On April 23, 2026, the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) at Fudan University organized undergraduate students from the “Global Public Policy and Governance” program to conduct a field research visit to the Shanghai Yanze Social Work Development Center. This activity is part of a series of practical initiatives following the unveiling of the jointly established “Internship and Practice Innovation Base” in December 2025. It aims to deepen university–community collaboration in talent cultivation and guide students to understand grassroots social work practices and innovation pathways in real governance settings. The visit was led by Assistant Professor Xin Ye from IGPP, with participation from undergraduate students across multiple schools.

Ms. Qiuyue Wang, Executive Director of Yanze Center, warmly welcomed the faculty and students. In her remarks, she reviewed the long-standing collaboration between Yanze and IGPP, expressing special thanks to Dean Yijia Jing of IGPP for his continued guidance and strong support, which has accompanied the center’s growth from its early exploratory phase to its current deep engagement in community development. Ms. Wang emphasized that Yanze highly values the trust and regular interaction established with IGPP and hopes to further develop the “Internship and Practice Innovation Base” into a platform where students can better understand social issues and serve vulnerable groups.

During the field research, Ms. Jiayan Wang, Deputy Director of the center, and Ms. Yanhua Shi, Internal Supervisor, introduced several representative service initiatives. In response to challenges faced by children and adolescents, Yanze has launched the “Play with Purpose” mental health promotion program. The program aims to enhance psychological resilience by building a support network across individual, family, and community levels.

For workers in emerging forms of employment and their families, Yanze has been developing community-friendly spaces offering after-school care, introductory programming courses, and parent–child interaction activities. The center also pays special attention to the “migrant mother” group, employing participatory methods, complemented by community photo exhibitions and peer support groups. These efforts aim to enhance self-awareness and rebuild social support networks among service recipients.

During the discussion session, students engaged actively by connecting theoretical frameworks from their coursework with their research interests. Questions focused on key challenges and innovation pathways in grassroots social work. Ms. Wang shared practical experiences and candidly discussed structural challenges such as funding constraints and talent shortages. She encouraged students to “come with questions and leave with reflections,” emphasizing continuous observation and validation in practice to transform classroom knowledge into problem-solving capacity. At the conclusion of the visit, Assistant Professor Ye noted that Yanze’s work vividly demonstrates the interaction between policy flexibility and social resilience. The center’s problem-oriented approach, methodological innovation, and use of data provide students with a valuable micro-level perspective for understanding governance in China. Ms. Wang reiterated her invitation for students interested in the public service sector to join Yanze as volunteers or interns, gaining professional growth through serving society.

This visit marks another step in the collaboration between IGPP and Yanze under the “Internship and Practice Innovation Base,” signaling a transition toward more institutionalized and in-depth cooperation. Looking ahead, IGPP will continue to leverage this platform to expand partnerships with grassroots governance innovators, provide more hands-on opportunities for students, and foster the development of public governance professionals with both global vision and local commitment.