A Summer of knowledge, ideas and bold questions: BCNL’s 2026 Internship programme

This summer, the office of the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law was even more vibrant with energy, curiosity and those bold questions that make us look at familiar topics from a new perspective.

In the summer of 2026, nine young people chose BCNL as the place to take their next professional steps. They joined us from prestigious universities across Europe and North America, including Sciences Po in Paris, Ramon Llull University in Barcelona, McGill University in Montreal, Queen Mary University of London, Tilburg University in the Netherlands, and Columbia University in New York.

Their academic interests span political science, law, international law, international relations, and East European languages and studies. Different fields of study, educational systems and personal perspectives, united by a shared desire to better understand social processes and take an active part in shaping them.

For us, the fact that so many young people chose to spend part of their summer at BCNL is a great recognition of our work. It shows us that protecting civil rights, safeguarding freedom of association and working towards a strong civil society continue to matter to and inspire a new generation. We see this trust as an honour, a joy and a responsibility.

Throughout their internships, the students became actively involved in the team’s day-to-day work. They contributed to legal research and analyses on issues of both national and international relevance concerning fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of association and freedom of expression.

The interns researched legislation and legal practice and worked on specific cases and enquiries related to the establishment, governance and activities of non-profit organisations. This gave them the opportunity to see how academic knowledge can be transformed into practical solutions and how the law can serve as a tool for supporting people, organisations and causes.

Our interns were also right beside us throughout the preparation and delivery of the Fundraising Conference and other BCNL events. They contributed ideas, research, content and organisational support, and they were equally ready to roll up their sleeves whenever the work called for it – arranging materials, preparing venues, welcoming participants and taking care of all those small but essential tasks without which no event can happen. Because in the civil society sector, intellectual work goes hand in hand with practical, hands-on work – and they approached both with the same sense of responsibility, enthusiasm and willingness to help.

But an internship programme is never a one-way process.

For us, it is a genuine pleasure to share the knowledge and experience we have accumulated over the years, to tell the stories of the civil society sector’s achievements and difficult battles, and to offer a close-up view of what it means to work in defence of democratic values. At the same time, we are learning too – from the curiosity, persistence and tireless spirit of the young students, from the new issues they raise, and from the fresh perspective through which they see the world around them.

Their questions challenge us. Their ideas inspire us. Their energy reminds us why it is important to keep going.

We believe that a good internship programme is much more than another line on a CV. It is a space where generations, knowledge and perspectives meet. A place where young people can be not only observers, but active participants in the work and conversations that shape our society.

We are happy that BCNL is recognised as a sought-after place for internships by students from some of the leading universities in Bulgaria and around the world. We are even happier that, after this summer, the BCNL community has grown to include even more intelligent, courageous and engaged young people.

We thank them for their trust, their time, their questions and their inspiration. We wish them the courage to preserve their curiosity and their belief that knowledge and civic engagement can change the world – one step at a time.