Daniela
Galante
Ad-Hoc Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
In charge of the European Office of Aprilia Municipality (located in Italy - Lazio Region) from 2011, I managed the project "Aprilia Innova PLUS"- Aprilia Local Development Urban Plan -, financed by ERDF for about € 8mln in 2012 and successfully closed in December 2016. Aprilia PLUS included different projects to create a more sustainable, competitive and inclusive city, implementing innovative projects that face the various dimensions of urban life ( physical urban renewal ; measures promoting social inclusion, energy efficiency and sustainable urban mobility, SMART city applications). I was responsible for the managing of the project activities, contractual agreements with Lazio Region, public awarding procedures control, financial issues monitoring, reporting to the Audit Authority, implementing communication activities and participative actions with relevant stakeholders. I was responsible for monitoring project activities and deadlines, dealing with financial and contents issues, that allowed me to experiment the great benefits but also difficulties for cities to face the urban development within an integrated approach. In order to efficiently manage the project, I had to use integrated planning tools to guarantee best interdepartmental cooperation and bring together competencies and human resources coming from different city sectors not used to work together.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
During my professional experience, I have managed and taken part in different transnational projects aiming at identifying, exchanging and/or transferring best practices. The projects included case studies analysis, peer reviews, dissemination workshops, debates among partners coming from different European countries. In particular, "eParticipate" project funded by eTen Programme, aimed to enable public bodies to implement and benefit from a range of eParticipation tools to broaden the participation of citizens in the democratic process. The project focused on deploying an innovative service to 10 very different Municipalities in 8 key EU Member States across Europe (Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, Spain and UK). I attended transnational project meetings on behalf of Lattanzio (Italian partner) presenting the state of the art in Italy about edemocracy tools, exchanging info and data on national market situation, identifying and selecting best practices, sharing project strategy and activities.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
Evidence of my capacity to communicate fluently in English (oral and written) is provided by more than 10 years of activities carried out operating at transnational level as project officer and consultant. The study of English language has always been my priority. English and German were the main languages studied during my University course of Political Science. English has been my working language since 2007 when I started working on European projects, calls and applications, and it was also my living language during my two years stay in Bruxelles. I have good English communication skills, oral and written, acquired working on transnational projects, attending transnational events and meetings but also using English in daily email communications, phone and Skype conversations. I often had to manage in English financial and administrative issues involving partners coming from different European countries, using accurate language in order to be clearly understood by no English speakers, in particular over the phone or in written emails. I daily use English language to develop project ideas to be shared with potential projects partners to apply for European fundings (Programme: Horizon 2020, Life+, Erasmus+, Europe for citizens, Urban Innovative Actions).
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Local Governance
Summary Thematic expertise:
In 2005 I got my university degree in Political Science, so local governance has been my central study theme. From 2011, I am responsible for the European Office of an Italian mid-size city (around 70.000 inhabitants), dealing with different aspects concerning public administration role and functions. At the beginning of my assignment, I was involved in the setting up of the European Office that was never organized in the city before, ensuring that all processes were participatory, accountable, transparent, efficient, inclusive, and respected the rule of law. European Office also provides information on European policies and funding, interacting with citizens and communities on a daily basis. Thanks to my professional position, I have acquired significant experience in local governance mechanisms and dynamics. I am responsible for the managing of projects activities, contractual agreements with other public administration, public awarding procedures control, financial issues monitoring, reporting to the Audit Authorities. More over I often implement communication activities and participative actions with relevant stakeholders, coordinate different municipality sectors due to the integrated nature of the projects, monitor project work plan, outputs and deliverables. I am in charge of monitoring and selecting funding opportunities in all the City working sectors (environment, energy, social inclusion, housing, culture..) at EU, national and regional level.
Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies
E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :
As responsible of the European Office of Aprilia city, I am often asked to participate in local policies implementation actions, in particular when also external funding are involved (European, but also national and regional resources). Participating in funded projects is often an opportunity to improve local policies and foster positive changes. I was in charge of designing and managing an Urban Local Development Plan (PLUS) including different projects following an integrated approach. The Local Development Plan aimed at implementing new local development strategies, integrating environment issues (air quality monitoring, sustainable urban mobility, energy savings..) with social inclusion (active inclusion of particular target groups) and urban strategic planning. As project manager, I supported policy decision process, identified the problem(s) to be addressed, stipulated the objective(s) to be pursued and structured the implementation process trough ERDF funding. It was a multi-actor and multi-dimensional process, that involved politicians but also representatives of citizens, local associations and external experts. I took care of small "focus group" organisation, interviews to selected stakeholders, identification of case studies to develop issues trees. The European Office was responsible to keep open a continuous dialogue with citizens about PLUS results and activities throughout a front desk, regular mass media communications and awareness materials production.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
Aprilia Local Development Plan (PLUS) aimed at implementing new local development strategies, integrating environment measures (air quality monitoring, sustainable urban mobility, green public procurement, energy savings..) with social inclusion (active inclusion of particular target groups) and urban strategic planning. PLUS designing phase was mainly implemented in 2012 and implementation phase closed in december 2016. A various set of indicators were used and combined to monitor policies development, with reference to ongoing and final phase. Because of integrated PLUS approach, indicators referred to quantitative and qualitative aspects, in particular: CO2 emissions, energy consumption, energy - efficient public buildings standards, number of beneficiaries of social inclusion initiatives etc. Indicators were identified and selected with the support of thematic experts, I was responsible for their updating, monitoring and using also for dissemination purposes.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
I am responsible of Aprilia European Office and in charge of monitoring and selecting funding opportunities in all the City working sectors from 2011 (environment, energy, social inclusion, housing, culture...). The Office has been set up as an interdepartmental Structure, able to deal with local policies development following an integrated approach. I daily perform monitoring activities about main policies and funding opportunity for sustainable urban development at EU, national and regional level, consulting official website and attending events. I have applied in the framework of Urban Innovative Actions calls in the last two years; I follow UIA cities projects development to identify best practices to experiment new solutions at local level. The city was a finalist for the CRESCO Award - Sustainable Cities with a project implemented through ERDF concerning the energy efficiency of public buildings. I follow MOOC courses about EU policies and budget for cities; keep update about EUROCITIES thematic reports and case studies; networking on sustainable urban issues and opportunities via linkedin and facebook.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
As Italian partner in eParticipate transnational project, I had to adapt at local level content and strategies produced and shared within the project. In particular, eParticipate developed guidelines and tools to foster edemocracy and citizens' participation that needed to be adapted at local realities. I worked on a deep understanding of local situations, investigating in eDemocracy development and consulting local authorities on the issue, in order to adapt project contents also using accurate translations and the best choice of words to reach local audience. In charge of technical and financial management of Aprilia Urban Local Development Plan (PLUS) with a total budget of around 8 mln euro, I had to facilitate the inclusion of individuals and groups in the designing of the Plan via consultative means such as meetings and interviews to selected stakeholders. Local stakeholders were given the opportunity to interact and provide feedback, expressing suggestions and concerns about PLUS projects. Progress reports on ongoing projects were shared via traditional media such as radio, newspapers etc. PLUS experience has suggested to evaluate to create a systemic participatory governance approach leaded by the City government, in the form of permanent structures. As Senior consultant in e- Euroconsulting (Bruxelles) I was in charge of selecting EU funding opportunities for European clients in agriculture, environment and energy sectors.
Summary Expertise:
As responsible of the European Office of Aprilia city from 2011 (an Italian mid-size city of around 70.000 inhabitants), I am often asked to participate in local policies implementation actions, in particular when also external funding are involved (European, but also national and regional resources). Participating in funded projects is often an opportunity to improve local policies and foster positive changes. I was in charge of designing and managing an Urban Local Development Plan (PLUS) including different projects following an integrated approach, for a total budget of around € 8 mln. The Local Development Plan aimed at implementing new local development strategies, integrating environment issues (air quality monitoring, sustainable urban mobility, energy savings..) with social inclusion (active inclusion of particular target groups) and urban strategic planning. As project manager, I supported policy decision process, identified the problem(s) to be addressed, stipulated the objective(s) to be pursued and structured the implementation process trough ERDF funding. It was a multi-actor and multi-dimensional process, that involved politicians but also representatives of citizens, local associations and external experts. I support the city to identify funding opportunities for sustainable urban development at EU, national and regional level (Urban Innovative Actions, ERDF, Horizon2020 etc).
Informations
Residence location:
Italy
Languages:
Italian - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
danielagalante81@yahoo.it