Operation of 'Nae:il Gachi Academy' for Discovering Local Business in Jung-gu, Seoul

Residents Themselves Discover Specialized Projects for Solving Local Issues and Execute Public Contest Projects... April 20 Project Briefing and Basic Social Economy Education, April 22 Project Model Consulting Session

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Seoyangho) will hold the '2021 Nae:Ilgachi Academy' at the Chungmu Art Center Convention Hall starting from the 20th of this month.

The 'Nae:Ilgachi Academy,' which focuses on improving awareness and building consensus on social economy?an unfamiliar concept to the general public?is an introductory course for participating in the 'Nae:Ilgachi Challenge' contest project, where residents directly discover and carry out projects needed in the community.

On the first day of the academy course, April 20th, which is the second operation following last year, the program will include a business briefing, sharing of best practices in the sharing economy, ethical consumption, and resident contest projects, all presented from the residents' perspective as a basic social economy course.

Activities from resident groups that participated last year will also be shared, providing diverse experiences.

In particular, the resident capacity-building education led by Jung-gu Mayor Seoyangho, who has been promoting region-based neighborhood government projects, is included in the curriculum to encourage residents' participation and interest in district projects.

On the second day, April 22nd, residents will have the opportunity to draft business plans themselves. Consultants will be assigned to each group based on fields such as village management, urban regeneration, care services, education, commercial district revitalization, and culture and arts, providing customized business consulting. Through discussions and presentations, business models will be shared.

The district will also run the 'Nae:Ilgachi Challenge' contest project, which discovers and nurtures cooperatives, village enterprises, and others with potential to develop into social economy organizations, using this social economy academy as a stepping stone.

The 'Nae:Ilgachi Project,' a Jung-gu type social economy revitalization project that involves discussing local issues, planning business methods through the introductory academy course, and carrying out contest projects on-site, aims to strengthen resident capacity and solve local problems.

For example, the 'Yaksugongga Cooperative,' which started as a resident community project in 2019, has grown into a village enterprise this year, managing deteriorated residential areas in the city center. 'Akimboshi Juneun Namu' (The Giving Tree), which provides care services for developmentally disabled children marginalized by society, is about to be designated as a social cooperative.

This community-based approach to solving local problems in Jung-gu presents solutions to various issues that neither public nor private sectors can solve alone, such as social class gaps, job losses, and environmental problems, which have recently become social issues.

Applications for the academy are open until April 16th, with a first-come, first-served recruitment of 50 people. Applications can be made by phone or email (couque16@junggu.seoul.kr) to the Social Economy Division of Jung-gu Office.

Any resident interested in social economy or community contribution projects can participate.

Mayor Seoyangho of Jung-gu said, "Social economy means residents cooperating and uniting to realize common interests and values. Through this academy, we will spare no support to discover business models suited to local characteristics and foster capable social economy organizations."

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