The seventh annual #OurDay social-media event on 20 November will shine a light on the people at the heart of local authorities and boost public engagement, according to its organisers the Local Government Association (LGA).
"Last year more people, local authorities and other organisations than ever took part," said David Holdstock, director of comms at the LGA.
"Close to 14,000 contributors posted 45,083 tweets, reaching more than 31 million people."
Launched in 2012, the first annual social-media marathon reached about 750,000 people, but the event has grown dramatically.
During last year’s activity the #OurDay hashtag was trending number one in the UK for a large part of the day, as well as trending first worldwide in the English language.
#Localgov does more than you think! Thanks to all who've contributed to #OurDay. Here's a taster of the day so far but keep sending us your pictures, we're here until midnight! /Hannah pic.twitter.com/qR6B8RTtos
— LGAcomms (@LGAcomms) November 21, 2017
Its aim is to draw public and central Government attention to the value delivered by local authorities and "illustrate the breadth of services that they provide around the clock to improve the quality of life of residents, despite a challenging financial backdrop", said LGA digital content manager Josh Warwick.
"It’s a great opportunity for councillors to show the work they undertake, for officers to highlight the roles they play in keeping services running and for residents to gain a real insight into how councils impact on their lives, every day of the year," he added.
Councils across England and Wales will take the chance to share their work in a more fun and creative way, using videos, polls, images, memes and interactive games.
Welcome to #OurDay ?? follow us throughout the day as we go behind the scenes for an A-Z of council services! pic.twitter.com/SPrrKOAGWi
— Wigan Council (@WiganCouncil) November 21, 2017
"The talent and creativity in council comms teams is very much on display during #OurDay," explained Warwick.
"Unsurprisingly, last year video was a popular form of sharing stories, while we also had quizzes, polls, poems and, of course, Doncaster Council’s brilliant interactive 'Be a council officer' game. We can't wait to see what councils come up with this year."
Public engagement is a key feature of the #OurDay campaign, helping to create a deeper understanding of council services and the people behind them, beyond bin collections, council tax and potholes.
.??#OurDay ??
— LGAcomms (@LGAcomms) October 25, 2018
This year we want to put together an A-Z of #localgov officers by first name.
So, if you would like us to feature your colleague (or yourself!), please send over a photo with a short description of their job ?? ourday@local.gov.uk pic.twitter.com/kf9BsMT10r
Last year’s tweetathon included an A-Z of council services, taken from the 800 services provided each day, while this year local authorities have been challenged to contribute to an A-Z of council staff, championing individuals across the country.
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