Bridging Digital Skills and Bureaucratic Reform: Community-Based Training for Transforming Administrative Practices in Local Government Institutions

Jeanly Waisapy; Hendry Selanno; Indah Cahyani

Authors

Jeanly Waisapy Universitas Pattimura, Indonesia
Hendry Selanno Univesitas Pattimura, Indonesia
Indah Cahyani Univesitas Pattimura, Indonesia

Keywords:

Bureaucratic Reform, Community-Based Training, Digital Governance, Digital Skills, Public Administration

Abstract

This study addresses a persistent gap in local government reform, where improvements in individual digital skills rarely translate into systemic bureaucratic transformation. It aims to develop and evaluate a community-based training model that bridges digital capacity building and sustainable administrative reform. Adopting a qualitative approach with a participatory action research design, the study integrates service-learning principles to foster collaborative engagement between researchers and local government actors. The research process includes problem identification, co-design and implementation of practice-oriented training, continuous mentoring, and iterative evaluation through observations, document analysis, and reflective sessions. The findings demonstrate that the intervention significantly enhances digital competencies while promoting more efficient administrative practices, such as electronic archiving, digital correspondence, and structured data management. Beyond technical improvements, the training fosters an emerging organizational culture characterized by professionalism, transparency, and accountability. These transformations are sustained through collective learning and critical reflection rather than one-off training activities. The study’s novelty lies in proposing a “bridging mechanism” model that integrates technical, cultural, and structural dimensions to connect individual capacity development with broader bureaucratic reform. This model contributes to advancing digital governance and public administration literature, particularly in developing contexts.

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