Data plays a crucial role in achieving the SDGs. Accessing and re-using data held within sectors -private, public, civil society, and academia- can provide valuable insights to address societal challenges and further enhance decision-making. This can ultimately advance economic development, strengthen advocacy efforts, and improve service delivery for citizens. Despite the potential of data and the rise in recent years of data-driven technologies such as Machine Learning and more recently developed AI-driven technologies, data remains siloed and, due to pervasive power asymmetries, data is used to serve the interests of a few large big tech companies, rather than enhancing the SDGs. Moreover, stakeholders lack the technical and strategic skills to manage, access or reuse data. There are also disparities regarding data literacy and technological infrastructure across regions, highlighting the need to create efforts that allow all stakeholders to benefit from the potential of data equitably.

To address this challenge of limited data availability for the common good in a time of data abundance The Data Tank aims to implement Data Stewards Bootcamps across the globe to train actors from all sectors with the knowledge and skills needed to implement and develop responsible data re-use practices. This builds and expands on our current Data Stewardship programme, which is already training data Stewards and building a data stewards alumni network. The goal is to train stakeholders with the skills and knowledge to leverage data for the well-being of our society. Future data stewards comprehend how to identify and develop open data and data re-use initiatives and balance the opportunities and risks related to them. Our bootcamps can be offered as an 8-week online program, a 5-day in-person program, or 4-week hybrid program depending on the needs of the end-user. 

Enablers

-Systematic investment in data stewardship training and fostering an alumni network

-Convening dialogue and the sharing of evidence and experiences on responsible data reuse to set up and sustain data collaborations so that data can improve people’s lives

Key Activities

-Scale data stewards bootcamps across different sectors and geographies

-Empower data stewards via information sharing on best practices in data stewardship

-Provide training of trainers for data stewardship

-Create a community of practice around responsible data practices and data stewardship

Intended Outcomes

-To institutionalise data stewardship as a key function in organisations to manage the demand, supply and responsible reusing data to improve people’s lives.

-To unlock access to data re-use in an inclusive, systematic, sustainable, and responsible way

We will monitor this commitment through annual self-evaluation within our team and report the results in the next UNWDF