Seongdong-gu '2021 Resident Community Contest'... Up to 10 Million Won Support

Recruitment for Nonprofit Private Organizations and Community Groups Preparing Projects from the 8th to 23rd with Up to 10 Million Won Support...Desirable Growth of AboutM, Seongsujiang, and Woodus Cooperatives through Strengthened Public-Private Partnership

Members of 'Seongsu Ji-aeng' making handmade chocolates shaped like custom shoes

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) is recruiting private organizations and resident groups to participate in the '2021 Resident Community Growth Support Public Contest Project' from the 8th to the 23rd.

Recently, to support resident activists who have emerged through various community projects to form more systematic organizations and grow as partners in cooperative governance projects capable of undertaking private consignment projects, the district has been selecting groups preparing non-profit projects since 2018 and supporting them to develop into cooperatives.

Among them, 'About M Cooperative' applied for the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Citizen Participation Budget Contest in 2019 and was entrusted to operate the village book cafe as a childcare complex cultural space called the Mother Center.

The resident group 'Madoroseu,' established as a cooperative, has expanded to 400 members and has been conducting various club activities in Majang-dong, as well as festivals and events such as 'Majang’s Holiday,' 'If You Warm Up, You Will Communicate,' and Ontact crafts.

Last year, it was selected for the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Citizen Participation Budget Contest and received 300 million won to successfully hold Cheonggyecheon cultural events such as the Welcome to Majang Cheonggyecheon Ecological Stream Festival and the Majang Cheonggye Ecological Exploration Team.

Along with this, the Seongsu Urban Regeneration Resident Council established the 'Seongsu Jiaeng Cooperative' through the 2018 Resident Community Growth Support Project and has been operating the Seongsu Sharing Center since April last year, running community spaces where all generations communicate, including a village cafe, children's block room, and shared kitchen.

Also noteworthy is the 'Wood Us Social Cooperative,' which involved nine participants from the Yongdap-dong Resident Autonomy Committee and village community subcommittee activities, along with three homeless carpenters last year.

The 'Wood Us Social Cooperative' produced and sold flowerpots, benches, and household items using waste wood discharged near Yongdap-dong, where automobile parts dealers are concentrated. Part of the profits was reinvested in employing users of homeless facilities, earning high praise for job creation and community activities through upcycling projects, and won the Grand Prize in the Resident Organization Network category (Minister of the Interior and Safety Award) at the 19th National Resident Autonomy Committee Expo.

This public contest project supports up to 10 million won in project expenses depending on the project and is open to resident groups or non-profit private organizations with a public growth vision aiming to strengthen local cooperative governance public-private partnership capabilities.

Applications can be submitted by sending project plans, proposals, and other required documents via email (ais0405@sd.go.kr).

Detailed information can be found on the Seongdong-gu website announcement.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "Through public contest projects involving local residents, we will spare no effort and continuous support so that participating residents and organizations can grow into future local cooperative governance private partners."

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