April 4, 2024
News
Giulia Bellabarba is a Master's student in International Relations. She spent five months at Caritas Czech Republic as an intern in the Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation department. Giulia helped the communications team write articles, worked on newsletters and administrative tasks. In the following interview, she describes her experience as an intern at Caritas Czech Republic.
Why did you decide to do an internship in the Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation Department at Caritas Czech Republic?
I am a Master's student in International Relations and at the beginning of my second year I felt the need to gain practical experience alongside my studies, so I started looking for an internship. I chose Caritas Czech Republic because I have always been interested in working for non-profit organizations. Coincidentally, a friend of mine had done an internship at Caritas Czech Republic before me and she recommended it to me because she had a very good experience. I chose the internship in the communication team because I have always loved to write.
Your internship at Caritas Czech Republic lasted five months. What did you focus on during your internship?
During my internship I mainly wrote articles for the website and prepared newsletters, which I enjoyed. I also had other administrative tasks and helped at various events where Caritas Czech Republic presented its work. During my internship I also wrote several articles about the Caritas Czech Republic's aid after the earthquake in Turkey, which was a very close topic for me, as I was in Turkey at the time of the earthquake.
What did you like most about your internship at Caritas Czech Republic?
I was most grateful for the support of my team. I have done a few internships before, but this time I felt like I gained really valuable experience and new skills because everyone was always happy to teach me something new and explain everything patiently.
Did you struggle with the language barrier? You are originally from Italy, you study in English, but you do not speak Czech. Has this affected your experience in any way?
I was surprised at how easy it was to integrate and work in Caritas Czech Republic without speaking Czech. Everyone always spoke English with me, even when we were in larger groups. When I was looking for an internship I was worried that I would have difficulties because of the language barrier, but I didn't encounter any problems at Caritas Czech Republic.
You mentioned that you were always interested in working for NGOs. Would you like to develop in this direction in the future? How did your internship at Caritas Czech Republic help you in this respect?
In the future I would love to work for an NGO. The internship at Caritas Czech Republic helped me a lot in this direction. I learned a lot of useful information about how these organisations work and gained important skills. I also learned how to manage my time better, because I had to combine my internship with my studies.
You are currently in your second year of your Master's degree in International Relations. What are your plans after graduation?
I still have a few more classes to finish this semester and then I will be writing my thesis. I would like to stay in Prague after graduation because I really like the Czech Republic. I would like to find a job here, ideally in an NGO. I would also like to volunteer abroad in the summer.
Would you recommend an internship at Caritas Czech Republic to other students? Do you have any advice for future interns?
I would definitely recommend an internship at Caritas Czech Republic. My advice to interns is to be open to learning new things and not be afraid to ask for advice. Everyone has room to grow during their studies and an internship at an NGO like Caritas Czech Republic is one way to do that. I am very grateful to Caritas Czech Republic for this great opportunity, which I really appreciate.
Would you be interested in doing an internship at Caritas Czech Republic? Find out more about the programmes at the Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation department at the link below.
