Welcome to my 12 Month Coaching Program for Local Government
Empowering communications teams to lead the online customer experience with clarity, capability and confidence.
When online communication works well, it builds trust, reduces pressure on your team, and helps people get what they need.
Hi, I’m Michelle, and thank you for being here.
I’ve always believed that clear, inclusive communication is one of the most powerful ways to make public services more accessible, more human, and more effective. That’s what drives me.
I care deeply about local government. The work you do has real, lasting impact. I also know you’re often doing it with stretched teams, competing priorities, and systems that don’t always make things easy.
Over the past 25 years, I’ve worked with local and state government teams across WA to improve how they communicate online. My focus is always practical, people-centred, and grounded in the real world — content strategy, customer experience, accessibility, and governance.
I’ve helped teams improve their processes, build capability, and create more seamless digital experiences for the communities they serve.
Through this coaching program, I’ll work directly with your team to guide the process, share what works, and support you every step of the way.
Why this program?
Many communications and IT teams are managing content across websites, subsites, social media, online forms and third-party platforms — often without clear systems or consistent support.
After years of running full-day training sessions for local government teams, I began to notice something. We were covering a lot of ground, but the learning often didn’t stick — especially as team members moved on or new staff joined.
I could see how much more effective the work became when teams had time and space to collaborate over a longer period. Shared direction grew stronger. The overwhelm started to ease. People felt more confident in their roles.
That’s why this program exists. It’s designed to support real change — through ongoing coaching, practical tools and a flexible structure that meets your team where they are. It’s about helping the work stick, so your team can grow stronger together.
What’s included
This 12-month program is designed to support your team with structure, flexibility, and real-world relevance. It blends practical training, personalised coaching, tools, and ongoing support — all tailored to the needs of local government.
Kick-off Strategy Session
A two-hour planning session to clarify goals, identify challenges, and shape a flexible coaching plan that reflects your team’s priorities and evolving needs.
Monthly Learning Sessions
Twelve focused workshops on priority topics selected with your team — practical, engaging, and designed to build capability across the year.
Monthly Coaching Calls
One-hour check-ins to maintain momentum, troubleshoot challenges, and provide flexible support throughout the year.
Strategic Support for Program Lead
You’re welcome to reach out to me during the program to talk through an idea, discuss an issue, or get input on a decision. A sounding board when you need it.
Session Recordings and Materials
Access to a clean teaching version of each topic, plus recordings of your live sessions for internal use and reflection.
Resource Library
Access to templates, checklists and tools shared throughout the year — all designed specifically for local government communications and web teams.
Collaborate, connect and learn together
Throughout the year, your team will be invited to a series of group events designed to spark fresh thinking, peer connection and shared insight.
These gatherings bring together communications professionals from other local governments — with opportunities to exchange ideas, explore shared challenges and learn from each other’s experiences. Some sessions may also include voices from the community, offering valuable perspectives from people with lived experience of disability, neurodiversity, or navigating council services online.
Sessions are relaxed but purposeful. Whether online or in person, they offer a chance to step outside the day-to-day, connect with others doing similar work, and walk away with new insights and real-world inspiration.
A coaching program tailored to your needs
Each coaching plan is shaped around your team’s priorities, challenges and capacity. We’ll select the topics that matter most and adjust the focus as things evolve. Here are some of the areas we can explore together:
Governance and Management
Governance for online customer experience
Managing subsites and third-party platforms
Handling stakeholder input and web requests
Creating an operational content plan
Planning for cross-platform consistency
Working effectively with CMS vendors
Content and Customer Experience
Planning ongoing content improvements
Mapping key customer journeys
Writing clear, inclusive content
Structuring content for readability and scanability
Repurposing content across web and social
Supporting accessibility and WCAG compliance
Navigation, Search and Insight
Using Google Analytics for content insight
Improving internal and site-wide search
Planning a user-focused sitemap
Exploring AI to support content creation
Evaluating tools like Silktide or Lucky Orange
Prioritising improvements based on evidence
What your team will gain
This program is designed to give your team lasting clarity, capability and confidence across every aspect of online communication.
With structured support and practical tools, your team will be better equipped to:
Lead and manage your website and other online channels with purpose
Build internal capability across governance, content, accessibility and user experience
Respond to requests and priorities with clear processes and greater alignment
Improve the online experience for your community in meaningful, measurable ways.
Who it’s for
This program is designed for up to six participants per local government. It’s ideal for people working in communications, digital, IT, or customer service — anyone involved in shaping and managing your organisation’s online presence.
Participants might include Communications Managers, Digital Officers, Web Editors, Content Designers, IT leads, or Customer Experience staff.
Having the core team learning and working together is part of what makes this program so effective.
All participants receive a Certificate of Completion to recognise their learning and development.
Program fee
This program is designed to deliver lasting value — with structure, flexibility, and support tailored to your team. It’s not just about improving content or compliance, but building long-term capability across your online presence.
Investment
$15,000 total program fee
12 months coaching and training program for up to 6 team members from your local government.
Includes:
12 x in-person learning sessions (2 hours each, delivered monthly)
12 x online coaching calls (1 hour each, mid-month check-ins)
Access to session recordings and teaching materials
A growing library of templates, checklists and tools
Invitations to group events with other councils (online and in person)
Strategic support for the Program Lead throughout the year
Payment options
Option 1: One upfront payment of $15,000
Option 2: 12 monthly instalments of $1,250
Want to talk it through?
If you’d like to explore whether this is the right fit for your team, I’d love to chat.
Things you might be wondering
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The core commitment is around 3 to 4 hours a month. That includes one in-person learning session and one online coaching call. Any follow-up work is optional and shaped around your team’s capacity. Our focus will be on realistic steps that lead to meaningful, lasting improvements without adding pressure.
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Yes. You can begin the 12-month program at any point in the year. There’s no fixed start date. We’ll agree on a timing that works best for your team. The program is designed to be flexible and responsive to your schedule.
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Yes. The coaching plan is built around your priorities. We’ll focus on the topics that matter most to your team and adjust as your needs evolve across the year.
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The program includes up to six active participants from your local government. This gives your core team the opportunity to learn together across content, governance, user experience, and digital strategy. It suits people working in communications, digital, IT, or customer service - anyone involved in managing or improving your online presence.
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This particular program is designed specifically for groups of 3 to 6 participants from the same organisation. That’s because its strength lies in supporting whole teams to build shared understanding, align on priorities, and work together to make meaningful improvements over time.
I do offer other types of training. Please check out my Training page.
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All sessions are recorded. Team members can catch up at any time using the recording and clean teaching materials shared after each session.
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If a team member leaves or moves roles, someone else from your organisation can take their place. The program is designed to support continuity, and I’ll share earlier session materials so new participants can get up to speed easily.
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If your team isn’t available on a planned date, I’ll do my best to reschedule. The program is designed to be flexible and to work around the reality of busy teams.
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If I need to reschedule, I’ll provide as much notice as possible and offer alternate dates straight away. Your program time is protected. Nothing is missed, just moved.
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Yes. While I’m based in WA, I work with councils across Australia. Depending on your location, some or all sessions may be delivered online. Let’s chat.
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Yes. If, after the Kick-Off and first Learning Session, you feel the program isn’t the right fit, you’re welcome to leave the program.
If you’ve chosen monthly payments, no further payments will be charged.
If you’ve paid upfront for 12 months, I’ll refund the remaining balance, minus the cost of the sessions already delivered.
This gives your team the chance to try the program with confidence, knowing there's flexibility built in.
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No. This is a non-accredited professional development program, which means it’s not part of a nationally recognised training package. However, it’s designed to deliver real, practical outcomes and is suitable for inclusion in CPD (Continuing Professional Development) records, internal training logs or performance plans.
Participants receive a Certificate of Completion to recognise their learning and contribution.
Testimonials
The following testimonials are from clients I’ve worked with across a range of local government projects. While they don’t all relate specifically to this coaching program, they reflect the kind of support, clarity and collaboration I bring to every piece of work.
Shannon Foster, Shire of Mundaring
I had the pleasure of working with Michelle on redeveloping Shire of Mundaring’s corporate website. Michelle was instrumental in ensuring the site was accessible, user-friendly and aligned with our community's needs.
Michelle expertly enhanced the customer experience, crafted clear and engaging copy and trained our staff to manage the site effectively. Michelle also provided ongoing advice and support, keeping us informed with best practices along the way. A role that is ongoing.
Laya Baker, City of Melville
Thank you for going above and beyond as a consultant, taking us through such an insightful website customer experience research journey. The residents that you performed the testing and interviews with, commented on your professionalism and the care you took with them. The deliverables you produced through this process for the City exceeded expectations, as well as your ability to connect, communicate and work well with the team.
Karen Tearney, Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Michelle was an incredibly valued consultant at the Shire of Augusta Margaret River. She guided the team through the complexities of website building and management, and structured clear, engaging workshops for the organisation to ensure ongoing high quality content. Due to her patience and support we have an award-winning website and a streamlined process of content management that forms the foundation of our communications program.
Cristina Smith, Shire of Augusta Margaret River
In addition to her expertise in website content and UX, Michelle is a fantastic trainer and mentor. She delivers engaging and well-structured training on writing for the web, with accessibility as her strength. From copywriting in simple language to explaining how to structure pages correctly for assistive technologies, Michelle ensures her training is practical and easy to apply. Beyond training, she is also a phenomenal mentor. Her positive approach to problem-solving, outside-the-box thinking, and flexible growth mindset were inspiring and incredibly valuable to learn from.
Paul Dunlop, City of Fremantle
Michelle is a passionate and ultra-professional online content and customer-experience guru who can inspire an organisation to finally take its corporate website seriously, and do something about it. She has the skills, the technical know-how and the ability to translate metrics and date into meaningful 'WIFM' messages that resonate at all levels of a web project team. Above all, she understands the importance of planning content and layout from the customer point of view and can galvanise others to put those customers first.
Gabriela Eiris, City of Stirling
I really enjoyed the very hands on approach of the course where Michelle used our own organisation’s websites to illustrate each point she wanted to get across. It was great to work on improving them right there and then.
Why I’d love to work with you
I created this program because I genuinely love working with local government teams. I know how committed you are to serving your communities, and I want to help make that work easier, more effective, and more rewarding.
This program is a win–win. You get structured support to build capability and make real, lasting improvements. I get to do the work I care about most: enabling people, simplifying the complex, and helping good teams thrive.
And right now, there’s something special on offer. Local governments who come on board early will be recognised as foundational members of the program. That means more tailored attention, a say in how the program evolves, and a bit of extra care along the way.
If this feels like the kind of partnership you’ve been looking for, I’d love to work with you.
Contact me
Get in touch to start a partnership built on trust, clarity, and real impact. Together, we can create better online experiences for the communities you serve.
Email: mkemberimrie@gmail.com
Call: 0402 880 688
Alternatively, you can contact me via the online form.