Rural Payments Agency

This Diwali, hear from RPA Ambassador Dee Tsouvallaris who works in the Stakeholder Engagement Team on what the festival means to her and how she will be celebrating this year:  “Diwali, also spelled Divali or Deepavali, is one of the major festivals celebrated in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The name comes from the Sanskrit term dipavali, meaning "row of lights," symbolising the victory of light over darkness.  As we approach that special time of year when Hindus don their finest Indian attire and illuminate their surroundings with thousands of clay lamps, I am swept up in beautiful memories of Deepavali festivities spent with my family back in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Our small village of Esperanza would burst to life with prayers echoing from the many temples. While I can no longer celebrate Deepavali with my family as I once did, I spend time baking and cooking delicious food to share with neighbours and friends. This festival gives me an opportunity to reconnect with my roots and bring memories to life. I'm inspired to get into the kitchen and bake up a storm, then dress in one of my favourite saris, even if I have nowhere special to go. This year, I look forward to lighting up our new home with oil-filled clay lamps to mark the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance” - Dee Tsouv

Our RPA Ambassador network offers a unique opportunity for our employees to engage with rural communities and our customers at external events. The network started in June 2023 and since then has grown to 124 members. Joining the RPA Ambassador network offers a wide range of opportunities, including: 🌱 Representing the RPA at agricultural shows, engaging with customers and answering questions about our schemes and services 🌱 Assisting at MP Roundtables, working with Members of Parliament to update farmers on our services 🌱 Engaging with local communities at auction marts or events 🌱Connecting with customers on a personal level to understand their challenges and demonstrate how we can help them. So far this year, 61 ambassadors have attended 43 events across the country - with more to come! RPA Ambassadors play a key role in showcasing our commitment to supporting the farming industry. ✉️ If you’d like to find out more, contact the team at ambassador.network@rpa.gov.uk #RPA #RPAAmbassadors #BritishFarming #CustomerEngagement

🚜 Connecting with Farmers at Rural Shows & Events 🚜 Agricultural shows and events are a fantastic opportunity for RPA colleagues to connect with the communities we serve. They allow us to talk to farmers, businesses, and the public, strengthening relationships and gaining valuable insights into the challenges and priorities of the people we serve. As Sal Drew from the Farming Transformation Fund (FTF) shared, “Personally, I enjoy getting out there meeting people face to face, helping and guiding. But it’s not just farmers and agents. Networking is a big part of being on the RPA stand. We mainly share the stand with Defra when we attend shows and it’s good listening to them, as I’ve learnt so much." These events aren’t just about sharing information; they’re about listening. Georgina Ling of the Farming Equipment and Transformation Fund (FETF) added, “Being on the ground gives us a deeper understanding of our customers' needs and helps us shape the way we work.” From answering questions at about schemes and grants, to gathering feedback, every event is an opportunity to improve. 📣 This month we will be attending Worcester Auction Mart, Ludlow Auction Mart and CLA Roadshow. We’re always eager to listen and improve—so if you're visiting, come and say hello! #RPA #Agriculture #RuralCommunities #ExternalEngagement

📢 Do you have the skills and passion to become an Earth Observation Specialist within the Rural Payments Agency? 🌍 🔭 If the answer is yes, then we could have the role for you! Earth observation is a growth area in the RPA, transforming into a customer-centric, data and intelligence-led Agency. You will be working within the Data, Insight and Outcome Business Area. Earth Observation Specialist (HEO) – https://lnkd.in/erNUqc57 Senior Earth Observation Specialist (SEO) - https://lnkd.in/eFfcA3YP Various Locations throughout England Closing Date: Monday 28 October 2024 #RPA #EarthObservationJob #Geospatial #DataIntelligence

In episode 10 of The RPA Podcast we have a roundtable discussion with RPA’s senior customer leadership team: ‘Inside the RPA: Leadership and Vision’. In the second part of the podcast, we bring you an interview with the Farming Advice Service (FAS) to give you more information on their new partnership with Catchment Sensitive Farming. 🎧 You can listen to The RPA Podcast on Apple, Spotify or Buzzsprout.

At the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), we are committed to supporting excellent customer service through our colleagues’ learning and development. The Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) was launched in RPA in 2020, and since then we’ve been working hard to build a community focused on: ·      Instilling a sense of pride and passion in our members, making sure they feel valued for the work they do ·      Building a respected, thriving community that plays a key role in public service delivery ·      Creating a workforce that’s ready for the future through insightful learning and development ·      Inspiring our colleagues to invest time in their own learning and development ·      Developing our customer experience expertise across our agency to deliver the best services ·      Celebrating success and recognising the incredible impact of our work Our efforts are already making a difference: 🚀 90 colleagues have completed the AA-SEO Development Programme since it launched in 2022 📚 15 colleagues have completed an ODP qualification in the past year 🎓 20 colleagues have completed an ODP apprenticeship in the past 2 years We are proud to be part of the ODP, equipping and empowering our staff to deliver the best for our customers. #RPA #OperationalDeliveryProfession #CivilService #LearningAndDevelopment #ProudToBeRPA #CareerGrowth

In our second video celebrating The National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs #NationalYoungFarmersWeek hear from Felix who completed 2 years studying animal care before starting his agriculture course. Felix explains why he chose to go into agriculture, his hopes for the future and what farming means to him. Thank you to East Durham College for allowing us to visit and get to know some future British farmers.

To celebrate the The National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs #NationalYoungFarmersWeek we recently visited students at East Durham College to find out what farming means to them. In the first video from the visit, hear from Gabor Farkas on why he chose to study at farming college and his hopes for the future. #RPA #BritishFarming

Hear from our Customer Director Marie Hardeman as she reflects on her first year at RPA and her plans for the future. Click the following link to watch the full video on our YouTube channel 👉 #InsidetheRPA

Our Waddle of Worcester farewell events open today and our penguins have been perfectly polished thanks to a team from the Rural Payments Agency. The team joined us earlier this week to ensure our feathered friends were looking their best after some minor ‘tweetment’ post trail. And Jess here even turned up in her penguin suit! We’re extremely grateful to local organisations who gift their time to us to volunteer for a whole range of hospice events and activities. Thank you for helping us be here for patients and families 💙 To join us to say goodbye to our happy huddle visit: https://lnkd.in/ecKvKXKC