August 29, 2023
News
Would you like to know more about Caritas Czech Republic? We launched a series of interviews with our colleagues who will tell you more about our work across the world. Meet Camille Spitaels from Belgium who first started at Caritas Czech Republic as an intern before transitioning to the position of country programme coordinator for Mongolia.
Why did you decide to do an internship at Caritas Czech Republic?
It came a bit out of the blue because I moved to the Czech Republic in September 2021 for Erasmus in Brno. After that, I didn’t want to return to Belgium yet, so I thought about looking for an internship. I saw that Caritas Czech Republic was looking for an intern for their communications team, and I was familiar with the vast network of Caritas organisations in Europe. So I decided to apply and luckily I was accepted. I also thought it would be a great experience to see how things work in an NGO and to learn more about humanitarian aid and development cooperation, as I have a Bachelor’s degree in International Cooperation.
How long was your internship and what were your main responsibilities?
My internship lasted more or less 6 months. When I started, I was the only intern in the team so the scope of my work was quite broad. I was working on newsletters, and some social network posts. I wrote articles. Also, I worked on the audience reports for communication campaigns.
After the internship, you received a job offer to start working at Caritas Czech Republic. Can you tell us more about it?
When my internship was approaching its end, I was offered to transition to the position of country programme coordinator for Mongolia. I went through the interview process and was happy to be accepted for the position as I wanted to gain field and professional experience before starting my Master’s degree. It was also good to have a gap year because I wasn’t sure where to go next. I really felt like I could do something more useful during that time.
During your internship at Caritas Czech Republic, your tasks were related mainly to PR and communication. The transition to the position of country programme coordinator certainly brought with it new scope of work. Can you tell us more about your tasks in the new position?
I worked as country programme coordinator for Mongolia. My usual tasks were checking the reports, communicating with our donors, and checking the progress of our projects in the country. Also, I was regularly in contact with the local governors and I worked on some calls for proposals.
Probably the biggest part of my work has been the study tours we organised last year. In Mongolia, we focus on two main areas, one of them is youth empowerment, and the other is environmental work, mainly plastic recycling. We organised study tours for both of the projects for Mongolian representatives from NGOs and state organisations. They visited Czech Republic, Germany and Belgium to learn from local NGOs about best practices in the sector. I really enjoyed organising and planning this activity.
What did you like the most about working at Caritas Czech Republic?
While I was an intern in the communications team, my colleagues were really welcoming, as was everyone else in the organisation. I also really enjoyed working as a country programme coordinator for Mongolia. During my time at the organisation, the Czech Republic held the presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2022. So we had many conferences in Prague and it was nice to meet all the people there.
Was there anything that surprised you during your time at Caritas Czech Republic?
I knew about the Caritas network before starting my internship in the Czech Republic. In Belgium we also have Caritas Belgium but people are not very familiar with what they do. So I was surprised that in the Czech Republic almost everyone knows Caritas, especially outside of Prague. When we were looking for accommodation for the study tours, we always got the same reaction after mentioning our organisation. People would say „Wow, you’re from Caritas Czech Republic. You are doing really great things in the country“. Caritas is the biggest non-state provider of social and health services in the Czech Republic and people seem to really appreciate their work.
You met some of your colleagues from Mongolia during the study tours. Did you yourself have the opportunity to visit Mongolia and the Caritas Czech Republic office there?
Yes, I visited Mongolia for two weeks in January. Mostly to meet my colleagues in person, but also to help with applying for some calls for proposals from the European Union. I mostly stayed in the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, but I also got the chance to spend weekends in the countryside, in Siberia. That was also super enriching and fulfilling. We met with nomad families, rode horses, tasted the local food, and learned more about the country. One nomad family prepared a delicious meal for us. I was surprised to learn that they make their own vodka from the milk of their horses and sheep and drink it before bed to relax. The Mongolians are also a singing nation, they sing all the time. They welcomed us with songs, it was very nice.
It sounds like it must have been an incredible experience. How did you find Siberia? Was it really as cold as they say?
Actually, the worst was Ulaanbaatar. One night we had -40 degrees. I remember when I got to the hotel my eyelashes were frozen. When I arrived, it felt like I had crossed the world. It was different in Siberia. We had some snow, but it was less cold. But it also helped that I was more equipped because I bought winter hiking pants. It was really lovely and sunny.
You have had a lot of experiences at Caritas Czech Republic, from your internship in the PR team to organising study tours to your own trip to Mongolia. Is there anything you have learned during your time here that will stay with you?
Working at Caritas Czech Republic was a really professional experience and I very much enjoyed it. I also loved living in Prague as the city is so international. I met so many people there, and I learned a lot by being alone in a foreign city, away from family and friends, and building something new. It taught me a lot. Now, I have more self-confidence and I recognised my strengths and weaknesses.
You are now going back to school to continue with your Master’s degree. What will you study and where?
I will study Globalisation and Development Studies at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. So, I’m going there for two years. I want to gain more experience and have more global knowledge.
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