Park Jong-hyo, Mayor of Namdong-gu, Incheon, "Need to Expand Lifelong Education Facilities for People with Developmental Disabilities"

Inspection of 'Neulpum Developmental Disability Education Center' Opened Last November

Park Jong-hyo, the mayor of Namdong-gu, Incheon, recently visited the newly opened 'Neulpum Lifelong Education Center for People with Developmental Disabilities' to inspect the facilities and operational status, and to encourage the center's staff and trainees.

According to the district office on the 15th, the Neulpum Lifelong Education Center for People with Developmental Disabilities is a facility aimed at improving the quality of life for adults aged 18 and over with developmental disabilities and their caregiving families. It opened in November last year. The center covers a total area of 552㎡ and includes classrooms, a psychological stabilization room, and a multipurpose room. Thirty trainees, selected by lottery, are receiving social adaptation training and vocational education.

Park Jong-hyo, head of Namdong-gu Office in Incheon, is visiting the 'Neulpum Lifelong Education Center for People with Developmental Disabilities,' which opened last November, to encourage the trainees.
[Photo by Namdong-gu, Incheon]

During his visit, Mayor Park reiterated the need to expand lifelong education facilities for people with developmental disabilities in the Incheon area.

Currently, among the 26,736 registered disabled persons in Namdong-gu, 2,387 have developmental disabilities. However, there are only two lifelong education facilities for people with developmental disabilities in Incheon, located in Namdong-gu and Seo-gu.

Mayor Park stated, "Compared to the number of people with developmental disabilities who require continuous care and education, the lifelong education facilities for the disabled are severely insufficient. We will seek support measures so that people with disabilities and their families can enjoy an ordinary life without the burden of disability and caregiving."

Meanwhile, Namdong-gu is promoting the 'Expansion of Care Services for the Disabled' as a pledge of the 8th local government administration. In addition to the Neulpum Lifelong Education Center for People with Developmental Disabilities, the district has started operating Narin Cafe and Narin Protected Workshop, which are vocational rehabilitation facilities for the disabled.

Furthermore, the district has significantly increased the number of providers offering daytime activity services for people with developmental disabilities and after-school activity services for youth with developmental disabilities to support the social and economic activities of people with disabilities and their caregiving families.