Foreign Policy Mentorship

Location: Manila (Philippines)

The Foreign Service welcomes Filipinos from all backgrounds to promote the national interests of the Philippines in the international community. The youth (age 30 and below), while not sparse, are underrepresented among the officers. The diplomatic corps need more creative ideas from the youth to tackle the various global issues.

Project Sugo aims to provide one-on-one mentorship to eligible youth who demonstrate an aptitude for Foreign Service work. A current diplomat will be assigned to a mentee to provide weekly essay feedback on a given topic that will develop not only the writing skills but also the required mindset for the job. At the end of the project, the youth participants will improve their writing skills while advancing the Philippine interests in foreign policy discussions. This project has been made possible with the generosity of the Foreign Service Officers based in Manila who are eager to share their time and knowledge with aspiring young diplomats.

We are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering online workshops to develop the foreign policy skills of youth while on lockdown. Our key activity is giving weekly feedback on timed essays of youth participants. We also provide public speaking tips and how to act like a diplomat.

Support

Needs: Volunteers, Space for online meetings (e.g. GoToMeeting)

For more information contact covid19@unmgcy.org