Case Study: Virtual College

The challenge and the solution

Media First worked with the Virtual Staff College to help participants on a leadership programme specifically designed to support black and Asian leaders to develop their 'personal agency', to become more capable of getting their voices heard and making their presence felt.

Our Account Managers designed a bespoke course, delivered in spring 2015, to meet the specific needs of the participants. This included a workshop designed to help them understand  the  factors that impact on an audience and practice their presentation skills. They also worked in groups to test their personal and leadership skills. The training, delivered to 24 participants, was led by senior communications tutors with decades of experience of working in the media,  who know what it  takes to engage an audience. Key parts of the training were filmed by Media First camera technicians allowing for peer and tutor review, feedback and individual coaching.

How did the participants benefit from the training Media First delivered?

"Having previously worked with Media First we knew they had an understanding of our past and present programmes and could transfer this to design and deliver a course for learning at all levels that would really help our participants hone and develop their communication skills.

Our programme team found the attention to detail provided by Media First, before, during and after the training extremely helpful and reassuring. We are sure the participants also particularly welcomed the individually written feedback reports and DVDs that they received after the event."

Ruth Lloyd, Programme Manager, Virtual Staff College

How did the participants benefit from the training Media First delivered?

100 per cent of the participants rated the training led by Media First as good or excellent. The comments received from those who took part were overwhelmingly positive. These included:

"Brilliant! Felt safe to expose inner anxieties around presentation skills. Structured, engaging and feedback very helpful"

"It was an effective way of me seeing myself and the impact I have on others, how I am seen by others. I learnt so much about how to present myself and my areas for development in presenting myself."

"Initially anxious and apprehensive about what to expect but ended up gaining confidence and learning a lot about myself, how I present myself, how I stand and project my voice. Good techniques and the opportunity to practice."

"This challenged me and took me totally out of my comfort zone"