On June 25, 2025, Caritas Albania organized a round table on the topic “Institutionalization of Paid Internships in Albania” at Hotel Mondial in Tirana. The event was held within the framework of the YourJob program, supported by the Austrian Development Agency, Renovabis, Secours Catholique, and Caritas Austria. It brought together representatives from public institutions and civil society to exchange ideas, experiences, and recommendations on youth empowerment and social inclusion.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Ms. Juljana Reso, Director of Caritas Albania, who emphasized Caritas’s humanitarian mission and its dedication to serving people in need for over three decades. She introduced the YourJob program and highlighted its main achievements over the years, showcasing successful examples of youth integration into the labor market and the program’s sustainable impact on communities.

A special guest at the event was Ms. Adriana Spahiu, representative of the Austrian Development Agency in Albania, who praised the positive impact of the YourJob program and its dedication to empowering young people in the implementation areas. Ms. Spahiu commended Caritas Albania for the successful implementation and strong results achieved, emphasizing the importance of continued support for youth as a concrete step towards building a more secure and sustainable future. She noted that this cooperation represents an effective example of collaboration between international organizations, civil society, and local actors in addressing youth unemployment and social inclusion.

Among the key speakers was Ms. Gertiola Cepani, Director at the Central AKPA, who was part of the working group drafting the advocacy document on paid internships. She addressed the current challenges and employment policies for youth, underlining the importance of inter-institutional cooperation and the need to increase minimum pay for interns.

Ms. Migena Spaho, Director of Protection and Social Inclusion at the Municipality of Tirana, also offered her greetings. She shared several of the municipality’s initiatives for engaging and including young people in the city’s socio-economic life. She highlighted the long-standing and impactful cooperation with Caritas Albania and praised the organization’s tireless work with marginalized communities and its dedication to those most in need.

The round table panel also included Ms. Klaudia Hasanllari, Director at the Center for the Prevention of Juvenile and Youth Crime, Ministry of Justice. In her speech, she acknowledged the continued and fruitful collaboration with Caritas Albania, especially within initiatives that support the social and professional reintegration of juveniles in conflict with the law. She emphasized the need to provide real opportunities for skill development through structured and supported internships as a concrete path to a more stable and promising future for these youth.

Following this, Ms. Juliana Bici, YourJob Program Manager, presented concrete results of the program in areas such as counseling, vocational training, internships, startups, and job market orientation, benefiting approximately 3,000 young people across Albania. The program is implemented in several regions, including Shkodër, Bushat, Lezhë, Rrëshen, Kamëz, Kurbin, and Tirana. The results have been significant, positively impacting both young people and the communities involved.

One of the key moments of the event was the presentation of the advocacy document for the institutionalization of paid internships, developed based on the model implemented by Caritas under the YourJob program. The document was introduced by Ms. Enkelejda Qama, Director of the Social Department at Caritas Albania, who shared the main recommendations with participants. She emphasized that this document should not remain on paper but should lead to concrete institutional actions that directly benefit youth through better compensation and greater motivation.

In closing, the Director of Caritas Albania underlined the vital role of public institutions and civil society in advancing such initiatives. She stressed that only through true collaboration can we build fairer policies, more inclusive services, and a society where no one is left behind.