As an intern on the Partnership and Resource Mobilization Unit at the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, my 7 weeks of internship experience was nothing but immensely fulfilling and enriching. The Unit supports UNDP country offices in 24 operating countries in the region of Asia Pacific with managing and enhancing partnerships; advises in the allocation of regarding resources and assists with national strategies for corporate social responsibility. Its core partners are private sector, government, international financial institutions and traditional donors.
Despite my relatively short internship period (most other interns were there for six months), I was involved in an extensive array of projects, ranging from engaging private sector entities to secure funding, liaising with government agencies, as well as managing UNDP’s partnerships with key international financial institutions. The diversity and variety of UNDP’s partnership portfolios not only awarded me with the precious opportunity to grasp how different stakeholders approach UN organizations for collaborative initiatives, but more importantly, also allowed me to interact with these stakeholders as an UN representative. In addition, owing to the cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary nature of UNDP’s work, particularly with regards to advancing the 17 SDGs, different teams often come together to brainstorm, share resources and contribute valuable inputs and insights from their respective perspectives. I had the privilege to work with the Youth Team, Transparency and Accountability Team and SDG Localization Team, where knowledge acquired in academic training was perfected through interdisciplinary practice.
During my internship, I was also tasked with due diligence, evaluating and assessing private sector entities who were interested in securing a partnership with UNDP. The screening was not only performed on paper, but also in the field, where I went beyond what was needed of me and travelled to a recycling company’s factory site to have a better understanding of its operation. After the field trip, I compiled photos I had taken and some takeaway into a PowerPoint presentation and shared my findings with the office. It was also during the field visit where I gained critical insights on the company’s inappropriate and risky behaviors, which was fundamental to determining whether UNDP should pursue the partnership and thereby maintaining the quality and standard of UNDP’s partnership portfolio.
Photos I took during the field visit
In addition, I was assigned to a pilot project focusing on businesses’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mapping and integration strategy throughout their value chain. In fact, given my supervisor’s unwavering support for my learning benefits and every confidence in my ability to produce decent work, I was tasked to draw up the complete first draft of the “UNDP-Business SDG Engagement Guidebook”, which was distributed to UNDP Country Offices as a guiding toolkit after minimum revision. The Guidebook is designed to be a roadmap that actively brings on board private sector entities, especially multinational corporations that have extensive supply chains with their own manufacturers, suppliers and producers. As part of the Guidebook, I had to formulate a comprehensive set of survey questions, tailored to specific goals and demands, where companies are encouraged to self-evaluate before moving on for subsequent advisory guidance.
My internship at the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific has been incredibly valuable and beneficial. Not only did I experience first-hand the dynamics of a UN consultant, but my work also made a tangible contribution to the Partnership and Resource Mobilization Team. All these were only possible with the career guidance and opportunities provided by LKYSPP, I will always be grateful!
