Oleksandra Radchenko, Program Manager (E-Democracy component), EGAP (Swiss-Ukrainian E-Governance for Accountability and Participation), Ukraine

1) What does public service mean to you? Can you share more about your role in the public sector?

To me, public service is about building a 'human-centred state' where technology serves as an invisible yet powerful assistant.

While I officially work within the Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program (E-Governance for Accountability and Participation), I interact with the state ecosystem on a daily basis.

My specific role is to help municipalities implement electronic tools for public participation. I support local self-government bodies at every stage of the process: from the initial request to the full-scale launch of e-democracy tools on the e-dem.ua platform.

My work began in 2017, when digitalisation in Ukraine was just starting to gain momentum.

Today, I am proud that more than a third of Ukrainian communities use at least one of the five e-dem services. This is not just a statistic - it represents thousands of people who have gained the opportunity to influence their village or city from home.

Furthermore, I collaborate with the ministries to develop systems that open doors for young people to participate in national competitions.

For me, this is an opportunity to scale change: from a small local project to nationwide reforms. 

2) Tell us about a project you championed. What impact did it have on the community?

My flagship project is the School Participatory Budget (SPB). I coordinated the development of a digital platform that allows students to select the best ideas for school improvements through electronic voting. 

We launched the system in 2020, and today, the platform is used by 426 educational institutions across 42 communities. For me, this is more than just a technical tool; it is a catalyst for nurturing a proactive younger generation.

Teenagers see that their voice carries weight and that their ideas - whether for a modern lounge area or a cutting-edge physics lab - can become a reality.

This project is also a model of effective synergy between EGAP Program, the Council of Europe, and the civil society organisation. Together, we created a tool that teaches democracy through practice, not just textbooks.

3) As a young professional, how has your unique background or perspective allowed you to identify a solution that others in your organisation might have overlooked?

My approach to GovTech was shaped at the intersection of two worlds: media and the private IT sector.

Before joining the public sector, I worked as a journalist in radio and television, which permanently removed any fear of communicating with diverse stakeholders - from administrative assistants to ministers.

Later, working in an IT company gave me a deep understanding of internal development processes and business logic. 

This background allows me to build effective communication between the public sector and the IT vendors who develop our solutions.

I understand the needs of both sides, ensuring that the final digital product is not only functional but also user-friendly and aligned with the practical reality of governance. 

4) What is your personal strategy for maintaining your creative energy when faced with bureaucracy?

My strategy is to transform resistance into engagement by using the method of successful case studies.

I understand that bureaucratic resistance often stems from fear of extra workload or fear of being 'too open' to residents. Therefore, my main task is to shift the perception of e-democracy tools from a ‘problem’ to a ‘solution’. 

I demonstrate to officials how digitalisation structures chaotic citizen requests, reduces the volume of complaints, and significantly boosts public trust.

When I showcase real examples from other municipalities where this has already worked, the fear disappears.

These moments of transformation - when yesterday’s sceptic becomes an ambassador for digital change - are precisely what provide the creative energy to keep moving forward. 

5) If you had just one area to invest in to accelerate transformation in the public sector (regulation, technology, talent, etc.), which one would you choose and why?

I would choose human capital and talent.

Over nearly a decade of working with the public sector, I have become convinced that technology and regulations do not work on their own. Real transformation is driven by motivated people. 

We need to create conditions where talented young people want to build careers in the public sector.

This means investing in non-formal education, experience-sharing programs, and, most importantly, changing the work culture.

If we provide professionals with the right tools, the freedom to act, and a sense of support, digitalisation and reforms will occur organically and much faster.

6) What is your greatest ambition as you grow in your public service career?

I see my mission as bridging the distance between the citizen and the state. My ambition is to build an e-democracy system where every individual feels a real impact on their country's life with just one click. 

7) What is a “universal value” that connects everyone in your department – from interns to directors – and how do you use that to drive collaboration?

The universal values that connect us are trust and mutual support. We foster an environment where there is no rigid hierarchy to stifle ideas.

By ensuring that every team member feels supported, even when they make mistakes, we create the psychological safety necessary for innovation.

This trust allows us to collaborate seamlessly, knowing that we are all working toward the same goal and that every contribution is valued. 

8) What is the best piece of advice you’ve got for the next generation of public servants?

Do not wait for a ‘perfect moment’ or a high-ranking position to start making changes.

Be a proactive driver of change right now. Use every internship, every course, or every international program as a resource.

Remember: a system changes when a critical mass of people within it begins to act differently. Even one person with a clear vision can change the trajectory of an entire field.

9) What is a myth you wish to debunk about young public servants?

The biggest myth is that young professionals ‘lack the experience for serious decisions’ or that they are ‘just tech-savvy kids’.

In reality, young people in the public sector today possess a unique combination of digital literacy and a mindset free from soviet thinking.

We aren't just ‘playing with apps’ - we are building a new architecture for the state-citizen relationship based on respect, efficiency, and transparency. 

10) Write a letter to your future self in 2035. Please keep it within 200 words.

I hope the 'digital-by-default' democracy we were building in 2026 is now simply called 'democracy'.

I hope you’ve seen the civil society ecosystem flourish and that Ukraine’s model of participation is now exported to other nations. 

Most importantly, I hope you haven't lost the ability to listen to the smallest communities and the youngest activists.

Remember that our greatest ambition was never about the software; it was about the people’s power to shape their own future. Keep driving that change.

The story was made possible due a partnership with the Global GovTech Centre (GGTC) Kyiv.