Mapo-gu Provides Job Training to Address Welfare Blind Spots Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Basic Training Held Twice (February, July), Advanced Training Held Twice (April, September)

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) conducted job competency enhancement training for 80 welfare officers in the 'Visiting Community Service Center' on the 26th of last month to address welfare blind spots despite the COVID-19 crisis situation.

The job competency enhancement training has been held four times since the 4th of last month for frontline officials responsible for supporting vulnerable groups who have faced greater difficulties such as unemployment, income reduction, and care gaps due to the economic downturn over the past year since the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Korea on January 20 of last year.

As economic and emotional difficulties increase, the core role of the 'Visiting Community Service Center' (hereafter referred to as 'Chat-dong'), which visits residents, becomes even more important, and strengthening the capabilities of the officials performing this role is essential.

The basic job training provides education by field, including safe visitation activities while complying with quarantine rules under COVID-19 conditions, prevention of solitary deaths, the Care SOS Center project, discovery and case management of welfare blind spots, and emergency support projects, aiming to quickly familiarize officials with their duties and enhance comprehensive job competencies.

Kim ○○, an official who attended the training, said, “The case education based on the instructors’ real experiences and vivid delivery made it easy to understand, and encountering numerous cases is expected to be very helpful for future fieldwork.”

The district plans to operate welfare officers’ training at community service centers annually, dividing it into basic training in February and July, and advanced training in April and September.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “Education shines brightest when it leads to practice. The district will strive to approach residents more actively by encouraging all Chat-dong personnel to think ‘one more time’ from the residents’ perspective, ‘ask one more time,’ ‘visit one more time,’ and ‘look back one more time’ for residents facing greater difficulties due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.”

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