As part of the UNDP BiH project “Digital Transformation in the Public Sector” financed by the British Embassy Sarajevo and UKaid, the SmartUp team in partnership with Korimako from Slovenia and Dark Matter Labs from UK were engaged to design and deliver a pilot Public Sector Innovation Training for government leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The pilot training was held in the period 21st – 25th of March in Sarajevo, led by our teammates – Sofija Bogeva – Innovation Lead and Programme manager and Milosh Sokolikj – Service Designer.
The training was intended for representatives of the national and local government of Bosnia and Herzegovina focusing on creating a safe space for joint learning and co-creation between the participants to strengthen their relationship and enable them to immerse into an innovation process from which they can learn how to initiate, experiment with and challenge for more public sector innovation. Moreover, to enable co-design of out-of the box solutions to improve policies and public services.
This pilot was complemented with a “Train-the-Trainer” training designed to provide local experts with insights into the most suitable tools and methods for supporting public policy and service design processes, boosting their capacity to continue delivering such training in the future. The first part of the ToT training was held on the afternoon of 23 of March in Sarajevo, with two follow up online sessions held on the 29 and 31st of March.
In total 72 attended the programme:
- 57 people attended the training (2.5 days)
- 36 people attended the policy lab (2 days)
- 15 took part in the ToT programme (2 days)
Considering the overall programme realization; there was an evident progress in participants’ understanding of public sector innovation, the innovation process and the opportunities that exist for innovation. In this regard specific improvement in understanding of the innovation process and the innovation tools was identified. Moreover, specific public sector areas (public administration reform, employment policy and transparency, digitalization, etc.) where further work is needed were mapped and ideas to address them were developed.
A new network of potential national experts was created that should drive this work further and support public sector organizations in their innovation efforts.
A guide to innovation was designed to support the administration in trying and testing new methods within their everyday work as well as get inspired to start an innovation journey.
At the end of the programme all participants in the Public Sector Innovation Training, the Policy Lab and the ToT training received certificates for completion of the training.
More about the training you can find in the part “Our Work” where all projects/initiatives/platforms we develop are presented.
