Nowon-gu Collaborates with Village Bus Companies for Psychological Quarantine

All Village Buses Operating in Nowon-gu Display COVID-19 Blue and Suicide Prevention Posters...Maximizing Promotion Effect Using Buses Frequently Used by Residents, Saving About 30 Million Won Annually Through Free Advertising

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) has partnered with village bus companies to efficiently inform residents about depression and suicide prevention projects.

The village buses, whose main operating routes are in Nowon-gu, consist of 6 companies with 92 buses operating on 11 routes. The average daily number of users is about 37,000, connecting residents to city buses and subways.

The district judged that posting messages to prevent depression and suicide due to the resurgence of COVID-19 on village buses, which residents frequently use for commuting, would be effective. Since last October, it has negotiated with the village bus transportation association and secured the participation of companies for posting promotional materials.

The cooperation method involves posting COVID Blue and suicide prevention promotional materials on the upper inside glass windows of all village buses. This applies to 92 buses and 72 bus stops. The promotional messages to help residents overcome depression and anxiety were pre-verified by the Central Psychological Autopsy Center. The promotional cost per bus is 33,000 KRW, and since it is conducted free of charge as a public interest project, it also saves an annual budget of about 30 million KRW.

The district plans to help maintain mental health by providing oyster mushroom cultivation kits that at-risk elderly and middle-aged residents can easily grow at home.

Oyster mushrooms can be harvested in about a week with daily watering, and can be harvested about three times, allowing people to easily enjoy the joy of harvesting.

After distributing the cultivation kits, psychological counselors will provide guidance on cultivation and cooking methods via phone calls.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “As COVID-19 prolongs, the number of residents feeling depression and anxiety is increasing. We will promote easy access to counseling, strengthen Malbeot services and home visits for vulnerable groups such as elderly with mobility difficulties, so that all residents can regain mental health.”

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