Eligibility
Our membership is specifically for professional communicators who spend at least 50% of their time on communications activities and work in:
- Central government departments
- Devolved governments (Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government, Welsh Government)
- Arm’s length bodies (ALBs) – including non-ministerial departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies
Not sure if you are eligible? Read our eligibility criteria.
Why become a member
Membership of Government Communications demonstrates your commitment to achieving the highest professional standards and supports your career development throughout your time in the profession. As a member, you’ll receive professional recognition for your skills and abilities while benefiting from the shared experience and support of our community of government communication professionals.
By becoming a member you’ll gain access to expert-created guidance, cutting-edge tools and training, and connect with communication professionals working across government through Connect, our exclusive member-only platform.
Through Connect, you can:
- Search our member directory to find and connect with communication professionals across government departments
- Find a coach or mentor or join our registry of experienced professionals and share your expertise
- Join our community forums to collaborate and share knowledge in a safe online space
- Use Assist, our AI communications assistant designed for government communicators
- Subscribe to our newsletter and receive the latest news and insights
- Explore the Learning Hub for training resources and our flagship Advance development programme
To access Connect you must be eligible to become a member. Read our membership criteria.
Professional development
We’re committed to supporting your personal growth and our membership offers continuous professional development and essential training resources. This includes frameworks to help you measure your capabilities, identify development opportunities and plan your professional journey.
All members should engage in 4 to 5 days of training across the year, worth at least 30 Continuing Professional Development points. This includes Advance, our flagship development programme that provides outstanding learning across all disciplines and levels of expertise.
You’ll also have access to mentoring opportunities through our mentor and coach registry, where you can find experienced professionals to guide you, or register as a mentor yourself. Plus, Connecting Diverse Voices, our mutual mentoring programme, brings together professionals from different backgrounds to share experiences and support each other’s career development.
Practical support
We will give you practical support to help you in your job, including access to our carefully curated tools and resources. This includes Assist, our pioneering AI communications assistant designed specifically for government communicators. You can also participate in our expert-led virtual and in-person events, including regular Live Calls where you can learn about innovation and best practice in government communications.
Community at the core
When you become a member, you’re joining more than just a professional body – you’re becoming part of a vibrant community that values every voice and perspective. Community is at the heart of everything we do because we believe that diverse thinking and representation are critical to our success as communicators.
We’re committed to building a profession that truly represents the communities we serve. We want all our members to feel valued, included and able to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from. From Whitehall to Whitehaven, Inverness to Cardiff and Belfast to Bristol, we’re building an open and inclusive environment where different views, backgrounds and experiences are not just welcome, but essential.
Find out more about our community, including our values, diversity and inclusion commitments, and how we are building communities and inspiring people to join the profession across the UK.
How to join
Once you’ve read our eligibility criteria and confirm you are eligible, you can register to become a member.