New Online Course Launched to Tackle Burnout in PR and Communications Industry

Agile Communications Academy Unveils Agility for PRoductivity

The Agile Communications Academy has launched a new online course, Agility for PRoductivity, aimed at helping PR, communications, and marketing professionals manage heavy workloads and improve their productivity. The course is the first offering from the newly established Agile Communications Academy, a Cornwall-based initiative focused on bringing Agile working practices to non-software teams.

Addressing Industry-Wide Mental Health Concerns

The launch of Agility for PRoductivity comes in response to alarming mental health statistics within the PR industry. According to the CIPR and PRCA (Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Public Relations and Communications Association), 91% of PR professionals experienced poor mental health in the past year, with 58% citing workload stress as a significant factor.

Rachel Foster, founder of the Agile Communications Academy, has been an Agile coach in the PR and communications sector for eight years. She created this course to address the pervasive “always-on” culture that leads to burnout in the industry. “This first course is aimed at comms professionals who are struggling with capacity, extensive workloads, and headspace,” Rachel said.

Learn at Your Own Pace

Agility for PRoductivity is an on-demand course designed to allow professionals to learn at their own pace. The course provides practical insights into applying Agile methodologies to enhance productivity and personal effectiveness. The course is currently available at an introductory rate of £99 until the end of October 2024.

Future Offerings

In addition to this course, the Agile Communications Academy plans to develop more in-depth Agile coaching programmes for team managers and leaders, set to launch in Autumn 2024.

The Agile Communications Academy has received £17,200 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, under the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub Grants Programme. This funding is part of the Good Growth Programme, which supports the delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

For more details on the course and future offerings, visit the Agile Communications Academy website.

Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub 

The Growth Hub is a service of Cornwall Council and has received £16,006,000 in funding, including grant funding for businesses, from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Growth Hub collaborates with local businesses, self-employed individuals, not-for-profit organisations, and aspiring entrepreneurs to connect them with the right support, skills training, and grant funding. With a dedicated team of local experts, the Growth Hub works closely with businesses to help them access the resources they need to achieve their goals. For more information, please visit www.ciosgrowthhub.com