Testimonial by Neele Amalie Hartel, Trainee from October 2025 to March 2026.
During my traineeship at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue, I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of tasks, from office administration and event organisation to research and project management. What I enjoyed most was contributing to all five programme areas of the office, which challenged me to engage with topics beyond my previous focus. My work therefore included for example projects on energy blackouts, the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, and the idea of a European Security Council.
One of my favourite projects was coordinating a publication on the new EU Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030. I liaised with the author, set up the service contract, ensured accurate project documentation, proofread the final text, and even got the chance to organise a webinar on the topic following the strategy’s publication. Another highlight was contributing to the launch of the Young Climate Leaders Programme at the CEPS Ideas Lab 2026 during which we were able to connect climate activists from the Global South with EU stakeholders. Beyond the substantive work, the traineeship also allowed me to experience the “Brussels bubble” first-hand, gain insight into EU advocacy, and connect with professionals across EU institutions, think tanks, and civil society organizations