Communication skills Being able to communicate effectively with

Communication skills Being able to communicate effectively with those around you is one of the most important skills for the world of work. Communication is both getting your ideas across clearly and listening carefully to others. You’ll be developing your communication skills through every day life, by having conversations with family, friends, teachers and others. It’s important to learn how to adapt your communication style for the person you’re speaking to. Here are some activities you can do to develop different styles of communication: • Learn a language (use the free app Duolingo) • Design and host a quiz for your friends and family • Write an email to an employer asking for virtual work experience • Record a video of yourself talking about your skills • Write a blog and interview people to feature (more info on p 3)

What do alumni say about communication skills? “I’d say the most common advice given to aspiring writers is simply to read. Read, read. The more you read the better your own writing will be. ” – Jenny, Ratton School “You don’t have to be good with numbers to be an accountant. With everything digitalising, you have to be good at project management, using technology and above all, speaking to people. You need the ability to create long lasting relationships with clients and colleagues. ” – Dan, Sir Harry Smith Community College “My biggest achievement has been getting into university. Obviously my school experience helped me towards this academically. But more than that, Hinchingbrooke helped me prepare socially. Throughout my time there, I developed a wider range of social skills and got to know a variety of people. This was crucial experience for me that I used when I moved to a completely new city!” – Lauren, Hinchingbrooke School “When I was at Waldegrave I was very shy and reluctant to put my hand up in class – I regret this and wish I interacted more in class back then. So my advice is to participate in discussions and never feel that your opinion isn’t important – progress and innovation comes from challenging other people’s views and having open discussions with every member of society. ” – Joanna, Waldegrave School

Blog writing competition Writing a blog about your own experiences is a great way to build your communication skills, and share your thoughts with others. For this activity, we are running a blog competition, with the top three blogs published on our website and social media. We’d like you to write a blog about what you’ve learnt whilst working at home, and what you’ve enjoyed. To further develop your communication skills, we’d like you to interview friends and family you’re able to speak to about what they’ve learnt at home, and include quotes in your blog. The guidelines for the blog are: Maximum 500 words Structure your blog in short paragraphs, with sub-headings Don’t identify names or places when using interview quotes Submit your entries to info@futurefirst. org. uk. If we are going to publish your blog, we will get in touch with you to let you know. • You can read our existing blogs here. • •