Opening of Our Neighborhood Care Centers No. 4 and 5 in Jungnang-gu

[Seoul District News] Jungnang-gu Opens Our Neighborhood Care Centers 4th and 5th Branches in Myeonmok 7-dong and Mangu Bon-dong on the 19th with Opening Ceremonies & Focuses on Solving Childcare Concerns for Dual-Income Families, Opening 3 Centers This Year... Songpa-gu Provides Youth Kits ‘O(五)roti’ to Single Youth Households

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) has additionally established Our Neighborhood Care Centers in Myeonmok 7-dong and Mangu Bon-dong, holding opening ceremonies on the 19th.

The district is making every effort to solve after-school care concerns by establishing three care centers this year alone, including the third branch opened in January in Myeonmok 4-dong.

The sites for the 4th and 5th branches were both provided free of charge by the Korea Land and Housing Corporation. The 4th Our Neighborhood Care Center is located near Sagajeong Station in Myeonmok 7-dong. It has a total floor area of 130㎡ (approximately 39 pyeong) and consists of reading spaces, study areas, activity spaces, a kitchen, and an office, staffed by one center director and one care teacher. The capacity is 28 regular care users and 5 temporary care users.

The 5th branch is located within the LH Seoul Yangwon 1 Complex in Mangu Bon-dong. It has a total floor area of 97㎡ (approximately 29 pyeong) and includes activity and reading spaces, a kitchen, and an office. It is staffed by one center director and two care teachers. The capacity is 22 regular care users and 4 temporary care users.

The center operates from 1 PM to 7 PM during school terms and from 9 AM to 7 PM during vacation periods. Any elementary school student aged 6 to 12 who requires care can apply online in advance through the Our Neighborhood Care Portal site.

The district is also committed to qualitative improvements while establishing Our Neighborhood Care Centers throughout the area. The first Our Neighborhood Care Center in Jungnang-gu was recently selected as one of eight outstanding centers among 126 cases in the 2022 Our Neighborhood Care Center Operation Best Practices Contest hosted by Seoul City, receiving the Seoul Mayor’s Award.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “We sincerely thank the Korea Land and Housing Corporation for generously providing the space and many others who have helped to solve the childcare issues of dual-income families. We will continue to expand not only care centers but also various customized care policies to reduce the childcare burden on parents and provide safety, joy, and rest to children after school.”

Jungnang-gu is also operating community child centers, elementary school care classrooms, and youth after-school academies to expand universal care services.

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) is hosting the 2022 second half career recognition program for care labor titled “Rewriting My Resume for Care Labor Experience (hereafter Career Recognition Program).”

Seongdong-gu’s Career Recognition Program allows participants to create customized resumes that highlight their unique experiences and to certify care periods, often seen as gaps or breaks, with a career recognition certificate, receiving great support from those who paused work due to caregiving.

The Seongdong-gu care career recognition certificate is issued to those who have experienced unpaid care labor such as childcare or nursing, have career interruptions, and either reside in Seongdong-gu or wish to work at companies located there. To receive the certificate, applicants must complete the Career Recognition Program. Both the program and certificate are open to all genders.

The program consists of three sessions designed to view work and care experiences as continuous rather than interrupted, focusing on personal competencies to build a resume reflecting unique experiences and skills. Graduates receive a career recognition certificate issued by the Seongdong-gu Mayor and can also receive one-on-one resume consulting. The program is conducted in cooperation with “New Ground,” a community for women’s career mutual growth.

Applications are accepted until September 30 via the Seongdong-gu Office website or New Ground’s website. The course runs from October 11 to October 25 over three weeks. Only graduates receive one-on-one resume consulting. For detailed inquiries, contact the Women and Family Division of Seongdong-gu Office.

Seongdong-gu was the first in the nation to enact an ordinance respecting and promoting the rights of women with careers (Nov. 2021) and has promoted awareness improvement and value enhancement of care through contests, campaigns, and impact report publications. In March this year, the Career-Holding Women’s Rights Committee reviewed and approved the issuance criteria and procedures for the career recognition certificate. In May, the Basic Gender Equality Ordinance was amended to issue certificates to men as well, progressively developing the system for gender-equal care.

As awareness of care career recognition changes, in December 2021, National Assembly member Kim Min-seok proposed a bill to change the term “career-interrupted women” to “career-holding women” in the Act on Promotion of Economic Activities of Career-Interrupted Women, sparking movements in other local governments and communities to enact related ordinances.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “Since enacting the Career-Holding Women’s Ordinance, a social consensus has emerged recognizing the importance of essential labor and care in our society. The career recognition certificate will become a milestone toward a new society where everyone decides their own life and all experiences and competencies are properly respected.”

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced that from the 19th to the 23rd, it will distribute youth kits called “O(五)roti” to single-person youth households.

The Songpa-style youth kit “O(五)roti” is produced and supplied in collaboration with the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service and will be delivered to 150 low-income single-person youth households selected by local community centers to promote health and stabilize living conditions among youth.

The “O(五)roti” kit contains five items: ▲first aid kit ▲protective masks ▲safe hospital leaflet ▲youth policy leaflet ▲employment information leaflet. It provides various essential medicines for emergencies and information related to youth job projects and employment, enabling active use of youth policies and administrative services conducted by the district.

On the 21st afternoon, a donation ceremony for the “O(五)roti” kits will be held at Songpa-gu Office with the attendance of the Seoul branch director of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. The district plans to continuously expand the distribution of the youth kits “O(五)roti” as a pilot project to support single-person youth households in safety blind spots.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “We thank the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service for their cooperation in helping single-person youth households who might be marginalized during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to develop various policies and services for youth to create an environment where they can nurture their dreams and grow.”