When I first heard of Willingness, it immediately sparked my interest. A sex clinic in Malta? What is this all about? I explored Willingness on the internet and came to realize that it is so much more than ‘just’ a sex clinic in Malta. Not only has Willingness expanded to a Family clinic and a soon-to-be-launched Health Clinic, but it is an experience of its own, as I was lucky enough to experience it myself!

What I noticed in one of the first few meetings was the incredible personal and family-like atmosphere. People talk to each other respectfully, at eye level, and with a sense of ease that makes you feel at home. At the same time, they talk to each other as professionals, including the interns. I did not expect to be treated like a professional, since I got accepted for the position of an intern. Surprisingly, the managers kept asking for all the interns’ feedback and opinions on all kinds of matters. I could almost literally feel the curiosity and openness with which the Willingness team meets the interns. In addition to the progressive work environment, the work ethics at Willingness were exactly what I imagine myself working like in the future: reliable, honest and passionate. This made me realize how much I enjoyed working with Willingness and helped me set my expectations high for a future job.

Throughout the internship I enjoyed working on different research projects within the Health clinic! My interest in the field of Health Psychology has increased tremendously, as I was working together with passionate professionals in this field. I enjoyed getting to know my team and gaining insight into the different clinics and their way of working. It really gave me a thorough insight into how Willingness works, and how professionals in the field work. As a graduate without work experience, it is hard to know how working in the field actually looks like. Willingness gave me the opportunity to take a peek inside and decide for myself whether I like it or not. I am happy with my insight that I have become inclined to follow a path in Health psychology, rather than as a researcher. I am thankful for the opportunity that Willingness gave me, and although I would have loved to visit Malta in person, I have to say that the internship was well organized with the online meetings.

Overall, my experience with Willingness has been great and I would recommend students to apply for such an opportunity to find out what they want for their future!

If you want to learn more about Willingness internships you can reach out here.      

Ronja Sina is an intern at Willingness. She graduated with her MSc in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology from the University of Groningen.