My name is Astrid Leonet, I’m from Belgium and I interned with World Youth Alliance in Brussels. It is difficult for me to summarize a six-month internship at WYA in a few words, especially considering the fact that the internship was a very enriching experience but also very intensive. During my first batch, I worked mostly within the European Parliament with Antoine Mellado, the Advocacy Director. I was given the opportunity to work on an important report regarding families: Work-Life Balance. I assisted many debates and conferences, and wrote several articles from WYA’s position on the matter. I even had the chance to make a video on the importance of fathers in today’s society. Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot. I learned how European Institutions function, and how an NGO can influence various European proposals. During the second batch, I worked in the project management department as well as continued my advocacy tasks. It was an intensive batch and I saw my responsibilities significantly increase in comparison to my first internship period. I participated in the management of the Vienna Project – a project on the European Youth Strategy, as well as the European Arts Forum in Brussels, a project for artists and art lovers that reflect on common values. Both projects were very demanding, but the benefits were huge, for instance, in developing project management skills.
What I liked the most about my time at WYA was the Certified Training Program, a program that enabled us to discuss about existential themes such as freedom, solidarity, human rights and many others. This is what enabled me to grow more on a personal level.
Altogether, my experience at World Youth Alliance was without any doubt the most enriching experience I’ve ever had and I will miss my time in the office.
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Written by Astrid Leonet, an intern alumna from the WYA Europe office
