Max Morel

Hours available for mentoring per month: 1-2

Degree(s): International Affairs, Religious Studies

Professional background, interests and expertise: Currently Switzerland-based, I cut my humanitarian teeth in several African and Asian countries with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins sans Frontières before trying my hand at headquarters for several agencies in Paris and Switzerland. I'm now working with an organization that specializes in journalism - radio mostly, but also online and some television - for people living in countries facing crisis. After putting the kids to bed I try to write a musical about the worst inventor in history, to run a little, and yeah to watch Netflix.

Best professional advice:  International Affairs is a very general field and though it provides very useful background information, it's not necessarily immediately relevant to humanitarian or development work. Humanitarian aid and overseas development work requires specific skills and experience (as a doctor, nurse, journalist, engineer, accountant, agricultural specialist, financial manager...), and even these jobs are more and more oriented for locally-based workers. That being said, there is still room for people with skills that are highly motivated leaders, out-of-the-box thinkers, and creative types.