From an Instagram advertisement to landing an internship in the most recognized youth exchange program in the world, AFS seemed impossible until it happened to me. AFS didn’t look for grades or papers; they chose based on hearts and manners. Thus, all my colleagues are indeed hardworking and competent in their work. In exchange, AFS provided us with the freedom to express ourselves, make initiatives, and work flexibly. Furthermore, AFS gave us the training needed to boost skills and cleared every single worry that we had at the start of our internship. I am truly grateful that AFS allowed me to challenge myself and gain workplace experience, all while learning new concepts like WordPress and SEO.
Developing Global Citizens:
Moreover, other than being flexible and unrestrained, AFS is also a professional and inspiring workplace that gave me friends for life and acquaintances to lean on. With no restraint, interns, including me, built unforgettable moments and inseparable bonds. From going for Terelj retreat to sharing our concerns, our journey with AFS has been exquisite. AFS develops active global citizens not just through their exchange programs but in every other aspect; one of them being a staff or a volunteer as it can change perspectives and help us learn about different cultures. As a person who has experienced it firsthand, I am indebted to AFS and my colleagues.
The first thought that crossed my mind after meeting my colleagues was the energy and positive atmosphere. Before working as an intern at AFS, I imagined a traditional workplace with lots of pressure and work when they announced their internship program. But in reality, it was the opposite of what I thought it would be. The staff and members of AFS are mainly young and energetic people with a lot of passion. Because of that, working was always fun and effective. For example, you can comfortably talk about your further plans or new ideas for your work with the person who has higher authority since they are so open-minded and young, just like you. But the thing that I liked most about the organization is that they are always there to support you with everything they can do. In other words, even though they have loads of tasks to be completed, they will always be willing to help you with whatever project you are struggling to get done. Also, one of the great things about the organization is that they focus on the young generation and always tries to empower them. For example, they always organize orientations and training for the staff to give them international level knowledge while holding scholarship student exchange programs focused on youths. The first thing you will notice after working there for the first time is the independence and the freedom to express yourself. Like I mentioned earlier, they are always open to discuss your new ideas and innovations because they are so open-minded. Seriously, they take that so seriously and make it into real works. Because of that, I felt so independent and confident. Also, you can’t forget about the flexible work time as you can come to the office anytime, or you can work from home. Isn’t that nice?
Highlights of the Summer Internship Program:
First, I thought the program would be filled with lots of projects and formal meetings. But the fascinating part of the program wasn’t about getting the serious tasks done; rather, they made sure to make time for us to develop ourselves through the career development series during the program. Meaning they give you additional knowledge about personal development skills such as the personality test, instruction to write a resume, and more. They also write a recommendation letter for you. We all know that getting tips, discussing your resume, or getting a recommendation letter from organizations takes a lot of time and investment. Besides, I realized that my leadership skill has noticeably improved during this internship program since I started working as a marketing lead. I organized and gave tasks to our associates, and that was the reason for the improvement. Also, I think our CEO and COO mainly affected this since they were great role models and helped me with lots of stuff. Furthermore, while I was working in our coworking space with my colleagues, I gained critical skills such as teamwork and communication skills. To get one project done, you need your colleague’s skills and help. Due to that, I needed to give them clear instructions to get their help by using my communication skill. Using and practicing this every day through this program helped me to get better at these skills.
Before everything, my thoughts on internship and volunteer work were strict schedules and time waste. But working at AFS was an adventurous and most self-developing journey that I have ever had. I’m looking forward to working as a volunteer next year.
E.Anunjin – Partnerships Lead [in English]
Supportive Community:
My summer internship at AFS Mongolia was a great learning experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. My formal tasks included attending team meetings, writing weekly reports, researching future potential partner organizations in Mongolia, and producing pitch decks to effectively communicate our ideas with partners.I worked remotely from London, and even though I have never met some of the AFS staff and interns in person, a very friendly and professional atmosphere existed. The organization is mostly run by young generations; their activeness and initiative approach to every problem was fascinating and empowering at the same time. Moreover, constant interaction with e-platforms i.e. Trello, Workplace applications was a reliable and organized way of handling my duties.
I felt love and support from all AFSers; They were supportive of me initiating new ideas on projects and always willing to respond to my queries. Special thanks and gratitude to Hijin, AFS Chief Executive Officer, and Khaliunaa, AFS Chief Operating Officer, for effectively handling time zone differences and allowing me to actively participate in various online workshops and events. On top of that, this friendly and supportive culture of AFS helped me to step out from my comfort zone, meet with new people and express myself in a more open manner.
Improving Leadership Skills:
I think of this summer internship program as a package filled with opportunities; The internship started with a quality orientation and technical training, which I found very useful as I became familiar with the AFS background, goals, and how they operate as one team. Furthermore, I have received a chance to complete the ‘Foundations of Intercultural Learning and Global Competence’ course as part of the program. It helped me to expand my network by meeting with AFS staff globally and broadened my understanding of cultural differences and diversity. Besides this, I participated in the career development series organized by Hijin and Khaliunaa, which I also found useful in improving my LinkedIn profile and CV. We completed a personality test in the first career session, which helped us to know each other more in a fun way! As a Partnerships Lead intern, I developed my leadership skills through actively listening to other interns, offering support, making decisions quickly with the information I have, and maintaining integrity throughout the program. Receiving a tailored recommendation letter at the end of the program is highly valuable when it comes to showing it to my future employers, and AFS Mongolia does that too!
To conclude, this internship was an enriching experience and the insights I gained will definitely influence my future career. Through this internship, I was able to not only learn about the organization and different tools, but I was able to make a direct impact on how the company grows and develops a relationship with a group of passionate people.
M.Enkhjin – Effect+ Associate [in English]
International Work, Global Competence:
I remember hearing the AFS name for the first time on Facebook through their Summer Internship Program (SIP). At that time, I didn’t know what AFS was, but upon research, I was surprised to see such a big international non-profit had its Mongolian chapter. After entering their SIP, I learned that AFS is an organization that truly works to create a just world. During my time at AFS, there were no single moments when I had a question unanswered, meeting sessions unspoken in, colleagues distant with. Upon entering the organization, I made a global network of hundreds of colleagues from 90 countries. Only then did I realize the immense scale of AFS. Working at its Mongolian chapter doesn’t mean you are limited to its local employees and volunteers; instead, you are welcome to contact anyone from the international branches and get help on your projects. There would be frequent calls with the global teams in which we collaborate. So, whatever language you speak, feel free to improve it by using your skills to communicate with the AFSers all around the world! Another opportunity I had was the lessons. You might have an idea that interning is just working at scheduled times and going home, but here you are not limited to anything! In SIP, I was lucky to take a course on Intercultural Learning and Global Competence, which made me more socially aware of different cultural dimensions, inequalities, stereotypes, and the importance of becoming a Global Citizen.
Personal Development is The Key:
Aside from courses available to me, the staff at AFS made it possible for us to take career development lectures on how to write effective CVs, networking, and interview tips. There were moments when I had to step out of my usual comfort zone and speak out at meetings, challenge my colleagues’ ideas, and present my unconventional ideas. Each time I challenged myself, my co-workers were there to listen–as AFS’ mission is to empower youth, your opinions will matter, and AFSers will do everything for you to grow as a person. My two-month journey was enough to get professional workplace experience, make close-knit friendships, and better myself. If you shall be interested in the internship program, I encourage you to try out and challenge yourself. If admitted, you will work with competent, inspiring people who will also be your source of learning. I promise you that it is a program brimming with opportunities beyond just an internship.
A.Haidar – Effect+ Manager [in English]
Modern Workplace that Encourages Youth Voice:
My time working at AFS Mongolia was great. AFS allows us to work in an open-minded, independent, and flexible environment. I worked alongside and got to meet many determined and energetic youth who work hard to create a better society for us all. Our workplace was very different from what you would normally expect in a typical hierarchical Mongolian office environment. We were given the freedom and flexibility to voice our opinions and thoughts on the many projects that we were doing as well as the ability to complete our tasks without sticking to a strict schedule and method. As a group that is made up of people from different backgrounds that have different perspectives, my colleagues were respectful and open-minded towards each other, creating a very warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Teamwork Skills at Full Effect:
Working as an intern for the AFS Summer Internship Program, I was put in charge of managing the Effect+ program- to lay its foundations for its implementation in Mongolia. Effect+ aims to educate high school students about the UN Sustainable Development Goals by partnering with local schools, educational and youth organizations. We had very flexible office hours as well as career development training to teach us the necessary skills for our future employment. We also took part in the AFS online course on the Foundations of Intercultural Learning and Global Competence. Through this internship, I worked with a wonderful, hard-working team to realize the Effect+ project. I got to develop my teamwork skills, learned useful tips about writing a good CV, received valuable advice on choosing a suitable career path for myself. Through the foundations course, I learned about the factors affecting interactions between people of different backgrounds. I got a systematic crash course on how misunderstandings between people arise as well as the tools to overcome such situations and develop a greater understanding between different cultures. A great example of this would be learning to distinguish between stereotypes and generalizations and how to turn the harmful former into a less harmful generalization.
AFS has given me an unforgettable experience for my first ever internship and a taste of what a modern work environment should look like.
Emujin – Effect+ Researcher [in English]
Impact of our Work:
AFS is full of youth energy and less bureaucracy which I enjoyed the most. On top of the work experience, I am grateful I was able to be a part of the global AFS community and make friends across the world. The opportunity available at AFS is unlimited. I was in London throughout the internship duration but had done and learned a lot. I am forever grateful for my team for adjusting their work in different time zones and creating the friendly work environment all the time. It was inspiring to see the commitment of my team and have a discussion around our project on SDGs. The idea of our project having a potential impact on youth, the future of our country, was always a drive for everyone to work hard.
