TWA and HKV recognise the importance of working both top-down and bottom-up in parallel. Through the Young Professional Workshop, the Consultant team was able to engage and connect with the young staff typically tasked with operational roles. Over twenty young professionals from local agencies and water utilities in Central Java participated actively and enthusiastically in teams.
Making Decisions for Water Allocation
Inspired by the Urutan Prioritas, an interactive game was developed to spark discussions among the young professionals. Using Lego blocks to visualize limited water resources (blue for groundwater and white for surface water), teams were tasked with allocating the necessary water for each category of Prioritas. Additionally, they identified which organizations should be part of the system and what their roles could be. This approach helped participants understand the complexities of water management.
Participants were presented with two scenarios—one representing the present and the other set in 2045, incorporating climate change and population growth. This exercise highlighted the challenges of water resource management and encouraged creative problem-solving, giving the young professionals a rare opportunity to play an active role in decision-making. The game served as an active platform for understanding the roles of different organizations and how various stakeholders could collaborate.
The Workshop saw very active interactions as participants collaborated and competed to ‘win’ the game. Through simulations of different scenarios, each team mapped out stakeholders’ contributions to the system, reassessed these stakeholders’ roles in the system, and identified potential bottlenecks. They also suggested solutions to future water scarcity issues, including circular water use, weather modifications, CSR contributions from the private sector, and more.
This Workshop not only connected TWA and HKV with the Young Professionals from organizations in Central Java, but also empowered them to take an active role in shaping the future of water resource management.
