Finding a job that aligns with new professionals’ career aspirations and is fairly remunerated is widely acknowledged as a challenge in the cultural heritage sector. This has large similarities with, but also some specificity in comparison to, trends in cultural employment. Young people are rarely included in the sector’s decision making positions, and career development can be slow as a result.
This is the reason why initiatives in culture and cultural heritage that advocate for students, young people and new professionals can be decisive for change, giving them opportunities to enter a career better equipped through meaningful experiences that expand minds and horizons.
The Europeana Initiative has undertaken efforts in this direction for several years, starting with a collaboration with the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH) and the work conducted by the New Professionals Task Force (where ‘new’ is a concept that includes any age, unlike ‘young’). This has continued with activities for or about new and emerging professionals including internships for students, bursaries at our annual conferences, the New Professionals’ Twin Talks and other dedicated events.
The first Europeana Internship for New Professionals was designed to make our commitment more concrete and visible while supporting Europeana Research’s activities, especially research into how universities are embedding digital cultural heritage in their curricula and training future professionals.
As part of this internship programme, we looked at initiatives that offer young people opportunities for growth, participation and networking (also to explore potential collaborations). We were also interested in initiatives from the European Commission that foster active citizenship and how this can take shape through culture and cultural heritage. Below are a series of examples we found, with some additional suggestions made by our colleagues in Marketing and Communications. If you are looking for enriching experiences, support or inspiration, explore these initiatives, communities and events!
UNESCO Global Youth Community - a platform for individuals aged 18 - 35 and youth-led organisations within UNESCO’s fields of competence (education, arts, sciences and culture). UNESCO also organises a UNESCO Youth Forum every two years. Young people play a crucial role in the Associations and Clubs for UNESCO which support UNESCO priorities, and some of them are youth-led, such as Associazione Italiana Giovani per l’UNESCO in Italy.
ICOMOS International Emerging Professionals Working Group - an initiative from the International Council on Monuments and Sites to support emerging heritage practitioners.
ICCROM Internships - a programme offered by the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (Italy) for those interested in pursuing a career in cultural heritage. The internships are also linked to ICCROM thematic and regional programmes.
ICOM-CECA Young Members Network - an initiative for students and young professionals in museum education, hosted by the International Council of Museums’ International Committee for Education and Cultural Action. Connected to this are the CECA Young Members Awards.
ICOM International Committees’ Travel Grants - some committees of the International Council of Museums offer travel grants to young professionals to sustain inclusive participation in events and conferences, for example the ICOM-CC Young Member Grant and the ICOM-DEMHIST Young Member Travel Grant.
ESACH - the European Students’ Association for Cultural Heritage, an international network of European students and young professionals working within cultural heritage. They are now a member organisation of Europa Nostra.
European Heritage Youth Ambassadors Programme - this programme creates a network of students and emerging professionals with a passion for shared cultural heritage. It is run by Europa Nostra, ESACH and the European Heritage Tribune.
European Heritage Youth Residency - an opportunity for students, professionals and heritage stakeholders to learn from heritage policies and projects through meetings with local stakeholders, site visits and workshops. The residencies are organised by Europa Nostra with local organisations, thanks to the support of the EU’s Creative Europe programme.
FRH Young Professionals and Researchers Working Group - an initiative of the Future for Religious Heritage (FRH), a non-faith organisation bringing together those working to protect religious heritage across Europe. Its newsletter features a bi-montly column - Young Voices in Religious Heritage - in collaboration with ESACH.
European Heritage Hub Social Forum Youth Group - the European Heritage Hub, in which the Europeana Foundation participates as a project partner, aims to connect heritage actors and initiatives across Europe. Their online social forum has a group dedicated to Youth, and is a space to connect with peers, expand your network and collaborate on topics central to cultural heritage. The project recently partnered with CHARTER | European Cultural Heritage Skills Alliance for a series of interviews featuring young cultural heritage professionals.
ICA New Professionals programme - a programme from the International Council on Archives designed to support future leaders in the field of archives and records management.
The Future is Heritage - an initiative of the Dutch regionale heritage organisation Erfgoed Brabant, this international network aims to strengthen the position of young people working in heritage in Europe.
Arctic Youth Network - an initiative to connect young people from around the Arctic and the world, while providing them with tools and experience to create change locally and internationally. One of their programme streams is facilitating collaboration across borders and cultures.
FRAME - an annual training programme co-organised by INA | Institut national de l'audiovisuel (France) with EBU Academy and FIAT/ IFTA, and co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme. FRAME Basics is training for early career professionals who manage audiovisual content, and FRAME Mentoring is aimed at junior professionals in the audiovisual heritage field with less than five years of experience.
IIC Students & Emerging Conservator Conferences - a series of international events organised by the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (UK), aimed at helping recent graduates and those still studying conservation embark on a career in the field.
Young Professionals Forum / Emerging Skills for Heritage Conservation - an initiative led by the Centre for Conservation and Restoration ‘La Venaria Reale’ (Italy), aimed at enhancing emerging increasing skills for conservation, comparing the experiences of professionals in the cultural heritage sector and opening it up to wider and more diversified audiences. The Centre also supports a Young Professionals Community.
European Solidarity Corps - this European Commission funding programme helps young people to take part in projects that benefit communities in a wide range of fields, including culture. The European Solidarity Corps Participation Awards celebrates the 10 best stories!
European Youth Week - a European Commission event organised every two years to celebrate and promote youth engagement, participation and active citizenship.
New European Bauhaus Prizes - One of the two categories of these prizes is for young innovators aged 30 or below. The European Commission's New European Bauhaus initiative focuses on a sustainable and inclusive future.
Young European Ambassadors - a creative network of future young activists from across the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). It is part of the European Union’s Regional Communication Programme for the Western Balkans.
Share more initiatives or reach out to us for collaborations via [email protected]!
