Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University

To be #trustworthy, public institutions must demonstrate ability, humanity, and integrity. The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University’s new research brief, “Navigating Trust: Paving the Path to Public Innovation,” authored by Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow Terrance Smith, highlights examples like the City of Mobile, AL's initiative to acknowledge past harms and rebuild #CommunityTrust through visible and impactful actions. Download the brief to strengthen trust in your organization and drive #PublicInnovation. ?? https://lnkd.in/gXSxGuRK #AcademicResearch #Innovation #CommunityEngagement #CityGovernance #Cities #MobileAL #PublicSectorLeadership #PublicTrust #Trust #TrustBuilding #Trustworthiness #AcademicFellowship #BCPI #JHU #JohnsHopkins Francisca Rojas, Amanda Daflos, Leigh Graham, PhD, MBA

Imagine waiting months for help in school. That used to be the reality for many children in #Reykjavik, Iceland. Now, thanks to the city’s #DigitalTransformation and the creation of on-site “solutions teams,” help is just a few steps away—and it’s making a real difference for students. By digitizing outdated processes and introducing real-time support, some city staff members report that wait times for support have been cut in half while providing more tailored support for students. This proactive approach ensures that every child gets the help they need and that no one slips through the cracks. Discover how #PublicInnovation and technology are reshaping student support and setting a new standard for public services in Reykjavík. ?? Explore the full story at: https://hubs.ly/Q02YWGgM0 #DigitalTransformation #PublicServices #BetterPublicServices #Education #StudentWellBeing The City of Reykjavik

?? #InnovationReads: How can cities harness #GenerativeAI (#GenAI) in #CivicEngagement while maintaining #trust? A new collaborative state-of-the-field review by expert faculty at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, Emerson College, and the City of Boston explores how GenAI can enhance civic participation through tools like chatbots, translation, complex data analysis, and #DataVisualization for effective #UrbanDesign. The authors emphasize that technology should act as a “mediator” of trust in civic relationships while also noting that sustaining this trust requires continuous human involvement and oversight. The key takeaway? Building trust is essential, especially as cities begin to adopt emerging technology to meet their residents’ needs. The findings highlight the need for intentional, people-centered guidelines to ensure that GenAI aligns with the principles of transparency, equity, and ethics. This is crucial for cities to use GenAI responsibly in public services while addressing challenges related to digital access, privacy, and environmental impact. ?? Dive deeper into this insightful review: https://hubs.ly/Q02XpBHL0 #DigitalEquity #PublicInnovation #CivicDesign

How do you get children to share their true feelings in a meaningful and engaging way? In #Reykjavik, Iceland, the answer was #art powered by a #HumanCentered approach. The City of Reykjavik's Digital #InnovationTeam (i-team) used art-based workshops to let children express their experiences with colored beads, creating a visual “map” of their self-assessed well-being. This #DataDriven art didn’t just gather data insights—it transformed them into a shared, tangible experience that resonated across the community. These installations spurred city-wide conversations and helped leaders better understand youth needs, creating a lasting impact that traditional surveys alone wouldn’t achieve. Through #HumanCenteredDesign, this approach was about more than data collection—it was about connecting the city’s leadership, residents, and youth in a shared understanding of student well-being to improve #ServiceDelivery for children and families. ?? Learn how innovation is shaping better public services in Reykjavík: https://hubs.ly/Q02XwFnv0 #ArtAndData #PublicInnovation #CommunityEngagement #StudentWellBeing #PublicServices #Education

In 2019, The City of Reykjavik’s school system faced mounting challenges: unmet student needs, outdated processes, and long response times to student support requests. The city’s Digital #InnovationTeam (i-team) stepped in with a #HumanCenteredDesign approach to make real change. Human-centered design is a #ProblemSolving approach that puts people at the center of the design process. By collecting #data in the form of student, parent, and teacher interviews, the #iteam was able to map residents’ experiences and uncover barriers to timely support. Their insights led to practical improvements like on-site “solutions teams” and a digital case management system, so students now get the support they need—right when they need it. See how #Reykjavik’s people-focused approach to #ServiceDesign is reshaping support for the city’s students and families. ?? Read the full story at: https://hubs.ly/Q02XwCs_0 #PublicInnovation #CityLeaders #TransformativeChange #DigitalInnovation #InnovationTeam #Education #StudentWellBeing

The Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative offers up to $100,000 in grants for ambitious, arts-driven redesign projects to improve road safety. These #UrbanDesign #grants will help enhance public safety, engage local communities, and create dynamic new public spaces. Eligible cities (population 50,000+) across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can apply. Applications are due by January 31, 2025. ?? Learn more and apply: https://hubs.ly/Q02Vn3jm0 #AsphaltArtInitiative #AsphaltArt #PublicInnovation #PublicSpaces #CommunityRevitalization #ProjectBasedGrants

???? The City of Reykjavik has claimed the 2024 Seoul Smart City Gold Award in the Tech-InnovaCity category for its Better City for Children initiative—a project led by the city’s #InnovationTeam (i-team) that enhanced school support services through on-site “solutions teams” made available to provide faster, targeted support for students in need. Their work helped change the way that the city works with young people and brought their perspective to guide solutions. Congratulations to Mayor Einar Thorsteinsson, Arna Yr S?varsdóttir, óskar J. Sandholt and team! Join us in celebrating this global recognition of Reykjavík’s successful #PublicInnovation efforts! Learn more about their project here: https://lnkd.in/ewwXzbPp ?? Full details on the Seoul Smart City Prize: https://lnkd.in/ee2-PWEU #SeoulSmartCityPrize #SmartCities #TechForGood #PublicInnovation #DigitalInnovation #DigitalTransformation Seoul Metropolitan Government (?????)

?? Join the Public Innovators Network! ?? Are you a local government leader or staff member committed to using innovation, data, collaboration, and resident engagement to deliver exceptional results for people? If so, join this trusted peer network of nearly 2,000 innovation leaders driving change in cities and communities across the globe. Apply today to: ? Connect with like-minded professionals and visionaries, ?? Learn about groundbreaking innovation projects making a difference across the globe, and ?? Share and gain access to specialized public innovation resources that are helping create change in cities worldwide. ?? Hosted by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, the Public Innovators Network is the premier place for city employees across the globe to learn from one another and access cutting-edge resources and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. ?? Apply to join today at https://hubs.ly/Q02WZZpw0 #PublicInnovation #JoinUs #MakeADifference #Innovation #SocialImpact

#VOTE! #Democracy works best when we all engage. #Voting is about ensuring we have institutions that reflect and serve our communities responsibly. By participating in civic life, we help create stronger, more accountable leadership that drives innovation and opportunity in our cities. Every voice matters in building the future we want. #GoVote ?? https://hubs.ly/Q02W2bjw0 #PublicInnovation #DemocracyInAction #CivicEngagement

The foundation of #PublicInnovation lies in #trust — built through ability, humanity, and integrity. In “Navigating Trust: Paving the Path to Public Innovation,” the Center’s new research brief, authored by Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow Terrance Smith, highlights how city leaders can foster trust through meaningful #CommunityEngagement. One city Smith describes as a model for this approach is #Barranquilla, Colombia. Their “Todos al Parque” initiative actively engaged residents at every step of the design process. By listening to residents and responding to their feedback, the city generated trust through co-designing and delivering #PublicSpaces that truly served the city’s diverse residents. “After more than a decade of innovation work in the municipal setting, we have learned that #trust is a crucial ingredient to the boldest and most ambitious public innovation work. This brief explores what we have learned and how public leaders can advance meaningful change.’ – Amanda Daflos, Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University Download this new brief to explore practical methods for enhancing trust through your public programs. ?? https://lnkd.in/gXSxGuRK #PublicTrust #CommunityEngagement #Leadership #CivicLeadership #GovernmentTransparency #CityGovernance Alcaldía Distrital de Barranquilla