of interest from the longer programme. Contact Angela for a cost estimate.
    For example: one discrete module is about the machinery of government and the interface between legislation/regulatory frameworks and policy.