The tailor-made-training (TMT) program for civil servants of environmental agencies in East Java has been proven to be a beacon of hope for future collaborations in the region. Here are some inspiring success stories from the participants:
Newfound Perspectives
Anton Dharma, Head of UPT PUSDA, oversees the management of water resources, including rivers and irrigation. Although this wasn’t his first TMT experience, he found the new flexible learning method particularly effective. Despite his expertise in hydrology and disaster management, Anton gained around 80% new knowledge, especially in environmental management through the TMT workshop. The workshops provided him with a deeper understanding of multilevel governance and the significant roles each sector plays in shaping a sustainable East Java. This experience opened his eyes to new perspectives from other sectors, making collaboration easier. Anton now believes that achieving a sustainable region requires a middle ground where the legislative system unites different sectors rather than pulling them apart. He advocates for localizing all sectors and regulations to achieve this goal.
Similar viewpoint was shared by Nuning Nur Laila, who works at the Environmental Services Agency (DLH) of East Java. At the office, Nuning’s role focuses on controlling environmental pollution. Before the workshop, she was frustrated with the region’s environmental management practices and the frequent complaints directed at her agency. She needed to understand what other sectors were doing to see how her agency could collaborate and fit into their agendas. The workshop’s message of “local heroes, local initiatives, and local resources” resonated with her. Nuning now believes that for all sectors to work together, they need to synergize and be on the same page, starting with localizing their efforts and expanding outward.
Need for Holistic Approach in the Future
Like her seniors, Irena Ariza, a junior analyst for natural disaster at BPBD East Java also sees monumental benefits from the program. Irena gained new insights into the workings of other sectors and emphasized the new knowledge she acquired in disaster management. The workshop has made her more open to collaborating with other sectors for the success of Welang and the East Java province. Her newfound understanding of cross-sector collaboration is a testament to the workshop’s impact on fostering a holistic approach to disaster management. Considering the layers of multilevel governance, all of them need to come together and have open dialogues and synergizing their efforts more frequently than before.
An Honorable Win for Environmental Innovation
Mokhammad Mushkin, a junior expert at the Environmental Services Agency (DLH) of East Java, recently won a consolation prize at the INOPAMAS which is a provincial-level technological innovation competition with his colleagues. His project was particularly interesting as it took an element of the TMT program, as he endorsed payments for environmental services (PES) through this project.
He credits the TMT program for motivating him to develop this project. For the first time, other sectors were involved in discussions on holistic environmental management, which was evident during the workshop. Although an expert in his field, Mokhammad gained new knowledge of theories and technologies that inspired him to translate them into practical applications. His project expanded the use of PES beyond traditional practices, implementing it in various ways such as downstream to downstream and upstream to upstream. Initiatives like planting mangroves to reduce carbon emissions and integrating waste collectors into industrial obligations to process waste were part of his innovative approach. Mokhammad emphasized the importance of practicing what is advocated for, starting with simple tasks like sorting waste or making organic compost at home.
These success stories highlight the TMT Workshop’s effectiveness in fostering practical skills, innovative thinking, and cross-sector collaboration among civil servants. The participants’ achievements underscore the program’s role in driving sustainable development and environmental management in East Java.
