KYIV, 26 June 2024 – The National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (NACS), with support from the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, has introduced a new educational series for civil servants. This series is intended to equip civil servants with essential information and strategies for engaging young professionals to work in self-government bodies. 

Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation for European Integration Valeriia Ionan noted: “The Ministry of Digital Transformation is preparing a new generation of leaders who will become qualified personnel for public service and the driving force behind digital transformation. The new educational series on Diia.Osvita will help to establish effective interaction between the public authorities and young people who want to take their first steps into public service. It’s also a great addition to more in-depth programmes, such as CDTO Campus.” 

The educational series will assist public officials to organize effective and successful internship programmes to attract youth to public service. 

Natalia Alyushyna, Head of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service, said: “Involving young people in local self-government bodies is an important step towards ensuring effective, innovative and sustainable community development. Internship programmes are an effective tool to encourage young people to choose this career path. That is why the Agency actively supports internship programmes. Young people are a resource for strengthening local self-government. Youthful energy and initiative are important for building strong and effective local government. This is how we will ensure continuity, stability, and succession at local level.” 

In the series, public officials will learn about: 

• tools for engaging young people; 
• administering the internship process; 
• evaluating the effectiveness of the youth internship programme; 
• the principles of equality and inclusiveness in engagement and recruitment; and 
• building an employer brand. 

The educational series consists of four lessons, in which experts in the field of youth work and public service introduce a step-by-step algorithm for creating an effective internship programme. 

The educational series is an integral part of a comprehensive programme to engage young people in internships in local self-government, which will include an online series, offline training, and the launch of pilot internship programmes in selected communities. The series and internship programme will be useful to both local government officials and civil servants. 

UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Jaco Cilliers stressed that implementation of the internship programme for young people is an important step in training young leaders and engaging them in strengthening the country’s resilience and recovery. 

"We believe that by supporting the internship programme together with our partners, and contributing to the development of young people's potential, we are not only strengthening the capacity of the public service, but also contributing to Ukraine’s sustainable development and resilience. Our task is to enable the active participation of young people, and to promote the development of civic participation and leadership skills among them,” said Mr Cilliers. 

The educational series is already available on the Diia.Osvita platform: https://osvita.diia.gov.ua/courses/organising-internships-in-public-authorities   

The educational series "Organising Internships for Youth in Public Authorities”  was developed at the initiative of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and UNDP in Ukraine, and with financial support from the government of Denmark for Diia.Osvita platform. 

Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, UNDP Ukraine Head of Communications; e-mail: yuliia.samus@undp.org