For many of us, summer is a time to unwind—but for three FGI beneficiaries it marks their first professional steps into adulthood. Thanks to collaboration with our business partners—Colgate-Palmolive and Lenovo Poland—three young women from residential care facilities have just begun summer internships in Warsaw, which will run until the end of the holidays.

First Steps into Adulthood—Our Interns Begin Their Professional Journey!

Over the two-month summer break, under the attentive care of mentors, FGI interns will undergo training, gain hands-on work experience, and learn the specifics of life inside international corporations. It will also be a valuable rehearsal in independence: in safe conditions and under the guidance of professional supervisors, they will experience living on their own in the capital—from planning and organising everyday duties to managing a modest personal budget. The interns will receive pay for their work.

Where Are Our Interns Headed—and What Will They Do?

One of the young women has taken a front-desk role at Colgate-Palmolive and, from July, will be the master of first impressions. Greeting guests, handling correspondence and calls, booking meeting rooms, collaborating with the team—this will be her daily routine, and a chance to develop competencies such as communication, time management, work organisation, and self-confidence. It’s an excellent foundation for every challenge to come—professional and personal alike.

Two further interns have started their professional adventure with our long-standing partner, Lenovo Poland, taking on tasks in Administration and Operations. There they will learn what it means to work with documentation, manage a vehicle fleet, operate sales systems, and collaborate with commercial partners. These can be real challenges that build a sense of responsibility and teach teamwork—all in an atmosphere of openness, where it is safe to ask questions, learn, and grow in courage for life.

Why Does This Matter?

Our report, “Starting Adulthood,” shows that only 12% of care-leavers from children’s homes receive meaningful support in finding a job. That is a dramatically low figure—and it speaks volumes about the difficulties young people face after leaving care. They lack networks, experience, and—often—belief in their own abilities. What many of us take for granted—help in finding a first job, a paid internship, a supportive web of contacts—is frequently out of reach for them.

That is why at FGI we design internship programmes that are much more than work experience. They broaden horizons and reveal new avenues for growth. They create a safe space for decision-making—and for changing one’s mind—as well as a concrete step towards independence. The internships we organise with partners are paid; we also provide our beneficiaries with accommodation and insurance. Above all, we offer support, understanding, and the conviction that young people from foster care have the same rights—and the same potential—as anyone else to build a solid professional future.

“I’m Not Sure I Can Do It, But I Want to Try”

It’s a sentence we hear often from our beneficiaries—and that willingness to act despite uncertainty deserves the greatest respect. Our interns are not treated as “participants in a charitable scheme.” They have been welcomed into teams on equal terms—as young people with every right to develop, learn, ask questions, and try.

We Believe This Is Only the Beginning

We watch with hope as our interns enter the world of work. And we know that this first step—perhaps the hardest—is the start of something good. When a young person is given an opportunity, support, and faith in their abilities, they can achieve more than they ever imagined.

Want to Help Us Create More Opportunities?

Join our circle of partner companies or support our work. Together, we can ensure that the start of adult life is not a plunge into the deep end, but a deliberate, courageous step—on one’s own terms.