A Northern Ireland New Year message has reflected on progress and prosperity, giving a fictional regional map an excuse to join a planning meeting and ask whether a model building has a five year vision.
The message thanked people working in public services and looked ahead to continued cooperation. It also referred to regional growth deals, a defence industrial strategy and support intended to help businesses trade. Those are serious matters. The joke here is about the planning language that can turn a blank noticeboard into a strategic partner.
Northern Ireland progress meets the map
Progress depends on people, investment and practical work. The fictional Office of Regional Optimism agrees. It has placed a model building beside a map and asked both objects to identify their preferred outcomes before lunch.
The message looks forward to cooperation in the year ahead. The map welcomed this, although it has asked that nobody call it a stakeholder simply because it contains several roads and a determined blue river.
Real communities need policies that make a difference. The imaginary folder supports this principle. It has not yet worked out how, but it has arranged a short workshop on the emotional wellbeing of a blank noticeboard.
The model building requests a milestone
Public messages can set direction, but delivery needs clear decisions and sustained effort. The model building is relieved. It feared it might have to become an innovation corridor before anyone checked whether its tiny doors opened.
By the end of the pretend session, the map had been given an action owner and the noticeboard had acquired a lanyard. The folder declared this a breakthrough, mainly because nothing had yet asked it to produce another briefing note.
The real work remains beyond the paperwork. The fictional office has noted that carefully and scheduled a meeting to explore the word beyond.
Source: UK Government.
