UNDP JPO Mentoring Programme: Success stories and feedback from participants |
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The UNDP JPO Mentoring Programme was launched in early 2010. It is available to all JPOs, but may be particularly relevant to those who have recently started their assignment. Several JPOs who have participated in the UNDP JPO Mentoring Programme have kindly accepted to share their feedback with us. Below they explain why they decided to participate and how their expectations were met. Many thanks to them for sharing their stories!
Pau's feedback:
Participating in the e-Mentoring Programme has been a positive experience for me in terms of acquiring broader knowledge on how UNDP is structured and run, better understanding the challenges and values of the organization, or reflecting more in-depth on my own performance and professional expectations. I’ve been lucky to have chosen a very open-minded, sensitive, easy-going mentor that has provided me with valuable advice, facilitated discussions on the above-mentioned topics, and responded to specific demands while drawing on her working experience in the organization.
In my opinion, for this programme to be successful, the relation between mentor and mentee needs to be highly empathetic and trustful, and that may more often occur when both of them know each other before the programme relationship starts, as it was my case. Face-to-face meetings facilitate confidence-building while on-line communication with a person that you’ve not met personally may render the accomplishment of the expected objectives of the programme more difficult.
Although I really did not follow the programme formally in terms of periodicity of exchanges and clear structuring of sessions, I’m happy to say that I have build a trustful relation with my mentor that can allow us to exchange opinions and learn from each others’ visions and expertise, beyond the formal finalization of the programme. Moreover, I think that this type of relation of continuous learning can be extended to and often exists informally when people establish relations of trust with colleagues at their work environment.
Tuva's feedback:
I rated the experience as partially good. This was due to 1) my own personal objectives not being clear enough thus making it difficult for the mentor to fulfil them 2) not clear communication agreements between me and my mentor, we chatted on Skype once in a while, but it wasn’t regularised and we didn’t have a plan for what to discuss and how to accommodate specific questions [...].
Njeri's feedback:
I decided to participate in the e-Mentoring Programme since I wanted to learn and share knowledge from a previous JPO who was more experienced and whom we shared the same or almost the same experience. I identified a mentor and together we agreed on certain objectives. We also agreed on the frequency of communication which was initially once every two weeks but due to commitments and travels it was not always possible.
We mainly communicated through emails and Skype which was perfect for both of us.
My expectations were varied and numerous being new to UNDP. They included how to settle in a new duty station, how to integrate into UNDP and also with my new colleagues and building a positive working relationship. I also wanted to hear from my mentor his experience on achieving job satisfaction, how my personal strengths can contribute to the UNDPs needs, work/life balance, career guidance on the career paths/options available in UNDP and guidance on my career goals and aspirations. These expectations were met as my mentor shared with me his experience and the available options. He also advised me on UNDP resources including advise on appropriate courses, teamworks, practice networks, etc.
The e-mentoring experience has enhanced my knowledge and developed my competence as a JPO. Through sharing experience and advice, I can now easily access information e.g. on Atlas, intranet, ensure that I keep a healthy work-life balance, I can easily get along with colleagues at work and I now have a set career aspirations and goals.
Key lesson learnt is learning is progressive and takes time. Use of available resources, seeking advice and sharing experience from experienced colleagues is imperative towards perfecting a JPO's performance.
I would 101% recommend the e-mentoring to other JPOs since they would benefit from the experience.
The experience will not only serve as an orientation to UNDP as an organization but it will also enhance their job performance. Mentoring initiative is a great opportunity for JPOs to grow professionally!
Puk's feedback:
I'm afraid that I did not take advantage of the programme to the extent I had initially intended, and I think that both my mentor and myself were not able to find the time to explore the relationship beyond the first correspondence.
I still believe it could be a very valuable programme for new JPOs, especially if it is initiated from the very start of the JPO contract. It is my experience that the need is greatest during the first 3-6 months. After that, you probably have established a network with other JPOs, local colleagues and friends and contacts throughout your organization, who can provide you with the support you need both personally and professionally.
Olga's feedback:
I found this e-Mentoring Programme very useful, in particular, in the very beginning of my assignment.
I decided to participate in this programme to benefit from more experienced colleague's knowledge, to get to know more about functioning of the organization and various departments as well as have more information about my duty station given that I had no previous experience of living in New York and working with UNDP. It was a very positive experience.
The relationship was very friendly, open and my mentor very knowledgeable. He was highly interested in giving me advice that could help me in my future work and my life in New York.
We had two meetings in the beginning of my assignment. My mentor came prepared and was open to all my questions. I felt that I received a lot of information and advice I expected to receive and which was very useful to hear from an objective person. It helped me to gain a better insight into the work of the organization, its various departments, country offices and practical steps necessary to undertake during the first months in new office and my duty station. He provided me with his contact and was willing to contribute with advice along the way.
Although we met only twice I feel that these meetings were very useful and important for me, especially in the beginning, when contacts in new duty station and new organization are limited or are available only within your direct working environment.
The programme helped me to broaden my network getting to know other colleagues within the organization. This e-Mentoring programme is a great idea and would recommend it to all new JPOs in the beginning of their assignment