The Yeongjong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center (Director Seong Eun-jeong) held its mobile welfare center event, ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil,’ in the front yard of the Yongyu Community Complex on the 8th. The event brought the welfare center directly into the neighborhood to offer counseling, daily-life services and cultural programs in one place for residents of the Yongyu area who have difficulty accessing welfare and cultural services.
 [The Korean Today] Scene from the Yeongjong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center’s ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The Yongyu area is a part of Yeongjong-gu District where access to welfare facilities and cultural infrastructure is relatively limited. The welfare center said the program aims to provide a range of support and hands-on opportunities so that residents of the area are not left out of welfare and cultural services. The event was funded by The Salvation Army, Incheon International Airport Corp. and the Community Chest of Incheon (Fruit of Love).
 [The Korean Today] Yongyu-area residents taking part in ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
Several welfare-related organizations took part. The Welfare Policy Division of the Yeongjong-gu District Office (Mayor …), the Yeongjong Comprehensive Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities, the Yeongjong-gu Family Center and the Yeongjong-gu Mental Health Welfare Center each ran booths, informing residents about available welfare programs and providing one-on-one counseling. With agencies covering public administration, disability welfare, family support and mental health gathered in one place, residents were able to get the information they needed without visiting each agency separately.
 [The Korean Today] Welfare information and counseling at ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
Services of immediate practical use were also provided. Haircut and beauty services were offered, along with auricular therapy using ear seeds and ear massages, while Davich Optical provided reading glasses and repaired eyeglasses. Given the area’s large elderly population, services such as vision aids and health care are directly tied to residents’ daily lives.
Cultural programs were held as well. Residents took part in craft activities and watched a magic and bubble show and a trot music performance. Warm drinks and refreshments were served in one corner of the venue, giving neighbors a chance to chat and socialize.
 [The Korean Today] Daily-life services at ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
An elderly resident who attended the event said, “Even when I needed help, I didn’t know where to ask, but it’s reassuring that they came to us and listened,” adding, “It made me feel that there is someone we can rely on, too.” The remark shows that some residents fail to use support programs even when they exist because they do not know where to inquire, and that having institutions reach out directly to residents is effective in closing this gap.
 [The Korean Today] Cultural and hands-on programs at ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
Director Seong Eun-jeong said, “It was meaningful to be able to visit local residents in person and provide a variety of welfare services,” adding, “We will continue to look into residents’ welfare needs and consistently provide welfare services tailored to the characteristics of the community.”
 [The Korean Today] ‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ held in the front yard of the Yongyu Community Complex © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
‘Yongyu-dong Happy Masil’ does not end with this event. The welfare center plans to hold a second event on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the main branch of Kkotdal Makguksu in the Muui area, again offering residents welfare services and cultural and hands-on programs. If the mobile welfare center, which extends even to island areas, is run on a regular basis, conditions for residents on the outskirts of Yeongjong-gu to access welfare services are expected to improve.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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