Young Professionals Orientation Programme

Pre-assignment training targeting Junior Professional Officers (JPOs), Associate Professionals Officers (APOs) and Associate Experts (AEs) has been organized at the UN Campus in Turin (Italy) for over fifteen years. The UNSSC took the lead in 2002, after becoming an independent UN organization.

The YPO Programme addresses the need for a common approach for newly recruited young professionals within the UN System. This includes the creation and development of a common set of competences, knowledge and workplace skills, as well as the development of effective relationships as the new generation of UN professionals and leaders.

As the demands of the international civil service community increase and evolve, it is essential that young professionals develop not only their knowledge and skills before beginning assignments, but also a network of peers who will contribute to their lifelong learning and the knowledge sharing process within the UN System.

This corresponds to the objectives and needs of sponsoring governments who must ensure that the next generation of international civil servants and potential leaders of tomorrow are fully equipped to succeed. This programme helps young professionals in their careers within international organizations, and also builds capacity across the system, thus providing a high return on investment for donor countries.


Guest Speakers

Jafar Javan

Deputy Director, Programmes UNSSC

Jafar Javan is the Deputy Director of the UN System Staff College in charge of Programmes heading the Resident Coordinator System, Learning and Training Services and Peace and Security programme. Prior to joining the College, Mr. Javan was the Director of the office of Policy & Programme Development of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS in Bratislava, Slovakia, where he was responsible for managing UNDP’s regional programming, support to the country offices, and knowledge management in the region. He has over 20 years of experience working with the UN system in various regions, most notably in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe and the CIS. In his tenure within the UN system, his professional responsibilities have mainly been focused on areas such as basic and informal education, training and employment, and Community development and social participation. He has a Doctorate in Psychology with a specialization on Human Resources Development from the North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

Mariama Daramy-Lewis

Head, Learning and Training Services Programme UNSSC

Ms. Daramy-Lewis holds an MSc in Human Resources from the Fordham University, NY (USA) and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Executive Leadership at Fordham. Prior to joining the UNSSC management team, she held appointments at IFAD and UNDP in human resources and programme management. In addition, at UNDP she coordinated the UN Resident Coordinator Assessment Centre, Management Development Centre and was Programme Manager, TICAD, UNDP.

Hans Graf Von Sponeck

Former Assistant Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq

Hans von Sponeck joined the UN Development Program in 1968, and worked in Ghana, Turkey, Botswana, Pakistan and India, before becoming Director of European Affairs. Von Sponeck joined the Transnational Foundation For Peace and Future Research as associate in September 2002 and he is a member of various NGO boards. He holds BA and MA Degrees in History, Demography and Physical Anthropology. He is currently teaching at the Conflict Research Centre of the University of Marburg and is the Chairman of the Basel Centre for the UN Millenium Goals.

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