ANTS Youth Club presented the results of the youth internship program in communities “Start in the Community”. The initiative brought together 40 participants: 20 youth representatives and 20 communities from different regions of Ukraine. The program lasted 8 weeks and covered 13 regions of Ukraine.
Communities from Odesa, Lviv, Poltava, Ternopil, Rivne, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi and other regions of Ukraine joined the program. Both urban and rural communities participated in the initiative, working with interns on the development of international cooperation, the search for funding opportunities, and strengthening their communication presence.
During the internship, participants monitored international grant programs, analyzed funding opportunities in the areas of energy efficiency, education security, and critical infrastructure, and supported communities in preparing presentation materials and developing international contacts.
A separate focus of the program was dedicated to the international positioning of communities. Interns created and maintained LinkedIn profiles for communities, prepared English-language presentations, built databases of international partners, and supported communication with potential municipal partners in EU countries.
Among the key results of the program:
- preparation of 28 official letters to potential international partners;
- creation of a database of more than 50 international municipal contacts;
- establishment of first international contacts with municipalities in Canada, Italy, Moldova, and Poland;
- preparation of comprehensive community presentations within international projects;
- development of draft grant applications for infrastructure initiatives.
Participants of the program noted that the internship provided not only practical work experience, but also a better understanding of how local self-government operates. Young participants most frequently highlighted the development of skills in project management, international communication, analytical work, and grant-related activities.
At the same time, both interns and communities shared recommendations for improving the program. The main suggestions included more structured onboarding, clearer role distribution, a longer internship period, and a stronger practical component.
Communities also emphasized that cooperation with young people became a valuable experience and helped strengthen their work in the field of international partnerships and communications. Several communities expressed interest in continuing and scaling the program in the future.
This project, «Stronger Europe, United Front – Advancing Ukraine’s EU Membership for Greater Resilience and Security», was funded by the European Union. The content of this material is the sole responsibility of the «ANTS» NGO and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
