Yeongdeungpo-gu Provides Non-Face-to-Face Jobs (Environmental Protection Squad) for Seniors

Job Projects Halted Due to COVID-19... 74 Seniors Support 'Non-Face-to-Face Job' Environmental Guardians Activities... Campaign for Recycling Separation and Recycling Station Inspection While Practicing Social Distancing

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) is providing 'non-face-to-face' jobs that adhere to social distancing rules to 74 low-income elderly people as a measure against the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The district created 3,880 jobs for the elderly this year, but as COVID-19 continued, it completely suspended the elderly job project from February 24 to ensure the safety of the health-vulnerable group.

Accordingly, the district selected 74 elderly people aged 65 and over, who were struggling with livelihood due to income gaps, as the ‘Environmental Guardians’ and they started working from March 26.

The elderly will work 30 hours per month until mid-December, prioritizing COVID-19 infection prevention by wearing masks and following social distancing rules.

The Environmental Guardians carry out activities such as ‘spreading the culture of proper recyclable waste separation’ and the ‘Overcoming COVID-19 Together’ campaign. Wearing highly visible orange vests, they patrol the neighborhood and inspect clean house stations and recycling stations.

In addition, the district is conducting the ‘Overcome COVID-19 Together with a Healthy Ride’ campaign along with the ‘COVID-19 Prevention Bicycle Promotion Team’ to overcome COVID-19.

The ‘COVID-19 Prevention Bicycle Promotion Team,’ consisting of 30 elderly members, patrols the neighborhood with flags bearing messages attached to their bicycles.

Residents gain hope by seeing messages on the flags such as ‘Hearts Close, Bodies Apart,’ and the elderly can expect health improvement through cycling exercise.

Yoo Jong-hwan (72), a member of the COVID-19 Prevention Bicycle Promotion Team, said, “Riding a bicycle and exercising while making neighbors feel good is the most rewarding thing,” adding, “If we all overcome this together, COVID-19 will disappear soon.”

The district is producing and delivering videos containing district news, welfare center news, and preventive action guidelines to alleviate the isolation and depression of the elderly caused by COVID-19, and plans to expand the content further.

Also, through support of AI speakers to 300 single elderly households, various information is being provided, and for elderly people struggling with livelihood, the district is doing its best to eliminate welfare blind spots by guiding them to ‘Seoul-type Emergency Welfare’ and ‘Seoul City Disaster Emergency Living Expenses’ programs.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “As COVID-19 prolongs, we are providing jobs to elderly people struggling with livelihood to bring vitality to their lives,” and added, “Since the elderly are vulnerable to immunity, we will create a working environment that complies with social distancing rules.”

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