Inclusion in the workplace starts with a mindset that values diversity, especially in disability inclusion, which emphasizes accessibility and equity in all work aspects. This mindset supports policies that ensure physical accessibility, inclusive recruitment, and strong employee support systems. SKALA’s experiences provide early insights into building a more inclusive environment, highlighting successes and areas for improvement. This note captures key lessons, with examples of initiatives and enhancements from the perspectives of SKALA employees with disabilities.

Established on October 25, 2012, based on Law No. 20/2012, North Kalimantan (Kaltara) is one of Indonesia’s newest provinces. It is classified as an outermost, frontier, and less developed region. SKALA works with the provincial government to strengthen participation of vulnerable groups in development planning, data provision and use, regional fiscal capacity, and quality of public spending. SKALA’s Kaltara office became operational in October 2023.

SKALA is an 8-year program commencing in November 2022 with a total value of up to AUD 160 million (approximately IDR 1.5 trillion). SKALA will focus on strengthening selected elements of Indonesia’s large and complex decentralised governance systems such as Public Financial Management (PFM), Minimum Service Standard (MSS), planning and budgeting, and local leadership while strengthening GEDSI mainstreaming into the systems.

SKALA’s Pillar 3 Engagement Strategy focuses on SKALA’s approach to building influence and ensuring that the voices of poor and vulnerable communities are better incorporated into local government processes of planning and budgeting, leading to improved service delivery.

SKALA’s Pillar 2 Engagement Strategy focuses on the program’s subnational level engagement, which primarily covers the Intermediate Outcomes (IOs) of the second end of program outcome with linkages to other program IOs.