Client Unicef Lebanon | Service DesignUnicef Lebanon
Maximizing the Impact of UNICEF's Innovation Labs in Lebanon through service design.
Challenge
UNICEF Lebanon’s Innovation Labs program aims to empower marginalized Lebanese and non-Lebanese youth, aged 14-24, through education in the areas of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The program aspires to reduce the digital divide, increase access to future job opportunities, and provide opportunities to develop and launch a micro-business for the teens and young adults.
In 2018 EPAM Continuum supported UNICEF Lebanon in reshaping its micro-entrepreneurship training program for their Innovation Labs, to increase the relevance and effectiveness of their curriculum.
My Role
I was the local design researcher & facilitator working on this project. The scope of my work included being part of the whole process from end to end.
Expert Interviews with the directors of the youth training centers.
Facilitate the Planery Co-Creation Session.
Contextual Observation / Site Visits.
Group Interviews with students in 4 regions of Lebanon.
Report in Stakeholder meetings with Unicef.
Present a report on recommendations for the youth.
The Team
I was working under the guidance of EPAM Continuum team with Senior Service Designer Stefano Bianchini.
Research & Insights
Empower the Trainers
We saw the need for content partners to encourage trainers to leverage their experience and knowledge about local youth. This would help them tailor and contextualize the course material in order to increase its effectiveness.
Prepare the Students
Our research indicated that the students would benefit from being exposed upfront to multiple learning options and guided from the beginning of their journey at the Labs, so that they could make informed decisions about their learning paths. Also, a key factor for boosting the value of the Lab courses was to prime the students with specific notions about technology and life skills that will be helpful for their future, no matter what job they will hold.
Unify the Curriculum
Starting with initial stakeholder interviews, it was clear that we’d have to re-shape a new curriculum, together with the diverse content partners, incorporating aligned learning objectives and shared activity modules.
Results
A unified Curriculum
Through this program, UNICEF achieved a renewed commitment to collaboration and co-creation between the different Lab partners, which eventually resulted in a shared vision of the training material for youth. UNICEF is currently testing and rolling out the recommended program improvements.
Recommendation deck inspired by the students
