290,000 Volunteers in Goyang: The Beauty of Warm Solidarity
From New Volunteers to Youth Volunteer Planning Groups
"From a Bowl of Pho to Cleaning Storm Drains" in Action
Beyond Care: Citizen Action for Environmental and Community Solutions
Throughout Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan), citizens are making the city warmer by dedicating their time to connect with neighbors and share the warmth of everyday life. Rather than grand gestures, it is the accumulation of small acts of kindness in daily life that raises the temperature of the local community. At the heart of this change is the Goyang Volunteer Center, which is spreading and connecting volunteerism as a part of citizens' everyday routines.
Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, at the Love Briquette Sharing event held by the Goyang Volunteer Center in December last year. Provided by Goyang Special City
Since its establishment in 1997, the Goyang Volunteer Center has served as a hub connecting the local community and its citizens through volunteer work. Currently, 290,000 volunteers and 335 volunteer organizations are active in Goyang, and the center is expanding the foundation for citizen participation by organizing a wide range of programs that cover all ages and fields.
This year, the center has become a reliable support across Goyang by implementing initiatives such as: support for flood recovery, the Love Briquette and Kimchi Sharing programs, disaster response volunteer support, networking for volunteer organizations and activity sites, self-directed volunteering for youth and young adults, and environmental conservation volunteer activities for carbon neutrality.
Volunteer Lee Yeonhee, who has walked the path of service for 22 years overcoming disabilities. Provided by Goyang Special City
Small Acts Blossoming in Everyday Life: Stories of Citizen Volunteers Moving Goyang
Especially moving are the stories of citizen volunteers who have discovered hope in life by sharing their experiences and talents.
Lee Yeonhee, who has walked the path of service for 22 years while overcoming disabilities, said, "Volunteer work was the hope that reconnected me with the world when I was lost in despair due to my disability." Currently, she serves as a bridge for citizen participation by supporting free meal services, working as an educational instructor, and managing a local volunteer center.
Lee Chanhee, who runs a pho restaurant in Janghang-dong, has used his culinary experience to hold the "Pho for 200" sharing event twice a year since December 2023. He shared, "What began as a way to care for myself has actually made me warmer inside," illustrating how volunteering is a process of self-care. What started as a simple desire to be helpful to someone else has now become a natural part of his daily life rather than a special act.
There are also organizations that are carrying forward the spirit of solidarity from the past and expanding it into the local community.
The Goyang ROTC Volunteer Corps continues its spirit of community service even after members have left the military, carrying out social contribution activities throughout Goyang. In addition to Love Briquette Sharing and Samgyetang Sharing events for low-income and vulnerable groups, the corps also delivered emergency relief supplies to wildfire-affected areas in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province, in March, continuing a wide range of solidarity activities.
New volunteer workers picking up cigarette butts while walking around Ilsandong-gu area. Provided by Goyang Special City
From Newcomers to Youth: Everyday Volunteering Open to All
The Goyang Volunteer Center has significantly lowered the barriers to participation so that anyone can easily get involved in volunteer activities.
For citizens who want to volunteer but are unsure where or how to start, the center operates the "How About Volunteering Here?" program, providing basic education and guidance to help individuals find the type of volunteer work that suits them best.
In particular, the "Kkongchogging" (picking up cigarette butts) activity, designed to lower the entry barrier to volunteering, was held 18 times this year, attracting 562 new volunteers and collecting a total of 600 liters of trash.
Accessibility within residential areas has also improved. By operating 15 local centers, including the Deogyang Branch, Deogyang District Office, and Ilsandong and Ilsanseo District Offices, the center supports activities close to citizens and develops programs tailored to the unique characteristics of each region.
This year, a total of 64 managers were assigned to work closely with residents, implementing various programs such as "How About Volunteering Here?", volunteer promotion campaigns, and "Wake Up the Sleeping Shopping Bags," thereby establishing a sustainable foundation for community-based participation.
Youth and young adult participation is also active. The youth and young adult volunteer planning group, launched in April this year with 54 members, has directly planned and operated citizen participation programs aimed at solving local issues and spreading a culture of volunteerism. Their initiatives include digital education for the marginalized, environmental education and upcycling, protection of stray animals and fostering a pet-friendly culture, improving awareness of socially isolated youth, and promoting health and intergenerational exchange for the elderly.
Beyond Simple Care: Expanding the Value of Volunteerism to Environmental Protection and Public Awareness
Volunteer work in Goyang is evolving beyond simple "care" to become "citizen action" that identifies and addresses urban challenges.
A representative example is the "2025 Beginning of the Sea" campaign. Initiated by citizen reports about cigarette butts and trash discarded in storm drains and flowing into rivers and the sea, the campaign removed pollutants from 154 storm drains in areas such as Tanhyeon Food Alley, Lafesta Food Alley, Jungsan-dong, Baekseok Station, Jichuk Station, and Daehwa Station, collecting a total of 1,890 liters of trash and making significant contributions to urban environmental improvement and flood prevention.
The center also operates the "Eco Voluntour" program, which combines ecology and voluntourism (volunteering plus tourism). This environmental experiential volunteer program enables citizens to understand and protect nature firsthand. This year, activities included collecting waste and removing invasive plants on the Haengju Fortress Ecological Trail, feeding wild birds at Jeongbalsan, and plogging (picking up litter while walking) along Changneungcheon, with a total of six events held.
A Goyang Volunteer Center official stated, "As volunteer work expands into citizen action that solves urban problems, Goyang is becoming warmer and more resilient. We will continue to foster a culture of volunteering that allows citizens to easily participate in their daily lives and grow together."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
