Orlo

"Being an apprentice at Orlo has been a great experience so far, this position is allowing me to develop my passion for IT into a career which I could not be more thankful for. Over the past few months I have been supporting Orlo's IT operations while learning all the ins and outs that go into it, and while doing so I have gotten to meet all the great people at Orlo which has been the highlight of this apprenticeship so far. I am excited to continue working at Orlo and seeing what the future will bring!" Aman Bhadala, IT Apprentice. National Apprenticeship Week 2026

It’s National Apprenticeship Week, and we couldn’t let it pass without celebrating our fantastic IT Apprentice, Aman!

Aman has been such a fantastic addition to the Orlo team, supporting our IT operations, so here's what Aman has to say about his apprenticeship so far...

What makes a good story and how do you get people invested? As always, our brilliant storytelling expert, James Morton has the answers!

New blog. The under 16s social media debate. Orlo logo. Young girl on laptop looking at social media.

Possible social media ban? With Australia’s under 16 social ban now in place, The House of Lords have recently passed a vote in support of a ban in the UK as well. So, how can public sector comms and marketing teams start thinking about this?

Channels and reach What specific social media content was made for young people? How can you transfer this messaging to the places they actually are e.g. sports venues, shops, cinema etc?

New blog. Read the full blog for more information and top tips. Young girl on laptop looking at social media.

Do you think social media should be banned for under 16s?

Our latest blog, written by our brilliant community partner, Rebecca Roberts, isn’t about whether a ban should happen, but it is about what the debate means for public sector comms teams right now: https://orlo.uk/cWL4T

New guide. How to co-create in the public sector. Orlo logo. Alongside image of a team working together in a creative way.

Our top tips: Use small breakout groups - don't let the loudest voice take over. Try anonymous feedback for more honesty. Use facilitators to keep things fair. Orlo logo.

New guide. Download our guide for FREE. Orlo.

Have you ever launched a new service or campaign you’re proud of, only to find the people it was built for are struggling to use it? It's time to stop guessing and start co-creating. But how?

Click the link to download our FREE guide: https://orlo.uk/E2GyN

New blog. Co-creation. What is it and why is it so important?

Why it works: It saves you money. Nothing is more expensive than a service that nobody wants or uses. Get it right from day one.

Why it works: It builds trust. People support what they helped to create. Co-creation helps turn your community into actual partners.

New blog. Ready to co-create? Read our blog for more, and look out for our guide on how to co-create coming soon!

We’ve all been there: you launch a new service or campaign you're proud of, only to find the people it was built for are struggling to use it. It’s frustrating for them, and a waste of resources for you.

That’s where co-creation comes in. Read our blog here: https://orlo.uk/W7j4u

'The year of the Storyteller'. We're sure you've heard this phrase a fair amount over the last few weeks, but what does it mean for comms team? Our fab community partner, James Morton is here to explain in his latest episode of The Storyboard.

Guides. Crisis comms in 2026. Social strategy in light of scaremongering.

Global politics and tabloid headlines about "emergency prep," are unsettling. Whether it’s scaremongering or not, the impact on public sector comms is the same, and we know you'll be looking at your crisis comms plans.

Read our crisis comms guide here: https://orlo.uk/9V0Vg

Priority Access - From Feedback to Future-Proofing: How can housing associations leverage the voice of their communities to drive customer engagement in 2026? | Orlo Join us for a candid chat with representatives from Accent’s engagement team, as we strip away the corporate jargon to discuss the importance and real-world challenges of resident engagement in 2026, and beyond.

https://orlo.uk/582ta

Image of Orlo employees dressed in purple London Bridge Walk t-shirts and woolly hats.

Tomorrow is the big day!

Some of our brilliant team will be completing the 15km London Bridges Walk to raise money for two amazing charities - Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and British Heart Foundation. Good luck everyone, we can't wait to see how you get on 🙌

Donate here: https://orlo.uk/Lm0ZA

Carmen Proctor from Staffordshire County Council was the very deserving winner of the Unsung Hero Award at the #OrloSpotlightAwards last month.

Carmen's impact has been massive and we'd like to wish her a huge congratulations!

Read more here: https://orlo.uk/reLV7

New blog. 5 messy truths about campaign planning - and the tools to fix them. Orlo logo. All of this is in front of an image of smiling colleagues who are in the midst of planning. They are putting post-it notes on a board.

The brief. The truth: We all know a 'brief' can be anywhere between 200 pages and a 'vague feeling'. The solution: Cut the waffle and get specific with the 'know, feel and do' method.' Orlo logo.

The curveball. The truth: We've all been there. The crisis that hits just before launch, or the reason that a campaign has to change. The solution: Work 'wriggle room' into your timeline - it's the most important element! Orlo logo.

New blog. Read the full blog. Comment 'campaign' or search 'Orlo blogs'. Orlo logo. In front of an image of people planning a campaign with post-it notes.

If your current campaign plan feels less polished, and more like a chaotic jumble of thoughts - take a breath.

Our Community Partner, James Morton, has stripped away the gloss of public sector campaigns, and is here with the 5 Truths of Campaign Planning: https://hubs.la/Q03-pzpn0

New blog. Why AI should support comms teams, not replace them.

The 'messy middle'. Most of the real work happens in the chaos between your first idea and the final message. AI can tidy up that chaos but can't replace the human who can find meaning in the mess.

Empathy and accountability Trust is built through empathy and accountability. Your audience can spot an ungenuine, AI voice from a mile away.

AI can make mistakes A lot of people treat AI as a writing tool, but if you only use it to speed up production, you aren't working smarter -you’re just making mistakes faster.

'Speed won't move an audience. Depth will.'

Everyone treats Generative AI as a writing tool, but if you only use it for speed, you’re just stuck in a faster cycle of churn.

So, here's why AI should help comms teams, not replace them: https://hubs.la/Q03-8FSs0

How to work with young people (according to young people). Orlo logo.

Think beyond school. When you work with students at school, they'll expect their collaboration with you to be more formal, and therefore could be less honest with you.

Let them see people like them. If young people can't see people like them in your organisation, it'll be difficult for them to engage with you.

Get in touch for more advice on how to engage the whole of your community.

What's the secret to effective comms? Ask the experts: young people.

Antonia Dixey and her young people from Participation People shared some fab advice for comms teams looking to make a real impact.

Want to chat more about effective youth engagement? Comment below!

London Bridges Walk 2026

On Saturday 17 January, some of our team will be completing the 15km London Bridges Walk to raise money for two amazing charities - Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.

Steps? Counted. Water bottles? Filled. Motivation? High!

Donate here: https://orlo.uk/565W7

We're incredibly grateful to our Orlonians so to kick off the first proper working week of 2026, we're shouting out Melanie Evans, Matt Foster and Becky Bullows, who all celebrated their Orloversary last month!

Thank you for everything you do, we're so lucky to have you 💙

Hello, 2026 👋

A brand new calendar year is officially here. We know the public sector never really stops, but we hope you're starting the year feeling refreshed and ready for another year of making a difference, solving problems, and supporting your communities!

Merry Christmas from everyone here at Orlo!

To our public sector comms super stars - you have absolutely smashed it this year. Through some big challenges, you’ve kept our communities running so we hope you enjoy the celebrations, you deserve it!

New Blog. The importance of social media in VAWG strategies.

With the Home Office’s long awaited release of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, the spotlight has been firmly placed on the importance of rebuilding public trust. And, one of the best ways to do this is via social media: https://orlo.uk/CKLQh

New Blog. How social media and email can work together for public sector comms teams. Orlo logo.

Are your email and social channels living in separate buckets?

In our latest blog, we break down why integrating these channels isn't just "nice to have," it's essential for fighting misinformation and building trust: https://orlo.uk/no2Jh

Blog. Social media news, November 2025. What were the key updates over the last month? Orlo logo.

Stay ahead of the curve with our November social media roundup.

Marketing and socials expert, Luan Wise is back to break down every major platform update you need to know, all in one place. Save time and get fully up to speed here: https://orlo.uk/MKFlw

How can natural timelines help you tell stories and boost your engagement? Welcome to episode six of 'The Storyboard' with our fabulous Community Partner, James Morton!

For more info on how you can tell stories, watch our webinar on demand, here: https://orlo.uk/dlAZ9

Guide. How to make a practical crisis comms plan. Learnings from the Grenfell Tower disaster.

'What can we learn about crisis comms from the Grenfell Tower disaster?' This was the question Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Nick Price-Thompson answered at this year's BIG Social.

Read it: https://orlo.uk/8HxUZ

The Orlo Elves have been busy putting together gift bags for Age UK's gift of Christmas!

These were dropped off at Age UK Birmingham to be distributed to the elderly people of Birmingham, to spread some festive cheer and to remind everyone that they're not alone this Christmas. 🎅 🎄

We spoke with Head of Brand and Marketing at Surrey County Council, Richard Neale about what some of the biggest challenges are right now in the public sector; specifically mis and disinformation.

In the mean time,we've got loads of resources that can help including this blog: https://orlo.uk/ivWlE

We're so grateful to all of our incredible Orlonians, so we're starting a new series where we celebrate their work anniversaries 🥳

Last month, it was the turn of the lovely Liza, Phil, Rich and Seid - thank you for everything you do for Orlo, we're so lucky to have you!

Happy #SpotifyWrapped Day! While everyone is busy checking out their top artist, we’ve been crunching the numbers on the real hits of the year: our customers' social media content.

Welcome to your #OrloWrapped! Here is a snapshot of the noise our incredible customers made this year via Orlo...

Working with Gen Z - what's in? Deep listening Messy youth panels where participants are co-creators Asking: ‘how do we earn trust?’ Putting young people in their own stories Going to where young people already are Keeping it light, making it fun

One way broadcasts ‘Neat’ youth panels where young people don’t really have a say Asking: ‘how do we fix trust?’ Telling young people’s stories for them Expecting young people to come to you Controlling the relationship

What's in when working with Gen Z? And, more importantly, what's out?

From co-creating with young people, to asking how to earn trust, we've broken down all the key top tips from Antonia Dixey's Participation People keynote speech at #BIGsocial2025.

Which of these will you be taking forward?

A huge congratulations to London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway who won the award for Best Use of Social for Community Engagement at the #OrloSpotlightAwards in October!

You can read more about their fantastic work, here: https://orlo.uk/Z5j8w

It's some Friday celebrations for Home Group and Thirteen Housing Group who won the #OrloSpotlightAward for Best Use of Social for Community Experience at #BIGsocial2025 last month!

Read more about their win, here: https://orlo.uk/3oi7I

Image of money behind text which reads 'Blog. What does the Autumn Budget mean for public sector comms teams?' alongside an Orlo logo.

The Autumn Budget has landed, and we know public sector comms teams need the facts, fast.

We’ve made it simple by breaking down the main announcements for each part of the public sector, so you can scroll to the area that matters to you and get the need-to-know info here: https://orlo.uk/NA1Vj