Collegians Serving Homeless Children: Aspiring social workers’ class project aids youth at Aurora shelter

AURORA, Ill, August 7, 2007—Social work is more than a future career, it’s a service mission for students in Advanced Social Work Management and Community Leadership, an Aurora University summer course.

As a class project, three students designed and are delivering “Harvesting Hope,” a twice-weekly evening child-development program for residents of Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora.

The program, which ends Thursday (Aug. 9), is led by Professor Don Phelps.

In addition to Phelps, AU students participating are Erik Franzen of Batavia, Sharon Kozak of Shorewood and Erika Wackenhut of Geneva. Kathy Bertrand of Naperville, a 2006 AU graduate and a DeKalb social worker, is a volunteer.

During the five-week course, AU students host activities for a dozen children ages two to 12. The groups meet on Mondays and Thursdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the downtown Aurora shelter.

Recreational and educational activities led by the college students are designed to address the children’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs. Activities include group singing, story-telling, and role playing, all designed to engage the children’s participation. Play acting is facilitated through the creative use of props such as puppets and dolls.

Wackenhut said, “We found the children are thirsty for this program. They really love it.”

Franzen added, “The kids’ smiles is the best reward for the work we have done. The program has been extremely rewarding for both students and children.”

The arrangement benefits both homeless kids and college students, Phelps said.

Children improve their pro-social values such as kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility, and respect for others. The social work students learn about working with young clients.

“This aim of this program is to help these children break the cycle of poverty,” Phelps said.

When compared to children living in stable homes, homeless children are more likely to face many serious physical and mental health problems, he noted.

“Such problems may include delayed physical and emotional development, mental health challenges, poor physical health, illiteracy and low academic achievement. These children are more likely to grow up to be homeless adults.”

According to Phelps, homeless children struggle with specialized needs.

“All children require free expression as a means of coping with the difficulties of their circumstances,” he said. “This need is exacerbated by the special challenges faced by being homeless.

“Harvesting Hope gives Aurora’s homeless children a means of understanding and expressing their emotions in a supportive environment,” Phelps said.

The college students hope to continue the program after the class ends Aug. 9 by recruiting coordinators, volunteers, and donations.

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