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Innovation, Digital Government Transformation and Changing Mindsets in the Caribbean SIDS (2024 - 2027)

Photo of coastline in the Caribbean

About the Project:
Implemented by UN DESA and ECLAC Caribbean Headquarters, with the collaboration of the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD), this project aims to strengthen public sector national capacities for Innovation, Digital Government Transformation and Changing Mindsets in three Caribbean SIDS by: (i )strengthening public servants’ skills, knowledge, and understanding of the importance of public sector transformation by promoting changing mindsets strategies and approaches in support of innovation and digital transformation to support the implementation of the SDGs; and (ii) strengthening institutional arrangements, structures, mechanisms and approaches to promote innovation and digital governance transformation to improve public service delivery, leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind first. In this regard, multi-island jurisdictions are likely to especially benefit from improved governance and institutional service delivery modalities.

Objective:
To enhance the capacities of government officials to promote new mindsets needed in support of digital transformation and innovation and changing mindsets for stronger public institutions, to ensure the benefits of improved service delivery and leave no one behind, in particular vulnerable groups, thus substantially contributing to support the implementation of the SDGs.

Beneficiaries:
Direct beneficiaries include high – and mid-level government officials from ministries and government institutions at the national, regional, and local level. Indirect beneficiaries include the citizens and communities at large, including vulnerable groups. 
 

Key Accomplishments:

Expected Accomplishments:
•    By organizing national and regional capacity building workshops, peer-to-peer learning, study tours, online courses, and training materials, the project aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of policymakers in the target countries, enhancing their understanding and commitment of the importance of promoting innovation and digital transformation.
•    By preparing training materials, online courses, regionally wide peer-to-peer learning workshops, and in-country workshops in support of the design and implementation of strategic action plans engaging schools of public administration and other relevant actors, the project will strengthen the capacity of policy makers in the selected Caribbean SIDS to develop institutional reforms and tailor capacity building plans for digital transformation and innovation of public service delivery.

Expected Activities:
•    Regional and national workshops on Innovation and Digital Government for Public Service Delivery based on the Curriculum on Governance training toolkits helping stakeholders from the selected countries assess how their government institutions support service delivery by examining the innovation challenges and opportunities. The workshops will help them to design a roadmap and action plan to identify priorities for innovation and digital inclusion in the public sector.
•    Country or regional specific workshops will include topics such as digital services through omni channel modalities, e-participation, measuring digital inclusion in the public sector, Design Thinking, Agile Methods in Government, and Innovation Labs.
•    Support the self-assessment by each selected country of their digital governance readiness level based on the Digital Government Capability Assessment (DGCA) developed by UN DESA. 
•    Workshops with universities and institutes of administration in the region (hybrid mode) on strategies for upskilling and reskilling of the public sector for digital transformation and inclusive digital access to services.
•    Regional and national workshops on Changing Mindsets in public institutions to present the topic’s importance to government decision makers as well as other relevant stakeholders.
•    Prepare training materials for national substantive training in support of the design and implementation of strategic action plans engaging schools of public administration and other relevant actors.
•    Development of at least one online course to support knowledge of principles of digital transformation and methods of innovation in the public service.

 

Lead Division:
UN DESA / DPIDG
Partners:
UN DESA/DSDG/SIDS Unit, ECLAC Caribbean Headquarters, CARICAD
Funding Source:
DA Tranche 16 Account
Budget:
$500,000
Time Frame:
January 2024 – June 2027
Thematic Area:
SDG 1, SDG 10, SDG11, SDG 16, SDG 17
Region:
Americas
Focus Countries:
The Bahamas, Guyana, Saint Lucia