Nowon-gu Takes Direct Action to Identify Welfare Blind Spot Residents Facing Livelihood Difficulties

In December, 160,000 flyers for 'Dong Community Center Will Visit You' were distributed for focused promotion... Support targets include residents facing financial hardship, overdue public utility bills, housing vulnerability, or anyone in need... After application, a social welfare officer visits the household within 72 hours for consultation.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced on the 17th that it will directly seek out households in crisis, such as those struggling with livelihood difficulties, who are in welfare blind spots.

Recently, suicides due to financial hardship such as apartment management fee arrears have been frequent, and this is to enable those facing economic crises to more actively seek external help.

In fact, most households in crisis within welfare blind spots lack information about welfare services and do not know how to receive help or hesitate even if they know. Also, most welfare services require the individual to apply directly to receive various supports or benefits, which is why the district is taking an active role.

Since December last year, the district has produced 160,000 flyers titled “The Community Service Center Will Visit You” and has been directly placing them in mailboxes of apartments and houses in the area to promote this initiative.

The support details are carefully listed to ensure that households in crisis who need help do not miss out on support due to not knowing how to apply.

The eligible recipients for support include ▲ those whose main income earners are unemployed or have business failures causing livelihood difficulties, ▲ those with overdue public utility bills (electricity, water), ▲ housing-vulnerable households living in small rooms, goshiwon, or inns, and ▲ any residents who feel they need help for other reasons.

This promotion aims not only at the individuals themselves but also at spreading awareness among neighbors. If someone knows of a household in crisis or thinks help is needed, they can call or visit the local community service center in their residential area to apply.

After receiving an application, if support is deemed necessary, a social welfare officer will visit the household within 72 hours to conduct counseling.

Support includes livelihood expenses, medical expenses, and housing costs through the Basic Livelihood Security System and emergency support.

Additionally, if home repairs, neighborly help, or donation of goods are needed, the district connects with private resources and provides customized services such as care through the Care SOS Center, legal advice, and financial consultation.

In the future, if complex problems are discovered, the district welfare policy department and community service centers will select the household as an integrated case management target for continuous care.

The district is carrying out various projects to discover households in crisis. A representative example is the “Our Neighborhood Officer” system. All staff at the community service centers visit their assigned areas at least once a week every month to identify residents’ inconveniences. Last year, 1,747 households in crisis were found and supported.

Another is welfare counseling for poverty crisis households through welfare planners. There are 168 social welfare officers at community service centers, and last year they counseled 22,616 people.

The Care SOS Center project is also being promoted. Since July last year, it has provided care services such as mobility support, welfare checks, and meal support to 923 households of elderly, disabled, and low-income residents who experienced sudden illness or accidents.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Through meticulous and net-like attention, we will not spare support for neighbors in difficulty who are in welfare blind spots,” and added, “We will continue to strengthen access to public services to build a foundation for a warm neighborhood.”

Welfare Policy Department (☎2116-3677)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.