Songpa-gu Supports Self-Reliance for 346 At-Risk Households

From Welfare Information Guides to Resident-Centered Specialized Projects in Songpa-gu

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] # Mr. A, who had been suffering for years without even teeth while living alone in a rooftop room of a building. In 2018, he was designated as a middle-aged single-person household recipient of basic living security in Songpa-gu, which brought changes to his daily life. Through case management under Songpa-gu’s unique ‘Hidden Hope Finding’ project, he received dentures worth about 2 million won and started receiving side dishes from a neighboring church. Furthermore, he moved to rental housing and found stability in his life. Even after several years, Mr. A calls the district officer every holiday, saying, “I am always grateful. You saved my life.”

Songpa-gu (Mayor Park Seong-su) announced that it is accelerating the ‘Hidden Hope Finding’ project, which provided home visits and counseling to 3,258 households and supported the self-reliance of 346 crisis cases in preparation for the changing seasons.

The district’s specialized project, ‘Hidden Hope Finding,’ involves integrated case managers and social welfare officers visiting newly designated basic living security recipient households together, delivering daily necessities packages (Songpa Love Pack), and directly providing customized welfare information such as welfare discount systems and rental housing information.

They have also accumulated know-how. Newly designated basic recipients find it difficult to know which welfare services among many are necessary for them. Welfare service guides, often provided in pamphlet form, tend to be lost or inefficient.

Accordingly, the district produced guide materials in the form of holder-type files and is utilizing them in the ‘Hidden Hope Finding’ project.

The guide materials include valuable information such as welfare discount systems for beneficiaries, rental housing information, and contact details of major welfare institutions. They are also stocked in welfare counseling offices at community centers, allowing residents who want counseling to easily refer to them.

Residents have given positive feedback, saying they look up welfare information and carry bankbooks or bills in the holder. Project staff also reported that the large print and excellent durability of the new guide materials help residents review them repeatedly, aiding in in-depth counseling.

Park Seong-su, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “‘Hidden Hope Finding’ is a human service that directly visits and discovers vulnerable groups in welfare blind spots, creating a strong bond between practitioners and recipients. From producing guide materials to providing sufficient welfare information with consideration for residents, we will actively strive to prevent crisis cases in the district.”