Gwanak-gu Reclusive Youth Goes Out to Neighborhood Alley After 20 Years, Achieves 'Escape Room' Success

Programs Operated to Restore Daily Life and Improve Family Relationships for Reclusive and Isolated Individuals

The reclusive young man (left) stepping out for the first time

In the cold winter, last January, the story of A (32), a reclusive loner, was conveyed to Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee), where the wind was biting.

A was a reclusive loner who had been confined to his room for over 20 years, carrying emotional scars from being abandoned by his mother during elementary school.

In response, the district immediately started a weekly “home visit counseling” service, providing everything from initial consultations to professional agency counseling so that A could enjoy an ordinary daily life like others. As a result, a miraculous event occurred where A succeeded in going out to the alley in front of his house just one month after intervention.

From the first meeting, when he was covered with a blanket and unable to even have a conversation, to now, when they talk and complete missions together every week, A is gradually changing, eagerly looking forward to counseling days. The district selected A and his father as integrated case management subjects and continues to actively support A’s recovery to daily life.

In this way, Gwanak-gu is putting all its efforts into supporting the daily recovery and family relationship improvement of reclusive and isolated individuals, who have emerged as a new vulnerable group in our society after the COVID-19 endemic.

This year, the district is actively promoting the “Starlight Masil School.”

The district operates programs such as ▲acquisition of daily living skills (cooking, shopping, organizing and storage) ▲emotional support ▲family relationship recovery for 30 households of reclusive and isolated individuals and their families among integrated case management households facing complex difficulties.

In March and April, “cooking classes” and “organizing and storage classes” were held to acquire basic daily living skills. The education focused primarily on allowing participants with psychological pain such as depression, panic disorder, and social phobia to participate comfortably, with integrated case managers who had built trust joining them to provide active support and encouragement.

A participant in the cooking class said, “Making food was fun and made me laugh. They say laughter is the best medicine, so I’m leaving after taking a lot of medicine,” expressing satisfaction with the program. Another participant sent a thank-you message saying, “It was a truly useful program. I look forward to the next class.”

Additionally, this year the district plans to continue efforts to operate family relationship recovery programs such as ▲forest healing programs for physical and mental health recovery ▲family education on nonviolent communication ▲self-help groups for parents with reclusive and isolated children.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “Everyone dreams of a happy life. The issues of reclusion and isolation are new challenges in our society that require policy support, and at the district level, we empathize with their difficulties and will do our best to actively support them.”