Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) spurs innovation through learning

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has teamed up with UNSSC to foster organization-wide innovation by adding the “Innovation for Impact Learning Path” to the custom “PAHO People Strategy” learning path on UNSSC’s Blue Line platform. PAHO’s tailored path features a unique combination of Blue Line modules selected to equip personnel with the competencies required to implement the People Strategy, while the e-learning path on Innovation includes core modules aimed at enabling all PAHO personnel to scope, contextualize, scale, and sustain innovation.  

Given the increasing complexity of the global environment in which the United Nations operates, it has become important for UN entities to develop and implement dynamic solutions to address the major challenges of our time. For PAHO, the People Strategy provides a Blueprint for transformation within the organization as it proposes to strengthen the internal capacity of the institution and deepen its ability to effectively deliver services to its stakeholders.   

Through its corporate subscription to Blue Line, PAHO is able to foster talent at every level and nurture the potential of a diverse and committed workforce. The dedicated learning path “PAHO’s People Strategy” allows PAHO personnel to align their learning with the strategic objectives of their organization, notably strengthening agility, driving performance and providing inspiring leadership for change. With the addition of the “Innovation for Impact” path to PAHO’s tailored learning options, PAHO personnel will now have access to comprehensive innovation-related modules, resources and tools. The Innovation modules are expected to strengthen PAHO’s efforts towards a more applied approach to innovation by giving staff an opportunity to learn how to generate targeted interventions and strategies for innovation, utilize actionable tools such as the UN Innovation Toolkit and, ultimately, become leaders of change. 

 The development of the free e-learning path is an important milestone for the Staff College. By making the “Innovation for Impact Learning Path” freely accessible throughout the UN system, the College is further strengthening its commitment to help UN personnel to embrace innovation. As is evidenced by the Senior Leadership Commitments for the future of Work in the United Nations System, innovation will be a requirement across the breadth and depth of all the UN’s working methodologies. The document urges leaders to commit to augmenting their entities’ capacity for innovation by “Normalize(ing) the understanding that innovation is something that everyone is capable of.”  PAHO has taken the first step by ensuring that the e-learning path forms part of their staff development plan. Other UN entities are expected to follow suit as they heed to the Secretary General’s call to make innovation the UN’s new normal.  

 The “Innovation for Impact Learning Path” is available on UNSSC’s Blue Line Learning Hub open to all UN personnel for personalized and self-directed learning.