Dongdaemun-gu 'Homeless Rehabilitation Worker Homeless Street Counseling Team' Activated

Dongdaemun-gu Operates Street Counseling Team to Strengthen Outreach and Support for Homeless People... Counseling Team Led by Formerly Homeless Participants in Self-Support Work

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor You Deok-yeol) is strengthening the discovery and support of street homeless people in crisis situations by operating a street counseling team for the homeless, consisting of self-support workers who have escaped homelessness. The team focuses on managing areas where homeless people appear within the district, ensuring thorough protection activities for the homeless.

Since the 15th of last month, the Dongdaemun-gu street counseling team, composed of two pairs totaling four members, patrols homeless-prone areas twice daily. Their activities include ▲ monitoring homeless individuals ▲ patrolling and preventing newly incoming homeless people and assessing the situation ▲ focusing on early-stage homeless or young homeless individuals with high potential for self-support ▲ accompanying homeless individuals to shelters and hospitals with their consent ▲ forming rapport (human relationships based on trust and friendliness) with long-term street homeless individuals and providing support for escaping homelessness through welfare counseling.

In particular, the street counseling team conducts intensive counseling for street homeless individuals who use free meal services such as the Francis House (Franchisegso Jib) in Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, providing customized support to help them establish themselves as dignified members of society.

You Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “The self-support workers participating in the Dongdaemun-gu street counseling team understand the pain and suffering of street homeless people better than anyone else based on their past experiences, which is expected to be a great help in counseling and supporting the street homeless.” He added, “We will continue to listen to the pain of our neighbors and do our best to provide warm shelter and basic necessities to support the social reintegration of street homeless individuals.”