Kamila
Gamalová
Validated Lead Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
My experience from international environment has taught me to approach sustainable urban development with respect to local specifics and needs. Long-term cooperation with the Municipality of Zlín on integrated and sustainable urban development projects. I have been responsible for local urban development projects, EU funded projects and international cooperation. I designed and managed innovative urban development project called Tvoříme Zlín (We Create Zlín) which is based on participative budgeting, and it is focused on community involvement and participation. I have been working as a project manager for one URBACT III network called Welcoming International Talent (2018 – 2021) which is focused on attraction and integration of international talents. I also developed international cooperation projects between the City of Zlín and its partner cities.
A study program called MBA Businesseering from which I graduated at the IDRAC - International School of Management in Lyon (France) was especially designed to bring together students from different countries and with various backgrounds and experience. My studies were based on lively discussions and team projects focused on engineering new business models and creating innovation environment. We demonstrated the ability to critically evaluate current urban and business situation and develop sustainable solutions.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
I have a deep passion for learning and sharing knowledge on local, national and international level. I have an experience in leading URBACT Local Group of different stakeholders from both private and public sector (including internationals), keeping their engagement and supporting transfer of good practice by using different learning and managing tools. My job involved facilitating peer learning and cross cultural exchange. I had to be able to produce clear and concise reports and presentations that incorporate learning from transnational meetings, discuss it with various actors and adapt it to the local environment of our city. I have refined my communication and intercultural skills that enables me to express complex concepts in an easier and understandable way. I was also mentoring and training new staff members (international team of 8 nationalities) during my work experience in Canmore (Canada).
Currently, I work as a teacher at Tomas Bata University in Zlín (Czech Republic) where I conduct classes for international students. I have substantial experience designing, organizing and delivering learning activities aimed at developing the ability of using the theory in practice, enhancing critical and strategic thinking and intercultural exchange. I also led a seminar at Algarve University, Faro (Portugal). I regularly attend international courses, workshops and conferences and I stay in touch with various experts on urban development on national and international level.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
A significant portion of my life involved working, studying and teaching in English. My scholastic and occupational interactions have greatly enhanced my English language proficiencies. I spent two years by studying MBA program in Lyon (France). The whole study program was in English including the final dissertation. I graduated 1st with honours. The level of my English has been proved by the Certificate in Advanced English (University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations). I lived in Canmore (Canada) where I worked in different fields requiring excellent communication skills and multilingual liaison between clients, proprietors and third party business associates. I also teach international
students at Tomas Bata University in Zlín (Czech Republic). I have professional experience from nine European countries and Canada.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
It is completely natural for me to work in an international environment and I enjoy when I can facilitate international cooperation and exchange of knowledge. I am able to connect various kinds of stakeholders with different kind of backgrounds and knowledge, and make sure that they participate and engage in the learning activities. I always aim to create a friendly and sharing atmosphere. My experience from developing international cooperation projects between the City of Zlín (Czech Republic) and its partner cities and my experience as a project leader of the URBACT III Network called Welcoming International Talent (2018 – 2021) focused on attraction and integration of international talents, have taught me how to connect many different stakeholders and encourage them to participate in transnational exchange and take the most of it.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Local Governance
Summary Thematic expertise:
I have been working for the Municipality of Zlín (Czech Republic) since 2010, which gives me many years of experience in local governance. I have been responsible for a couple of urban development projects focused on participation, community involvement, inclusion, knowledge economy, human capital, internationalization, city branding and marketing, social change, arts and culture. I am experienced at engagement of different stakeholders and balancing their needs. I have a significant experience with negotiation with city representatives.
Theme / Policy:
Employment, Human Capital and Labour Mobility
Theme / Policy:
Active Inclusion of Target Groups
Theme / Policy:
Arts and Culture
Summary Thematic expertise:
I have eleven years of experience with organizing cultural events, which enabled me to acquire a great sense for cooperation with artists, development of mutual projects, listening to their needs and meeting their interests because I have an artistic soul myself. I am a musician and a dancer. Since 2010, I have been organizing International Festival of Outdoor Films in Zlín so I am interested in movie industry as well. I also acted as marketing coordinator and start-up advisor for Pecha Kucha Night in Zlín (2014), an event where creative people get together and share their work and ideas. I have been recently hired as a project manager of the Zlín Creative Cluster which is the first cluster in the Czech Republic focusing on the creative industry. The cluster comprises of representatives of the public, private, non-profit and educational sectors from creative and cultural industry in the Zlín agglomeration.
Since 2017 I am a doctorate candidate of a study program called Multimedia and Design at Tomas Bata University in Zlín (Czech Republic). The topic of my dissertation is Personal Brand and Its Role in Designer´s Career. I have also education in performing arts (music and dance) from different art schools and dance studios in both the Czech Republic and Spain.
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 :
Since 2017, I work as a project coordinator of urban development project called Tvoříme Zlín (We Create Zlín). It is based on participative budgeting focused on community involvement and participation. It has an educational purpose as well. It enhances usage of democratic principles and it supports community involvement and proactivity among general public. It contributes to social change by supporting friendly relationships between neighbours and their mutual collaboration. I had to build the project from the start so I had to choose suitable participatory methods and design the project methodology. I lead an eight-member team across different departments and divisions of the Municipality of Zlín. I had to proactively outreach to various stakeholders and be a liaison between them. I am responsible for creating a community dialog and I mediate interests of many parties from public, private and non-profit organizations, and general public. Conflict resolution is a natural part of the task.
The project always starts with a communisation campaign explaining the purpose of the project and motivating citizens to get involved and submit their desired project proposals. There are consultations, presentations, public meetings, social media campaigns etc. The winning projects are chosen by the general public using a special participatory voting system based on positive and negative votes.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
As a project leader of one URBACT III Transfer Network called Welcoming International Talent, I was responsible for creating a welcome policy for internationals. I had to start a dialogue between various stakeholders from public, private, non-profit and educational organizations, balance their interests and create a productive team which involved even political representatives and representatives of our target group (internationals). We designed a strategy by using SWOT analysis, surveys and different kinds of brainstorming methods like mind maps etc. I was creating regular reports for the city representatives and the progress of the project was monitored by transfer plans, activity reports and learning logs among the others.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
I stay in touch with various experts on urban development on national and international level. I believe that networking is a key success factor if you want to get involved in international projects and keep up with the trends. I regularly attend both international and national workshops and conferences focused on recent urban development trends and EU funds. I receive regular newsletters from The Centre for Regional Development of the Czech Republic and National URBACT Point of the Czech Republic, and I am following news from the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic. I also use social media like Facebook and LinkedIn where I follow EU organizations, EU funding programs and interesting urban development projects focused on participation, internationalisation, education, cultural and creative industries, inclusion etc.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
As a project leader of one URBACT III Transfer Network called Welcoming International Talent, I was responsible for creating a welcome policy for internationals. The main aim of the project was to transfer good practice of Groningen (Netherlands). It was important to get a deep understanding of the good practice in question and adapt it to the needs of local population. I created a dialogue between various stakeholders from public, private, non-profit and educational organizations; and I involved them in the project in order to balance their interests and produce a list of actions that can be taken in Zlín (Czech Republic). We participated at transnational meetings and we learned from both successful stories and failures. We used the knowledge gained by collaboration with our international partners and we designed a strategy by using SWOT analysis, surveys and different kinds of brainstorming methods like mind maps etc. Our transfer plan based on good practice of Groningen involves projects like Memorandum of Cooperation, expat centre and website for internationals among the others.
Summary Expertise:
I have experience in using various participatory methods on both national and international level. I like to use creative and engaging participatory methods in order to capture interests of various stakeholders, balance their needs and find sustainable solutions. The selection of the right participatory tools always depends on the audience. I am used to creating a dialogue between various stakeholders from public, private, non-profit and educational organizations including general public and specific target groups.
Informations
Residence location:
Czech Republic
Languages:
Czech - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
kamila.gamalova@gmail.com