Center in the Park
Title: The Spaces Between Us
Student Interns:
Axel L. Carrion
Temple University, School of Social Work
Ramis Simi
Temple University, College of Public Health
Academic Preceptor:
Jerome Wright, MSW, LSW
Temple University, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Community Preceptor:
Amanda Boga, MS
Director of Center Services, Center in the Park
Renee Cunningham
Executive Director, Center in the Park
Community Site:
Center in the Park (CIP) is a mission-driven community center that provides adults aged 55 and older with opportunities for personal growth and connection, and a voice in shaping its activities and direction. Located in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood, CIP also offers a range of social services, including housing counseling, in-home support, a Neighborhood Energy Center, and a Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program for older adults and their caregivers.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps interns worked with Center in the Park to support its programming, which encourages healthy aging and community involvement among older adults. Throughout the summer, the interns supported the center’s daily activities, special events, and administrative projects. Interns assisted with the distribution of food vouchers to older adults, provided nutrition education to promote healthy eating, and encouraged participants to share information about the vouchers. The interns also developed and presented an oral hygiene program, addressing issues regarding oral health and its importance, smoking cessation, and cardiovascular health, and distributed oral hygiene products to reinforce healthy habits and increase awareness.
Reflections
My experience as a BTG member allowed me to make important connections within my chosen field of clinical social work and community initiatives in social justice. I’ve engaged with a client-focused lens, prioritizing CIP’s mission in healthy aging while valuing community engagement and independence. I learned how vital it is to implement a client-centered method during active listening and engagement, while learning to connect members and clients to CIP resources or events. Contributing to the experience, I learned how important CIP is for our community members and clients. During my internship, I supported CIP members in participating in active and co-constructive programs. These were programs that supported physical health, community engagement, art therapy, and so much more. CIP validates healthy aging and longevity for everyone in the Philadelphia community. Learning how to apply these sources of health helped me promote my own wellness while encouraging my approach during applied practice. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve at CIP, being a part of an agency that meets their clients and members where they are. Meeting an individual need is invaluable, and CIP challenges that initiative throughout Philadelphia.
Axel L. Carrion
Bridging the Gaps experience has shifted my perception of public health and the communities it serves. Even though I have been living in Philadelphia for years, I was never able to fully understand the problems in terms of health and social determinants of health until I had this opportunity to work directly with the underserved communities. At the Center in the Park, I realized that there are more barriers to good health that go far beyond medical care. It is usually defined by the availability of resources and education, as well as the social environment, and I could see how the organization builds relationships with its members. Witnessing the impact that an organization can make through building real relationships and being consistent in its efforts made me see how important the community-oriented approach is in public health. It also reinforced that listening to people, understanding their experiences, and meeting them where they are is just as important as providing health education. This experience made me understand and appreciate opportunities like BTG that help students make an impact on the community.
Ramis Simi
