Amna Smith shares her experiences of the Digital Good Network Policy Engagement Masterclass. Published 2 June 2026.
On 16th-17th June, I attended the Digital Good Network Policy Engagement Masterclass, held at the University of Sheffield. As an intern, about to start my placement at BBC Research and Development, I was keen to learn more about the process of writing a policy brief, and how to make sure these documents reach the right people. The masterclass involved step-by-step guidance on how to write a brief, including the format, how to identify the audience and how to conduct stakeholder outreach. Dr Dee Goddard guided us through practical advice, and we had the opportunity to get tailored, individual feedback on our draft policy briefs. This was most helpful for me, as I work as a policy associate and having robust guidance gave me lots of food for thought on areas I was missing.
The masterclass afforded me the opportunity to engage with interns in the network and share our ideas, research and upcoming projects. I participated in the Pecha Kucha session, which allowed for public speaking practice. I gained insights into the good work being done within the Digital Good Network. Dr Ysabel Gerard presented on engaging with policy and the impact on social media organisations, sharing experiences with working with these companies.
On the second day, Professor Gina Neff gave a talk on Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, sharing exemplars of policy documents shared by the team. This platform was new to me, and I spent time examining publications on the site that were relevant to my research. There was a talk by Professor Nathan Hughes, who discussed his work on practices that discriminate against young people with neurodevelopmental disorders and how he had engaged with policy makers at the House of Lords. Finally, Sophia Knight from the Responsible Innovation Centre offered practical advice on engaging with policy makers and offered feedback on the briefs we had created during the masterclass.
I left the masterclass feeling excited for the research work ahead. I gained confidence and clarity in writing a policy brief, recognising the value of being concise and selecting targeted information. I built my professional networks, meeting with other researchers who are doing fantastic and inspirational work within the Digital Good Network. The event was seamless and I’d like to express my sincere thanks to the Digital Good team for organising this event.
About the author
Amna Smith
Digital Good Network intern
Amna Smith is a Policy Associate for Public Policy at the University of Southampton, and a Digital Good Network funded intern at BBC Research and Development.
