The educational and training program “Active for Young Professionals” was launched in 2014 by Active Citizenship Network both in Italy and abroad. The program regularly offers internship and volunteering opportunities to undergraduate students and recent graduates from different universities.
The first biannual internship at Cittadinanzattiva Onlus began on January 12, 2015. Each year since then, Active Citizenship Network welcomes at its headquarters in Rome and Brussels preselected interns or volunteers, with a preference for students in European and International Affairs, Communications, Economics and Finance, Business Administration or Political Science; but also young adults passionate about citizens’ rights, civic participation, public policies, EU projects.
The preselected interns/volunteers share three main characteristics and features:
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They are open-minded and determined, ready to leave their country and undertake working experiences abroad.
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They have a rich cultural background and a proficient knowledge of several languages.
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They have distinguished themselves for their great potential, especially their ability to quickly develop professional skills.
“Active for Young Professionals” has consolidated during the years and has strengthened its functioning by:
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Establishing two educational partnerships:
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A first official agreement was stipulated on September 8, 2014, with John Cabot University to provide internship opportunities for the students. John Cabot University and Cittadinanzattiva Onlus/Active Citizenship Network both share the common goal to facilitate the intern’s professional choices by providing direct knowledge of the work environment and providing a complete training with appropriate study and work experiences.
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The second agreement with the IES Abroad Italy Foundation was formalized on May 9, 2018 with the aim to host young American students for a “Study Abroad with Part-Time Internship” experience in the field of EU Affairs.
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To read more about our two educational partnerships, please visit this page.
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Collaborating and supporting the drafting of students’ dissertations. For instance:
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The dissertation entitled “Citizenship in transformation: the process of horizontal ‘Europeanization’ in the healthcare sector. The case of patients’ rights protection of Cittadinanzattiva Onlus”, discussed in October 2014 at the University of Bologna (Italy).
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The report entitled “Application de la méthode d'analyse stratégique à une organisation non lucrative d'utilité sociale italienne: exemple d'une reforme qui a 'securisé une zone d'incertitude”, completed at the University SciencesPo Paris (France), for the course of “Théorie des organization” postgraduate degree in European Affairs.
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Giving life to the “ACN Community”, a network which goes beyond the program as a way for interns and volunteers to remain connected both to the others who have lived this working experience and to Active Citizenship Network as an association in general. Beyond the program offered, there is a way to stay connected. To learn more about the Community, please click here.
Several characteristics which must be considered when applying to the program include that:
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Under the Italian law, the internship does not involve any working or collaboration contract;
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During the internship, the training and orientation activities are followed and supervised by a training tutor chosen by Cittadinanzattiva APS;
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Each intern is assigned a specific training project with the aim of developing the competences and skills that are required to collaborate to the activities that Cittadinanzattiva APS deals with at the European and international level;
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The intern will be integrated in the Active Citizenship Network’s staff.
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An insurance is guaranteed for each trainee. A reimbursement for travel expenses is also provided to the intern by Cittadinanzattiva APS.
- Over the years, the interns/volunteers who collaborated with Active Citizenship Network have now become professionals working across the EU, in Berlin, Brussels, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome. Want to hear directly from those who have lived this working experience? Read the testimonials here!
To know more:
For more information on the internships in Rome and Brussels, please write to
(Updated: December 2021)
