The SNFCC Internship Program - Stavros Niarchos Foundation

In a period of uncertainty and crisis for Greece, one of the most important things society can focus on is supporting young people and offering them opportunities for advancement.

In February 2017, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) handed off to the Greek state and the people of Greece the product of its single largest single grant to date: the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). The SNFCC is home to the National Library of Greece (NLG), the Greek National Opera (GNO), and SNFCC S.A., the public-benefit nonprofit organization that runs the cultural center, including Stavros Niarchos Park.

After delivering the SNFCC to the public, the Foundation announced support for an internship program at SNFCC S.A. as part of its “Recharging the Youth” initiative. This SNF initiative aims to help tackle high rates of unemployment in Greece, especially for young people, and to create better job prospects for the next generation, providing meaningful, productive opportunities.

Through the internship program, young people ages 18 to 35 have the opportunity to hold paid positions at one Greece’s most important multidisciplinary cultural institutions. Interns develop professional skills and personal interests while gaining experience in the fields of art, education, culture, entertainment, and sports through the SNFCC’s three constituent organizations. In turn, these young people contribute to the advancement of a project that has something to offer people from all quarters of society. The tools and experiences they gain will be with them for the rest of their lives, opening possibilities for the future.

Though the SNFCC internship program is taking place remotely for the time being, the current interns have stayed positive, have cultivated a feeling of camaraderie amongst themselves and with the SNFCC’s permanent staff, and are working effectively and energetically.

For each young person who takes part, the SNFCC internship program is undoubtedly a special experience. I believe that anyone who is at the SNFCC on a daily basis, working, learning, and collaborating in the mission of this triple project, is sure to come away with a sense of growth.

Vasiliki Derpanopoulou
SNF Program Officer
Athens