What & Why

Young Expert Programmes consists of YEP Water, YEP Agrofood, YEP Energy (the “Nexus”) and YEP Tailor-made. The main goal of the programmes is to offer young Dutch professionals the opportunity to gain experience abroad and to offer young national professionals the opportunity to gain experience with working in an international environment through Dutch organisations. Additionally, YEP Programmes rejuvenates the Dutch international cooperation sector and provides organisations with highly skilled young professionals.

YEP Introduction video

The YEP Programmes offer viable opportunities for young professionals, as well as for the Dutch water, agrofood and renewable energy sectors. These sectors have a clear need for capacity building at an international level and are striving for more international young professionals who can contribute to knowledge transfers, innovation, new technologies and rejuvenation in these sectors. Therefore, YEP Programmes strives to assure the continued availability of international professionalism and expertise in the Dutch water, agrofood and renewable energy sectors.

The deployment of Young Experts is strongly related to one or more of the following themes of the Dutch development cooperation policy:

Water

Efficient water management, in particular in the agricultural sector
Improved river basin management and safe estuaries
Access to safe drinking water and sanitation

Agrofood

Eradicating of existing hunger and malnutrition
Promoting of inclusive and sustainable growth in the agricultural sector
Creating of ecologically sustainable food systems

Energy

Decentral energy access to affordable energy services for households, including clean cooking solutions
Innovation (technology, finance and business)
Productive use of renewable energy for SMEs, farmers and social institutions

YEP Programmes contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals:

In accordance with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is underlined that YEP Energy is open for ‘Humanitarian YEP positions’ that are linked to our above mentioned YEP Energy themes.

Joining YEP Programmes

Dutch companies, knowledge institutions and social organisations that are involved in the policy for, and implementation of, development cooperation activities outside the Netherlands can submit a project proposal for the deployment of a Young Expert. The period of deployment is a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 2 years. Financial support is provided by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is available for organisations for up to 50% of the costs of deployment and training of the Young Expert.

During their programme the Young Experts receive intensive training and coaching as part of the learning agility approach. With a focus on self-awareness, the Young Experts identify opportunities for professional development and personal growth, to be able to focus in their work on change, stakeholders and results.

Find out more during our information sessions for organisations.

YEP Tailor-made

YEP Tailor-made offers organisations the opportunity to purchase YEP's unique training and coaching programme, without making use of the financial support. This is suitable, for example, for organisations and programmes that are already funded by the Dutch government and, therefore, cannot receive additional financial support from YEP Programmes.

Public Private Partnerships

YEP Programmes consists of YEP Water, YEP Agrofood and YEP Energy. These are Public Private Partnerships (PPP) involving the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Inclusive Green Growth Department (IGG) in cooperation with the Personnel and Organisation Department (HDPO)). For YEP Water this PPP includes the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), for YEP Agrofood the Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP) and for YEP Energy the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

Parties in the Dutch water, agrofood and renewable energy sector

YEP Progammes meets the water, agrofood and energy sectors' need for Young Experts who have acquired international experience. The seconding organisations not only invest in young talent that can be deployed within their organisation, but also assist in the development of a network for the future , the creation of a pool of talented professionals and, ultimately, increase the sustainability of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ approach to selected development cooperation and the number of opportunities available for cooperation. The water, agrofood and energy sectors and the government make joint investments in the training of Young Experts.

The parties in the Dutch water, agrofood and energy sectors which take part in the programme (the organisations) assist YEP Programmes by making their expertise available for courses and providing facilities for training and on-site visits.