Week 1
The first week of training was interesting, collaborative and a bit overwhelming. It was very nice to be introduced to many Junior Officers who come from different backgrounds but share similar experiences, knowledge and passion. The first week of the orientation program was general, however, we were introduced to the overall structure of Trust and to different managers and staff. The friendly and cooperative working environment was reflected from the first few sessions; an environment where capacity building and team work is a priority.
Zainab
Week 2
During the second week of JO’s orientation program, we were divided to join our department training for the whole week in order to gain more insight on what we would do once the training program is over. As part of the Business Development Team, we were led by our line manager, Jeki Whitmey. We were assigned to contribute to proposal writing to get used to the proposal format that Trust has. Though it was challenging at the start, we eventually managed to finish the whole proposal. Besides that, Jeki also gave us more understanding of the procedure to decide which projects we should prioritize to apply based on Trust’s criteria and resources. This experience was really fascinating and beneficial as we could see ourselves assist a real and purposeful task!
Quinissa
Recommendations
The first two weeks were very informative and were a good launch point for the internship; that said, there are a couple of areas that could be improved. As we come together from different parts of the world, it would be beneficial for departments to take time for the JOs to introduce themselves more fully, such as strengths, identifying which time zone they are in, and any other present commitments. Our first assignment was as a group, and we faced a couple of challenges from not knowing each other’s situation. One JO had to switch groups to work with others in more compatible time zones, and another group had difficulties clarifying how much work each group member could contribute. While the first couple of weeks successfully introduced us to Trust and BizDev, we would have benefitted from meeting each other.
Emily
Expectations
As we’re finally approaching the last week of the orientation program, we would like to thank Trust’s team, who have managed the whole training program for the new JO’s. In the future, we hope that there will be more valuable webinars that we can join to learn more from some experts in Trust and to expand our knowledge on issues in the MENA region. In particular, we would also love it if we could have the chance to learn more about methodologies used in TPM projects since this could benefit us in proposal writing and to gain knowledge about how TPM is implemented as well in general.
Fiona
About the Authors
Fiona Eichinger is a Junior Officer with five years of experience in humanitarian action, particularly with migrants and refugees, across Europe and the USA. She is earning a Master’s in International Relations at Syracuse University, specialising in humanitarian assistance, development and post conflict reconstruction.
Quinissa Putrirezhy is a Junior Officer in the Business Development Department. She completed her master’s degree in International Relations with specialisation on international security studies and human rights. She is passionate about humanitarian issues and development and has one year of experience in this particular field.
Emily Rothstein is a Junior Officer in the Business Development Department. She has a Master’s in Post-war Recovery Studies from University of York, where she focused on reintegration and reconciliation. She has previous experience working with small businesses and nonprofits in the United States.
