The UCLA program was also successful despite some teething pains in the beginning. Unfortunately, the UCLA Centre for Community Learning went through some changes themselves and were unable to continue to host our students in summer 2019. On the other hand, we had made some progress in discussions with University of Southern California by then and USC was able to host our students in another program. In fact, we took the opportunity to take the exchange to the next level, turning it into a two-way exchange between USC and PolyU. After some discussions, we decided that the theme of the program in 2019 should be a topic of mutual interest: homelessness. It turns out that both Los Angles and Hong Kong have significant issues of homelessness and poor quality housing.
Established in 1972, the USC Joint Educational Project (JET) is one of the oldest and largest service-learning programs in the USA. Each year 2,000+ students enrol in JEP’s service-learning, work-study and volunteer programs. Over the years JEP has been honoured with numerous awards and recognitions for its pioneering contributions to the field. JEP offers a wide range of service and service-learning opportunities in nearby schools, community-based organizations, health-care facilities and legal clinics. JEP partners with USC faculty who offer course credit for participating in JEP; the program offers opportunities for alumni, USC employees and student volunteers, as well. JEP’s programs combine hands-on experience with reflective practice, enabling students to learn first hand about the critical issues facing the communities surrounding USC.
The program that we designed together with the JET is a unique 4-week program in LA designed to help students learn about homelessness in Los Angeles, to complement a sister program in Hong Kong. A weekly seminar teaches students about the evolution of current homelessness and criminal justice policy in the USA, with particular focus on economic, social, and political factors. It also facilitate utilisation of conceptual and analytic reasoning skills to serve vulnerable populations and advance social and economic justice for individuals experiencing homelessness. Field experiences include Skid Row tour and Skid Row choir, and 3-week placement in community centres. Skid Row is a neighbourhood in downtown LA, also known as Central City East. It contains one of the largest stable populations (4,000-8,000) of homeless people in the USA. It has been notable because of its long history of poor living conditions, police raids, homelessness advocacy, targeted city initiatives and publicity.
Following the program in LA, 3 students from USC came to Hong Kong for the return program. They are joined by some of the PolyU students who went to USC earlier. Together they do through workshops on the unique political background of Hong Kong, practical style of civic engagement in Hong Kong, service-learning at PolyU, and specific issues related to homelessness/poor housing in Hong Kong. In contrast to LA, the number of people who actually live on the street for extended periods of time is not as high. Th official number is said to be just over 1,000. However, there is a very large population that live in extremely small sub-divided flats, sub-standard rooms with very poor ventilation and sanitation, etc. There is much similarity, but also differences between the situation in LA and Hong Kong.
Through this unique program, students from PolyU and USC learn about an issue in their own city, the same/similar issue in a somewhat similar yet different city, the similar/different causes, government policies and action/inaction, mobilisation of community organisations, and much more.
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