Five reasons to join our Public Sector Connect community

We'd like to let you in on a secret. The public sector has an untapped problem-solving superpower: each other. There are countless public servants across counties, states, federal agencies, and global institutions addressing similar issues. And now, these problem solvers and innovators have an opportunity to engage in Google Cloud’s Public Sector Connect.

The Public Sector Connect community was created to connect global innovators working across government, education, health, research, and more.  The aim is to help members find new ideas, solutions, connections, and resources to transform their work and services. As community member Jessica Van Heuveln from the State of Iowa says, “I find this group refreshing. It brings me joy.  I work hard to provide good content to State of Iowa users and now I have a bigger audience to help others use, borrow, or steal.  That makes it even more worthwhile.”

Public Sector Connect is designed for anyone interested in digital transformation–not just developers.  Members can find ideas, solutions, and resources for topics ranging from general workplace productivity to data visualization to process automation. 

In this blog, we've rounded up the top five reasons to join Public Sector Connect - as described by community members. 

1. Strength in numbers

The Public Sector Connect community consists mostly of individuals who work in the public sector. Public Sector Connect members are surrounded by peers navigating challenges similar to those you face, accompanied by a small group of Googlers who can help answer questions.

The diversity of member experience fuels more informed or creative solutions. Once members post to the community and share a problem, they invariably find others with a similar challenge or an approach they may not have considered. 

2. There’s always someone who can help

It’s very likely someone in the community has overcome a hurdle that you may be experiencing. When we asked current members about their favorite part of Public Sector Connect, they said, "There's always someone who can help." 

Anytime a member posts a problem, another member is ready to help solve it. You can also find solutions previously vetted by others and get advice from those who have conquered similar issues. This chain reaction of collaboration and inspiration helps drive fresh approaches to numerous problems faced within the community of Google Cloud’s public sector users and innovators.

3. Build your network and find your peers  

Our members may be miles apart, but they're connected through shared experiences and interests. This has led to opportunities for interaction and genuine, lasting relationships between members. According to one member from the US, "I've realized that Nathaniel (another member) is literally me in the UK. We affectionately refer to each other as the smarter versions of ourselves and collaborate all the time."

4. Make the most of the Cloud with community resources

This community provides a variety of resources to help members make the most of Google Cloud, including:

• Events, like weekly ‘Coffee Hour’ chats, which are real-time conversations highlighting community members’ successes, lessons learned, and/or practical steps for applying Cloud technology to common needs or challenges.

• Training references - both from community members and Google, to help get you and your workforce up to speed faster.

• Solutions to a range of problems, such as mobilizing emergency response initiatives or introducing a zero trust approach to security.

Public Sector Connect is a hub for those looking to optimize or transform how services are provided across government, education, research, and health. 

Over the last year of pandemic responses, members openly tackled new ways of operating and serving their communities. Community Advisor Nathaniel Fisher, Cloud and Data developer from Thanet District Council reflects, “This community has been invaluable to me personally. Seeing and collaborating with others on great work and the excellent coffee hours in the community, making connections and being inspired by others works. This community pushed me in ways that I naturally / actively shy away from. I'm not a natural speaker but have felt welcome in presenting at coffee hours.”  

5. Leadership from within the community

Since Public Sector Connect is a space dedicated to learning, knowledge sharing, and connecting, any member has the opportunity to get more involved and engaged. Community Advisors are those members who have volunteered to contribute content, ideas and recruit others to build the community, ensuring a direct link to member needs.  Advisors often attend or present at each weekly Coffee Hour, support member discussions, and have even  presented at our Public Sector Summit.

If you’re interested in getting connected with other public sector innovators and showcasing the special skills you have or learning with others excited about the promise of cloud technology, you can sign up to join the community and become a Community Advisor.  

Let’s get started!

Join Public Sector Connect to start your journey today. We invite new members to start by browsing the Training and Discussion sections. There are dozens of active discussions showing collaboration happening in real-time. Whether you are transitioning from another platform, new to Google Cloud or want to make the most of new features and advanced applications,the resources within the community are perfect for ensuring you make the most of Google Cloud. 

There are no foolish questions in the Public Sector Connect group, and no project so small that it isn’t deserving of community support. We've learned that some of the smallest projects spark the "what ifs" that lead to groundbreaking changes throughout the public sector, earning members accolades within their agencies and across our community.