Yangcheon-gu Wins Love Fruit Distribution Project Award for 'Slow Learner Support Project'

Discovered and Supported 24 Slow Learners, Over 90% of Participating Children Show Improved Learning Ability

Commemorative photo of the 2024 Community Chest of Korea Distribution Project Award. Provided by Yangcheon-gu.

Yangcheon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) announced on the 1st that it received the grand prize at the ‘2024 Community Chest Distribution Project Performance Sharing Conference’ for operating the ‘Slow Learners Support Center’ targeting slow learners (children with borderline intelligence) who are in welfare blind spots.

The ‘Community Chest Distribution Project Performance Sharing Conference’ is an awards ceremony aimed at discovering excellent distribution projects based on welfare demands grounded in social agendas, enhancing social value, and supporting sustainable growth. This year, after a comprehensive evaluation of 258 projects nationwide, Yangcheon-gu’s slow learners support project received the highest evaluation.

Slow learners are students with cognitive abilities below average intelligence. Since they are not registered as disabled under relevant laws, they cannot receive public support and are easily placed in educational and welfare blind spots. Accordingly, the district, with sponsorship from Korea Airports Corporation last year, established the slow learners support space ‘Neulkkum’ through public-private cooperation with the Yangcheon Sarang Welfare Foundation and Sinwol Comprehensive Social Welfare Center to help slow learners in the region become healthy, independent members of society.

Since the project began in March last year, the Yangcheon Slow Learners Support Center has identified and provided intensive support to 24 children. A social worker with experience in special needs child guidance is stationed to conduct specialized programs such as improving learning and social skills, career exploration, and daily life adaptability, as well as psychological counseling services. As a result, over 90% of participating children showed improvement in basic learning performance.

Additionally, by operating five days a week, the center has reduced caregiving burdens and conducted caregiver counseling, parent self-help groups, and capacity-building education, which have shown high satisfaction and trust among parents.

Based on the achievements of this project, the district plans to strengthen dedicated personnel, secure resources through talent-sharing activities of local volunteers, and expand various support programs such as art, reading, and career experience activities.

Mayor Lee Gi-jae said, “We will continue to show interest and support so that slow learners can receive sufficient care and help to grow into healthy members of society.”

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