Gwangyang Steelworks Talent Volunteer Group Conducts Cultural Service at Special Children's Center

Talent Volunteer Service for Traditional Games with 70 Children with Disabilities

Gift of Hopeful Moments through Storytelling and Magic Performances

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] The Traditional Play Culture Talent Volunteer Group under POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks (Director Choi Wang-guk) visited Gwangsan Special Kindergarten in Gwangyang City on the 2nd, conducting talent volunteer activities such as storytelling and magic performances, delivering dreams and hope to children with disabilities.

The Traditional Play Culture Talent Volunteer Group consists of 52 steelworks employees and their families. Established in April 2021, the group aims to add new enjoyment to the daily lives of local residents by providing interactive performances combining various experiential activities, traditional games, laughter therapy, and magic.

The volunteers have obtained certifications in traditional play culture and strive to enhance their expertise in volunteer activities by inviting professional instructors for lectures.

The visit to Gwangsan Special Kindergarten, where 70 children with disabilities reside, was especially meaningful as the group offered a warm and hopeful time through diverse magic performances and storytelling.

During the storytelling session, the volunteers used self-made pictures as backgrounds and manipulated puppets with moving arms and legs by hand to narrate fairy tales to the children.

Unlike the conventional rigid one-way reading of storybooks, the storytelling incorporated interactive elements such as background pictures and moving puppets, stimulating the children’s imagination and creating an opportunity for communication and harmony.

In the subsequent magic performance, the volunteers showcased their honed magic skills, bringing smiles to the children’s faces.

When the volunteers performed ring magic, showing multiple rings linking and separating, the children could not hide their expressions of amazement.

During the play class, the volunteers taught various games while dancing to rhythms, engaging in communication time with the children.

As the volunteers encouraged responses with hand gestures, the children followed the movements and smiled broadly.

Choi Wang-guk, director of the Traditional Play Culture Talent Volunteer Group, said, “I believe today’s event is by no means insignificant as we were able to deliver joy and hope to children with disabilities,” adding, “We will continue to seek ways to support various underprivileged groups in our local community.”

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr