Community Partner : Hampden Family Center Intern : Aaron Harris Site Supervisor : Pierre Sanders
What is the Hampden Family Center ?
The mission of the Hampden Family Center is to enrich the lives of Hampden residents through education and professional support , and to encourage individual growth and community fellowship .
This summer has been quite the experience – this was my first time working with kids since I started college , and they really made me work hard ! I was placed at the Hampden Family Center , which is a support center for families that sits right in the heart of Hampden on their main commercial street . One of the things that first stood out to me is the fact that an affluent community like Hampden would need a Family Center ! However , as I worked there , I realized that even within these communities there exists massive disparities between how the Hampden community lives – at the weekly Friday food drives hosted by the Family Center , I saw a reoccurring set of about ten elderly citizens who were not only picking up for themselves , but for their families . I also interacted with people experiencing homelessness in the area , who often relied on the Family Center for food , drinks , and toiletries . Within the kids who attended the HFC Summer Enrichment Program , which started three weeks after my placement began , there were kids whose parents were licensed doctors and were deemed gifted students , as well as those who had difficulties at home and may have had learning disabilities or attention disorders . All this to say that , even within a wealthy neighborhood such as Hampden , there were still those affected by severe wealth and education disparities .
As the summer progressed and I had to juggle the role of camp counselor enforcing the rules and responsible support system for all my kids , I made sure to address any potential issues that arose through a viewpoint of not necessarily punishing a behavior but addressing the underlying issues in an understanding way . It helped me reinforce the importance of respect not only for those who have authority over you , but also for those who you yourself have authority over . Of course , that is not to say I was perfect at my job . This year has been very emotionally , mentally , and physically draining for me and there were moments during the summer where the exhaustion was visible on my face . However , in those times I always had my HFC staff ( shout-out to Pierre and Catey !) who were accommodating when I was at my limits . All in all , I had a great time this summer and was very lucky to listen to the stories of my coworkers , children , and fellow interns in CIIP !
Developed event planning skills in regards to creating daily schedules for the summer enrichment program , which includes how to structure breaks , creating numerous daily icebreakers , and adjusting for the kids ' desires and needs Improved conflict resolution skills , both out on field trips and within the kids ' activity rooms Maintained a peaceful atmosphere among program participants
34