Business Sector Care, Welfare & Sport

Timeframe

July 2019 - early December 2019

Role

Co-organiser, facilitator and advisor

Objective

This programme, developed for the Care, Welfare and Sport Sector Association, brought together representatives from the Dutch education and business sectors to develop innovative solutions to pressing issues within these sectors. The emphasis was on integrating technology into daily practice.

Central questions were: how can professionals be made curious and inquisitive about technology in their field of work? How can students be actively introduced to technological developments? And how can education, in cooperation with the professional field, create powerful technological learning environments?

With over 130 participants from both education and business, multidisciplinary teams in which students were also represented worked together to develop technologically innovative and socially relevant solutions. The programme placed a strong emphasis on collaboration, creative thinking and finding practical, immediately implementable solutions.

Tasks and Responsibilities

- Project management: Started preparation in July 2019, including drafting the programme and coordinating all organisational aspects.
- Facilitation of the Innovation Process: Supported the teams by using methodologies such as Design Thinking, Lean Startup and Agile, which helped them arrive at innovative solutions in a structured and targeted manner.
- Coach Training: Organising and conducting training for both senior and junior coaches to best guide and support the teams in their innovation process.
- Jury coordination: Drafting assessment criteria and facilitating the assessment process to select and reward the best solutions.
- Evaluation: Finalisation and evaluation of the programme in early December 2019 to analyse the results and share insights for future programmes.

Core Values in Practice

During the programme, there was a strong commitment to a culture of open communication and mutual respect. This environment ensured that each participant felt heard and valued, which enhanced collaboration across teams. Participants were encouraged to push their boundaries and explore new ideas.
This led to a dynamic and innovative atmosphere, where creativity was given room to flourish. Teams developed close bonds and worked on their projects with dedication and responsibility, leading to powerful synergies and lasting partnerships.

Participants often had to step outside their comfort zone to explore and test their ideas. This encouraged an atmosphere where innovation was central and new ideas were valued. There was a constant search for ways to take responsibility for their own learning, leading to personal growth and a strong sense of ownership of results.
The mutual dedication within the teams was visible in the way they worked together to achieve their goals, with mutual respect and trust playing an important role.

Impact and Results

The programme resulted in several innovative concepts and prototypes with immediate practical application. The solutions addressed diverse challenges within the Health, Welfare and Sport sectors, each with its own focus and impact:

- Mental Wellbeing: Teams developed applications aimed at supporting users' mental well-being, with technologies that facilitate daily functioning. Examples include the use of robots and other smart technologies that help improve users' well-being by supporting them in their daily activities.
- Interactive Learning and Collaboration: Several teams focused on motivating students, teachers and professionals through gamified platforms. These platforms encourage engagement and collaboration by exploring technological innovations in a playful, interactive way. This ensures that participants are actively involved in the learning process and increases technological knowledge and skills within the sector.
- Virtual Environments for Education: A team developed a VR experience that brings students and teachers together to explore technological innovations in an educational way. This approach promotes collaboration and encourages innovation in education through immersive, virtual environments. This makes learning an interactive and engaging experience beyond traditional learning methods.
- Community-based Technology: Initiatives such as the integration of technology within residential communities focused on enhancing collaboration and shared learning experiences. These solutions encourage social cohesion and enable technology to be integrated meaningfully into users' living environments. Through this approach, communities become stronger and better able to cope with technological change.
- Knowledge Sharing and Innovation Hubs: Other teams developed platforms that function as hubs for knowledge sharing and collaboration. These platforms allow users to share ideas and jointly work on innovative solutions, which significantly strengthens the innovation power within the sector. Through this collaboration, knowledge is shared and new ideas are developed and implemented faster.

The diversity of the problem-solution fits not only helped solve specific issues, but also further strengthened cooperation between educational institutions and professional practice. The programme has thus had a lasting impact on the way technology can be used and experienced within the Care, Welfare and Sport sectors.

Learning moments

‍Participants reported that the programme was a valuable learning experience, gaining new insights into interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation.Many regarded it as a turning point in their professional development, allowing them to use their creativity and problem-solving skills in new ways.

Skills developed by participants

- Innovation management and facilitation of creative processes
- Leadership and mentoring within interdisciplinary teams
- Application of Design Thinking, Lean Startup and Agile methodologies
- Assessment and coordination of assessment processes
- Development and coordination of complex programmes

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