Thursday of Success | NGO professions

It’s the return of Thursdays of Success at Sciences Po Aix! To start this 2022/2023 season, students and alumni met in large numbers, in the René Cassin amphitheater, to discuss humanitarian professions and NGOs.

Five alumni with very diverse backgrounds were able to look back on their professional trajectories and exchange with the students:

• Valérie Babize, 1998 graduate, Operational Communication Manager at Médecins sans Frontières Switzerland
• Anna Chiapello, 2013 graduate, Ukraine Operations Advisor for the International Committee of the Red Cross
• Brieuc Lemerle, 2011 graduate, former Country Director Ukraine at the Danish Refugee Council
• Robin Nael, 2015 graduate, Independent Consultant, ex Senior MEAL (Monitoring Evaluation Accountability Learning) Coordinator for Save the Children International
• Cécilia Suarnet, 2013 graduate, Child Protection Specialist – Harmful Practices, Adolescence & Gender for UNICEF – Mali
  
  How to work in the humanitarian sector? This question that many students ask themselves does not find a single answer, as the ways to achieve it are numerous: law, journalism, international expertise, advocacy, multiple courses can open the doors. Extra-curricular activities can also make a difference.Valérie Babize underlines the importance of associative commitment, which is not lacking in opportunities at Sciences Po Aix. It makes it possible to stand out: “The humanitarian world is so big that we are looking for people with jobs but especially committed people.” Cécilia Suarnet insists on interpersonal skills, which are an essential asset, especially in this sector. But everyone agrees: do not hesitate to defend your candidacy even if you do not fully match the profile required because it is possible – and common, to train in the field.

The question of the plurality of modalities of exercise of missions is central: being stationed at headquarters or in the field, in a small or large structure, this is what strongly orients the trades on a daily basis.Brieuc Lemerle, Country Director Ukraine at Danish Refugee in 2022, shared his experience of setting up an emergency response at the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Cécilia Suarnet recalls that the positions most accessible to juniors are those related to grant management, project management and their writing, reporting.Jobs for which writing and synthesis skills are essential.The possibility of freelancing was also mentioned by Robin Nael back in Marseille as a consultant after a one-year civic service in Morocco and then on a contract in Dakar for Save the Children. A modality allowing him to carry out shorter missions and to be based in France.

Daily missions, work-life balance, internships, salaries, mental health, security .. The students were also able to ask all their questions to their predecessors.

Find their exchanges in replay below! 
https://equinox.sciencespo-aix.fr/login/index.php