Anahita Sabet-Payman
Shaheen Jaisingh
| Anahita Sabet-Payman | Shaheen Jaisingh |
Anahita Sabet-Payman, Shaheen Jaisingh
Joan Gluch
Division of Community Oral Health, Preventive & Restorative Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Description
Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) is a child advocacy organization based in Southeastern Pennsylvania. PCCY works to improve the lives of our region’s children by developing initiatives and advocating for quality health care, childcare, public education, and family stability. On one hand, PCCY offers direct help to children, and with the other hand they apply pressure to government officials to persuade them to do what is necessary to give every child the basic ingredients for a lifetime of success. PCCY combines comprehensive research and the tools of advocacy to mobilize partner organizations and citizens across the region to change the lives of children for the better.
Project Overview
The student interns joined the Delaware County Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition at PCCY this summer. The Coalition strives to protect children from the detrimental effects of lead poisoning. The Coalition has two main goals: to get lead out of homes and to ensure that all children are screened for lead poisoning twice before the age of two.
Outcome
At the completion of the internship, PCCY utilized the excel sheets created and the intern research projects to enhance their advocacy initiatives in Delaware County. The students also built communication skills from numerous exchanges with doctor’s offices, senators and representatives of communities, and employees at PCCY. Moreover, the student interns gained a deeper insight into advocacy work, and the public health issue of childhood lead poisoning. Lastly, the interns had the opportunity to make an impact in the community outside of their specific discipline.