HHI Local and Global Community Partner Through our longstanding community partnership with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Homeless Health Initiative, staff at Lutheran Settlement House/Jane Addams Place had the pleasure of meeting a group of Chinese exchange students from Beijing Normal University in Beijing, China. The students were studying at the University of Pennsylvania for six weeks last summer. I had the opportunity to provide a tour of our facility for the students and introduce them to Jane Addams staff and residents. The students were most eager to learn about Jane Addams’ approach to case management and the Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapeutic Services offered to the children who reside at Jane Addams.

It was interesting to connect with the social work students from China and share in their passion for the helping professions. It was rewarding to learn how social work is practiced in China and to share techniques and methodologies as they relate to the field. It was also wonderful to educate them about what homelessness among children and families looks like in Philadelphia. It’s encouraging to know that helping others transcends borders and cultures. Meeting these students was empowering, and it is great to know there are budding social work professionals emerging all around the world to help others.

— Meghan Parkinson-Sidorski, director of Social Work & Compliance, Lutheran Settlement House/Jane Addams Place