COURSES > COMMUNICATION & INFLUENCE

Advanced Minute Taking

Improve Your Confidence and Efficiency in Meetings

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This course is available for teams and organisations.

We’ll tailor it to your goals and deliver it online, at your offices, or wherever works best.

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Overview

Taking minutes involves more than simply writing notes. Being able to keep up in busy meetings, turn notes into concise minutes and cascade the relevant action points to the right people are all critical skills that minute takers have to master.

Attend our Advanced Minute Taking course led by Sue Calthorpe, to maximise your listening and writing capabilities and gain invaluable practice and feedback. Through writing sessions, gain the confidence to create great meeting notes and turn them into insightful and actionable points.

Leave the day confident in your ability to generate tangible results in your role as a minute taker.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly advanced in recent years, revolutionising how we create and edit content. Integrating AI into our writing courses has been crucial for helping public sector delegates stay informed, write with integrity and enhance their efficiency.

However, it is equally important to recognise that misuse of AI can lead to serious issues, such as plagiarism, copyright infringement and ethical breaches.

Learning Outcomes

  • Improve efficiency and accuracy when 
    taking notes

  • Confidently cascade outcomes and 
    action points to the relevant people

  • Practice your listening and 
    writing skills to excel within the public sector

  • Gain a full understanding of the role and responsibilities of the minute- taker

  • Overcome the common pitfalls surrounding writing notes and minute taking




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Trainers for this Course

At ModernGov, we partner with experienced trainers who specialise in written communication skills within the public sector.

Based on your organisation’s goals and requirements, we match you with the right expert: someone who understands your context and can deliver a tailored course designed to strengthen your team’s writing skills.

See trainers we regularly work with on this >

Sue Calthorpe
Media and Communications Expert

Read Full Bio

With over 30 years of experience in media and communications, Sue Calthorpe specialises in transforming complex information into clear, concise and impactful written content. Her expertise spans:

  • Policy documents and submissions

  • Briefing papers and executive summaries

  • Complaint handling and responses

  • Promotional and persuasive writing

  • Writing for diverse audiences, including those with neurodivergent processes or disabilities

What have previous attendees said about this course?

  • “Fantastic course, trainer and facilitator. I am really pleased I attended the course and have learned new skills and techniques. The course was very informative, interactive and well organised. It was great to hear how the other delegates work and all help each other to improve our skills.”

    - Executive Assistant, Saint Francis Hospice

  • “I really enjoyed this course. I found many of the activities useful and the trainer was very good at delivering information whilst keeping my attention. I have certainly learnt some new skills that will make me a better minute taker going forward.”

    – Executive Assistant, University of Cambridge

  • "The advanced minute taking course has significantly enhanced the quality and clarity of my meeting records. it has improved my confidence, sharpened my listening skills and enabled me to produce minutes that are concise, professional and action-focused."

    - Value Based Healthcare Project Support at Health Technology Wales

  • "The course tutor made the subject engaging. Also reaffirming the importance of the role/task of a minute taker. This course title, 'advanced minutes', is misleading... it was so much more."

    - Moat Foundation Officer at Moat Homes Limited

Agenda

09:25 - 09:30 Registration

09:30 - 10:00 Trainer’s Introduction and Clarification of Learning Objectives

10:00 - 10:30 The Poor Meeting

In this session, learn how to turn a poor meeting into a good meeting.

  • The purpose of minutes vs. notes and best practice

  • Before, during and after the meeting: what are the roles of the minute-taker?

  • Focus on what can go wrong in a meeting and what you can do to guard against common barriers to minute taking

10:30 - 11:3 Establishing a Partnership with the Chair

Effective minutes happen when the Chair and minute-taker work as a team. In this session, discuss strategies to encourage closer working for better results.

  • Define Standard Terms: What do each of the headings on the minutes mean?

  • Understand what sort of notes you should take: on the values of action minutes, summary notes or verbatim reporting

11:30 - 11:45 Morning Break

11:45 - 12:45 Don’t Just Listen – Hear

Practise writing minutes in pairs (while maintaining eye contact) to test your accuracy and skill. Your minutes will be shared with the trainer to gain invaluable feedback, advice and guidance.

  • Develop interpersonal skills

  • Improve your focus in busy meetings

  • Pick out the key pieces of information from a conversation

12:45 - 13:45 Lunch

13:45 - 14:30 Writing Concise Minutes

  • How to deal with abbreviations and technical language

  • Practical exercise in taking notes from a filmed meeting

  • Turn notes into legible, concise, well-written minutes

  • Explore different note-taking methods to suit your style

14:30 - 15:00 Workshop: Turn Minutes into Actionable Points

  • Ensure maximum clarity in meetings

  • Making sure action points are easy to find

  • Making sure the relevant parties have been informed

  • Developing attractive layouts that readers want to read

15:00 - 15:15 Afternoon Break

15:15 - 16:00 Workshop: Mind Mapping

  • Alternative ways to capture lots of information

  • Organise your notes in a visual manner to convert them into meaningful minutes

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