Program Reviews

Internship with Serve the City in Madrid, Spain was one of the most enriching experiences of my life. Everything about the experience was gratifying and unforgettable. Everything, from working at the office to spending time with the wonderful people at the house was great. It was an experience of a lifetime where I got a chance to work and interact with volunteers and interns from all over the world. I got a chance to work on several projects of my interest. Everything at the house was very well organized and streamlined and coordinators were always available to help.
Spain is a beautiful country and I got a chance to experience its rich culture through this internship. I really enjoyed my time in Spain and I am glad that I chose to do this internship.

I've been volunteering with Serve the City Madrid (STC) for 5 months. It was in one word amazing. I've learned a lot about the working structure of the NGO and I got great responsibility and the feeling that my work mattered. Besides that, the staff of STC is so nice and helpful and made me feel comfortable right away.

Madrid as a city is great to live in. It is safe, clear and a very beautiful city. In Madrid, you can never be bored. There are so many attractions for sight seeing, but what I also loved to do, is go outside of the city and hike in the mountains. Madrid has great nature in the north.

Over all, this was a life-changing experience. I've learned so much and improved both my level of Spanish and English. I will never forget the warm hearted people in Madrid and the open arms they received me with.

Working with Serve the City Madrid has hands down been my favorite internship. From the beginning, the staff worked with me to learn about my goals of the internship and what I wanted to learn and accomplish, and helped me become acclimated with the Madrid area. It was a great opportunity to learn about the operations of an NGO, especially with the international component and learning about Spanish culture, and I cannot stress how wonderful, approachable and fun the staff is.

I had an internship with serve the city for about 2 months and had an incredible experience. The team was very up beat and friendly and we quickly became a family. If I could go back and experience it all over again I would in a heart beat. I came into Madrid with a group of girls I hardly knew and my best friend from home and I can definitely say having at least one person you know helps a lot with homesickness however going by yourself could be a ton of fun too. Working with serve the city we got to go out into the city and volunteer our time fixing up a safe home for individuals who did not have one. I have always been the volunteer type but volunteering in a different country was a new experience for me and one I will never forget. Another project we got to do as a team was put on a fundraiser and I have to say this was a huge success after raising over 1000€!!!! It was a great accomplishment!

Internship with Serve the City Madrid was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.
Although it seems quite intimidating to live in a new country with no knowledge of language or culture, but with STC Madrid, I felt at home from the very first day.

STC Madrid office was managed very professionally. Warren really made an effort to understand what you wanted to achieve out of the internship. He made sure that time spent with STC resulted in something meaningful. He paid attention to all the interns individually and chalked out tasks that matched their working style. The entire team of STC Madrid is really dedicated and focussed. STC Madrid is connected to about 40 local NGOs and is part of Serve the City Organisation which is spread across the globe.

We were living in a shared accommodation and the house had all the basic necessities one could ask. The public transportation in madrid is very well organised and the bus stop is right next to the house. The House Coordinators brief you the moment you arrive and provide amazing support throughout the programme. All the meals were served on the weekdays and Melody, would prepare food separately if you had any dietary restrictions (No Gluten, No Lactose, Vegan etc). Since you live with peers from all around the globe, you learn a lot. Trust me, there was never a dull moment at the house and you will end up making a lot of friends.

Madrid has a vibrant nightlife and people throughout the city are really helpful. If you know Spanish, its an advantage and even if you don't, Spanish lessons can be arranged.
I would certainly recommend this program. Amazing memories for life!

If you are looking for an internship that provides hands on experience in NGO work then Serve the City Madrid is the perfect program for you. The Serve the City team is welcoming to all participants and ensures that all interns work on interesting and informative projects. You will improve your skill sets in the areas of business writing, editing, communication (In both Spanish and English), research, organization, creativity, working independently, and working as a team. I could not give higher praise to the Serve the City internship program, it has become a corner stone in shaping my aspirations for a future career in community development work.

As a first time traveler abroad, I was unsure what a summer internship in Spain would mean. Would I simply be responsible for making coffee and doing some paperwork? What did it mean to run a non profit abroad? In just six short weeks, I got a true taste of what it means to live and work in Madrid, making a difference in the lives of real people. As an intern group, we were tasked with developing, pitching, creating and executing a fundraiser in Madrid.

No small feat. Three American girls had to learn how to effectively fundraise in a country that does not share our American views on charity and it was the greatest learning adventure! If you want to have an internship experience that gives you real learning, challenges, self growth and development, look no further than Serve the City-Madrid! You will have real projects, grow genuine connections and meet the most amazing group of people!

I am now working in a non-profit setting here in America but I look forward to the day I might be able to take my love for non-profit work back to Europe. Having the chance to truly create our own project and see our work come to life at the end of the internship was amazing. It will be something you can connect to any future job interview and employers love to see that you had an experience in a different culture! I can't recommend the program enough!