Active as an intern with fresh ideas
Hey, my name is Anika Syrzisko and I was lucky enough to stumble across an internship advert for the steps for children foundation at the Leuphana Career Fair just in time for the completion of my Bachelor's degree (Cultural Studies, Political Science)! I have now been working for steps for a month and a half and am happy to report on my internship experience.
Completing an internship at a foundation such as steps for children was particularly important to me because the unequal opportunities with which people enter the world affect me deeply. I find the foundation’s holistic approach – creating opportunities through education, vocational training and business start-ups, thereby creating prospects for people of different age groups – very worthy of support. Furthermore, the historical-political context in which steps for children operates is a particular motivation for me to do the internship. Thus, in its country profile of Namibia, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development states, not without reason, that the extraordinary poverty experienced by parts of the population stems from the country’s past, shaped by apartheid policies and German colonial rule.* I therefore see the internship at steps for children as an opportunity to learn a great deal about German-Namibian history and the present day.
In the broadest sense, my work at steps could be described as “getting networking off the ground”. For example, I am creating a range of materials to make it easier for schools to run fundraising campaigns and to contextualise the foundation’s work for students. A project to establish a Junior Ambassadors Programme for steps for children is also currently in the starting blocks – stay tuned! Otherwise, I create communications materials such as roll-up banners and posters – whereby it is important to me to plan new materials with a focus on information and language rather than visual representations.
The part-time internship at steps is an ideal practical supplement and change to my very theoretical master's degree programme - because all the joy and inspiration that scientific work gives me is only rounded off by being able to make a difference with the skills from my studies.
The steps team in the Hamburg office offers me a super nice setting in which I can ask and learn everything about the foundation's work - I am very grateful for that!
Dear Anika, we would like to thank you very sincerely for your work and active support. Your commitment and creative thinking have enriched our team and helped move many projects forward. We wish you all the best for your future and hope that you can take the experience you gained with us with you as a valuable part of your career.
*https://www.bmz.de/de/laender/namibia/soziale-situation-11754
