Exchange Programmes and Secondments
Exchange programmes and secondments where public servants and the public spend time in each other’s organisations and environments would build empathy and create awareness of the value of public participation.
|
What it might look like: Secondees or exchanged staff could work in teams for a long period, or even just spend a day or two integrated in or just shadowing a different team. |
Why the contribution is important
Public servants often aren’t aware that the public is not always a ‘stakeholder to be managed’ but rather experts who are ready, willing and able to add value to their work. This Concept aims to help build awareness of this.
Rate this idea: (1 star 'bad'; 5 stars 'great')
Add comments: What do you like? What would you change?
- Can you think of examples of how people have done this well in the past?
- Or is there some better way to build empathy with the public?
by ProjectTeam on February 23, 2018 at 12:51PM
Posted by gkend February 26, 2018 at 20:18
Report this Comment (Requires Log In)
Posted by deanowilliams March 01, 2018 at 10:20
Report this Comment (Requires Log In)
Posted by jgibbons March 02, 2018 at 23:55
Report this Comment (Requires Log In)
Posted by WorkinginCivic March 05, 2018 at 13:33
Where I think this idea has potential is in sending public servants to accompany people who are 'interacting' with government (i.e. visiting a Centrelink shopfront, filling out forms etc). This would allow public servants to identify problems in real-time, and as jgibbons pointed out, get us out of the Canberra bubble.
Report this Comment (Requires Log In)
Posted by markimark March 07, 2018 at 12:11
Report this Comment (Requires Log In)
Posted by TPhillips March 11, 2018 at 08:11
Let me be clear: I think secondments are great. They build amazing levels of awareness and understanding for the specific people and teams that participate. I have personally learnt enormously from secondments and having secondees.
But I don’t think it can achieve the goal of “getting the public involved in the public service’s work”. It just can’t scale. This idea would be great for *stateholder engagement*: eg seconding someone from an interest group/NGO/business to see how the APS works on the inside. But stakeholder engagement is not a substitute for public engagement.
Report this Comment (Requires Log In)