As a Graduate Communications and Community Engagement Officer for East Lothian Council (ELC), I worked with a number of people and departments on a variety of communications and community planning projects. Responsibilities included developing effective links with key media contacts, producing both internal and external communications content, developing infographics to be distributed through various media channels, producing and editing written content for press or publications, and attending media photocalls; all helping to maximise coverage of key council messages. This position involved answering media enquiries on a daily basis, as well as offering communications advice to staff in other departments. Building and maintaining effective relationships with key media contacts, journalists, and colleagues within other departments was an essential part of this role.As the sole link between community planning and communications, I was a key player in a number of projects which centred on the inclusion of communities in decision-making procedures within the council. I was responsible for collecting information/data at events run by six government-funded, community-led groups and promoting their work through the production of a range of public information materials. I learned the basics of graphic design through our in-house designer and trained myself on Canva to produce more visually stimulating content; all with the aim of increasing traffic to the website through engaging content and SEO tactics.

This role involved working on a temporary basis with various companies, as and when roles became available. I took on this position whilst searching for my graduate job.