Validated Expert info
Expert can perform the Lead expert role and Ad hoc expertise missions at network and programme level in relation to:
- The design and delivery of (transnational) exchange and learning activities
- Thematic expertise:
> Education
> Participatory Governance - Methods and tools for integrated and participatory approaches:
> Integrated and participatory design of strategies
> Securing funding and resourcing
Summary
I have been building a repository of good practices and finding the best ways to transfer different approaches of sustainable urban development to local contexts in small and medium sized cities. Getting people on board and facilitate them putting the collective needs above their own. Fostering community initiatives. Encouraging participative governing mechanisms in local authorities. Experimenting new methods, events, pop-ups, indoor and outdoor spaces and drawing learnings from the experience. Integrating that all in planning documents and finding the right source to finance it. Doing it all in humanly way, fostering mutual respect, tolerance, understanding and dialogue and sometimes even failing knowing the failure will only bring new ideas and solutions.
My professional journey of the last 12 years working with EU funded instruments have given me an extensive experience in designing and implementing various transnational cooperation projects, built my understanding of both private, non-profit and local government methods and processes, and developed a strong skill in facilitating the interaction and collaboration among different stakeholders. It has also shaped my personal interest in building more resilient, inclusive, globally aware and equipped with knowledge and initiative communities and local authorities and having been implementing URBACT "iPLACE" project as a local project manager, I believe we can facilitate the best possible result for every city joining the programme.
Currently I am a board member of an NGO "Positive Proximities" which is a network of European experts dedicated to fostering the sustainable development of cities and territories. We connect leading professionals across disciplines to share knowledge, collaborate on innovative solutions, and drive positive change.
I feel best at facilitating, visioning, mediating between different dimensions and levels, bringing out knowledge of people I work with, presenting new concepts in an easy to understand manner, clearing doubts, bringing people together and practically implementing planned actions from the beginning until the end.
As part of my daily work, I organize and facilitate international exchanges, organize events for public sector professionals, take part in different committees and events on a European scale, match cities with each other for further collaboration and support cities towards their international journey.
A couple of examples from my work within URBACT programme:
1) Trainer of National Urbact Campus in 2024 for BALTIC countries.
2)An ONLINE course for local economic development in small cities across Europe - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLftDc1Mv7Y2ZYLlm9Fj0x3cADBowHvKLw (short episodes to bring out not only the professional voices of our own, but voices of other 10 cities and their knowledge)
3) A 2 day virtual hackathon "People. Environment. Innovation" for citizen engagement - https://hakatons.saldus.lv/
4) Speaker at URBACT city festival 2022 in Paris in a session called "Small and medium sized cities finding their niches and potentials"
5) POP-UP eco innovation week in a centre of a small town where pop-up concept was never tried out.