Songpa-gu Expands 'Our Neighborhood Care Team' to Strengthen Welfare Safety Net

Directly Checking Residents' and Neighbors' Well-being to Identify Welfare Blind Spots and Connect Welfare Services... Expanded from 8 to 15 Neighborhoods... Participants Recruitment on 50+ Portal Until May 27

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Songpa-gu is taking steps to strengthen a meticulous welfare safety net by additionally selecting and expanding the operation of the ‘Our Neighborhood Care Team,’ which looks after welfare blind spots and socially isolated households.

Composed of residents who are well acquainted with local conditions, the ‘Our Neighborhood Care Team’ regularly visits vulnerable groups within the district to check on their well-being, provide counseling, and manage their care.

Through this, they identify households in crisis and immediately inform the social welfare officers at the community service centers to connect them with welfare service support.

The district started with 35 members of the Our Neighborhood Care Team in seven neighborhoods with a high concentration of welfare recipients (Geoyeo 2-dong, Macheon 1 & 2-dong, Ogeum-dong, Bangi 2-dong, Songpa 1-dong, Samjeon-dong) in 2021. In 2022, Seokchon-dong was added, and currently, 37 care team members are active in a total of eight neighborhoods.

Starting in June, 31 additional care team members will be selected for Pungnap 1-dong, Songpa 2-dong, Garak Bon-dong, Garak 2-dong, Jangji-dong, Wirye-dong, and Jamsil Bon-dong, expanding the operation to a total of 15 neighborhoods.

The ‘Our Neighborhood Care Team’ will not only monitor vulnerable groups at risk of solitary death and those in welfare blind spots within the community but also expand their role to connect with private resources such as food banks, food markets, and sponsoring companies, taking the lead in community care.

Any Songpa-gu resident aged 40 to 67 who is interested in local welfare can participate as a member of the ‘Our Neighborhood Care Team.’ Applications are accepted online through the 50+ Portal website until the 27th. The district will make the final selection of suitable candidates based on recommendations from neighborhood chiefs according to selection criteria.

The activity period is from June 2 to December 31, totaling seven months. Members work up to 4 hours per day, 3 times a week, and up to 48 hours per month. They receive a monthly activity allowance of 220,000 KRW, along with accident insurance and education expenses. After activities, members must submit weekly activity logs to the community service center and participate in monthly neighborhood autonomous meetings to share outstanding cases or notable matters.

A district official stated, “We expect that the ‘Our Neighborhood Care Team,’ composed of residents, will closely watch over and communicate with neighbors in need, strengthening the welfare community. We will continue to join forces between the public and private sectors to discover households in crisis and welfare blind spots, doing our best to ensure no one is left behind.”