Getting Younger: Preparing The Future Leaders of Open Government

Photo: Open Government Indonesia Secretariat team and interns

The Open Government Indonesia team is running a structured program which introduces open government to youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More through an internship program. The main concept of the program is to educate these youth about open government in general, and to open communication for further opportunities, such as what youth can contribute to improve open government in Indonesia. We also use the internship as an opportunity to develop the youth’s capacity in project management, research, and communication skills, and also to grow their devotion to their country.  We believe that youth are the most effective engine for growth and therefore, Open Government Indonesia agreed to involve youth as part of the Young Ambassador of Open Government (YAOG) initiative.

Interns are selected from universities across Indonesia, and they will have the opportunity to work together with the Open Government Indonesia team to promote openness and public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... for approximately four months. At the beginning of the internship, the interns learned about open government through a one day in-class sharing session, and they were encouraged to study from the available resources, such as Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More website and other relevant sources.

The interns’ contribution began with their involvement in developing a project plan on the Open Government Indonesia yearly action planAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen..., and assigning their role and responsibilities. During the internship period, performance feedback is regularly given to ensure their development.

To create a solid team of interns, we selected the best students in either their senior year of college or graduates and conducted a series of interviews to ensure their alignment with open government values. Their backgrounds vary, from business graduates, to international relations students to information technology, graphic design, and even psychology students. The diversity has created a rich discussion and out-of-the-box ideas to promote openness and collaboration during their internship period. You can see this in action by watching this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1g_-r2SqI0. 

The video was played during a major open government event – “Netizen,” an event to showcase LAPOR! and the Satulayanan website –  and received a lot of appreciation.

So far, the Open Government Indonesia team has employed 30 interns. Some of them have been hired to support LAPOR! (“to report” in Indonesian), an initiative from the Government of Indonesia to provide an integrated and accessible portal for the Indonesian public to submit complaints and inquiries as a means of enhancing public participation in national development programs. Others ontinued to pursue their career while still actively promoting openness in their areas.