Monaghan County Council launches summer internship to the USA

Monaghan County Council has said it is pleased to announce that it will offer two placement opportunities for Monaghan students on the long-established Project Children Summer Work & Travel Internship Programme for Summer 2026.

While the internship programme itself has been operating since 1995 and continues Project Children’s decades-long mission of cross-community and cross-border cultural exchange, this marks the latest stage of Monaghan County Council’s deepening involvement through its cultural partnership with the organisation. 

The Project Children Internship Programme was created in 1995 as a natural extension of the charity’s original children’s peace initiative, providing university students with the chance to live, work and volunteer in the United States each summer.

Through this programme, students gain international work experience across sectors ranging from law and politics to engineering, medicine, nonprofit work, marketing and more, while living with American host families and participating in cultural exchange. 

The internship is heavily subsidised, with Project Children covering return flights, internal US travel, medical insurance, host family accommodation and meals, internship-related travel, SEVIS and J-1 visa processing fees, and a $200 weekly stipend. Students will complete a seven-week internship with an American employer while living with a local host family and engaging in structured cultural programming. 

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Speaking on the announcement, Monaghan County Council Cathaoirleach PJ O’Hanlon said: “Project Children has shaped lives for over fifty years, offering young people opportunities rooted in peace, understanding and shared community.

"We are proud to support the internship programme by offering places to Monaghan students. This initiative continues a remarkable legacy while giving our young people the chance to become global ambassadors for our county.”

Highlighting the Council’s commitment to this programme, Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council, Robert Burns stated: “We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Project Children. The internship programme brings together cultural immersion, professional development and personal growth in a way that few opportunities can.

"By supporting Monaghan students to take part, we are helping shape careers, broaden horizons and strengthen the county’s connections with our international partners.”

The Project Children Internship Programme forms an important part of the Council’s wider cultural strategy and its role in stewarding the Project Children archive and legacy at the Peace Campus. Reflecting on this, Director of Services for Finance, Housing & Cultural Services, Olga McConnon, added: “Our cultural partnership with Project Children ensures that its extraordinary legacy is preserved and celebrated in Monaghan.

"By supporting student participation in the internship programme, we are ensuring this legacy remains a living one — inspiring young people, building relationships and continuing the cross-community ethos that Project Children has championed for five decades.”