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  1. GwanJuness Community Care
    GwanJuness Community Care - © Guangzhou Award 2023
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GwanJuness Community Care

Status
ongoing
50%
City

Gwangju

Main actors

City Government, Supranational / Intergovernmental Institutions, Private Sector, Community / Citizen Group, Research Institutes / Universities

Project area

Whole City/Administrative Region

Duration

Ongoing since 2020

All individuals are entitled to receive appropriate care. As the natural progression of life leads to aging, and unforeseen circumstances such as illness, accidents, or disabilities can occur, it is imperative that support be provided to those unable to perform everyday activities, thereby preserving their dignity. Presently, the system for caregiving delineates its recipients by criteria such as age and income, extending assistance solely to those who formally seek it. In response to this issue, we have established an innovative care model: the "Gwangjuness Community Care." This initiative is inclusive of all individuals in need of care.
 
Our approach involves care managers from the Dong-office who personally visit residents to assess their needs and facilitate the requisition of requisite services. We have introduced sixteen new care services and have committed an annual fund of 7.74 million dollars, aimed at aiding economically challenged citizens to avail themselves of these services. The "Care Call" system has been implemented as a  single application channel to increase user convenience. To actualise these efforts, a cohort of 1,000 individuals are participating in their projects. We have restructured the governance of the City-Gu office, established a dedicated division, appointed 320 care managers, and partnered with 38 private service providers.
 
For further information about the case study, click here.

Sustainable Development Goals

End hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agricultureEnsure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all agesEnsure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for allAchieve gender equality and empower all women and girlsPromote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for allReduce inequality within and among countriesMake cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainablePromote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levelsStrengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Guangzhou Award

This project was awarded the 'Guangzhou Award' in 2023.

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City
Gwangju, South Korea
Size and population development
Gwangju covers over an area of approximately 501.24 square kilometres. As of November 2022 census, the city had a population of 1,432,651 people with a population density of 2,900 people per square kilometre. Over the last decade the population has stayed relatively stable.
Population composition
Gwangju is overwhelmingly populated by Koreans, with nearly 99.9% of the population. There are small communities of other, ethnicities, including Chinese Japanese, and Southeast Asians, but these groups make up less than 0.1% of the population. The vast majority of Gwangju's population speaks Korean as their native language. The most prevalent religion in Gwangju is Buddhism, practiced by approximately 30% of the population. Christianity is the second largest religion, with about 15% of residents identifying as Christians. Other religions including Confucianism, Shamanism, and Islam, are practiced by smaller minorities. A significant portion of the population, around 55%, identify as having no religion. Gwangju has a slightly higher ratio of females to males, with approximately 51% of the population being women and 49% being men. This is a trend observed nationwide in South Korea, attributed to declining birth rates and a longer life expectancy for women.
Main functions
As the sixth-largest city in South Korea, Gwangju serves as the administrative center for the Gwangju metropolitan area. The city government plays a crucial role in regional governance, managing public services, infrastructure development, and economic growth. Gwangju is well-connected to major cities within South Korea and internationally. The city boasts a high-speed rail network, a well-maintained highway system, and Gwangju International Airport, offering domestic and international flights.
Main industries / business
Gwangju's economy relies on a diverse range of businesses and industries, with the automotive, electronics, textiles and apparel, food processing, and service and retail sectors playing key roles. The city's commitment to fostering emerging industries like artificial intelligence and renewable energy demonstrates its focus on future-oriented development and economic sustainability.
Sources for city budget
Gwangju's budget is funded through a combination of local revenues and national government grants. Local revenues are primarily sourced from taxes, fees, asset sales, and other miscellaneous income. The national government provides general and specific-purpose grants, with matching grants requiring the city to contribute additional funds.
Political structure
The national government of South Korea maintains oversight of Gwangju through the Ministry of Interior and Safety and appoints the mayor.
Administrative structure
Gwangju operates under a democratic framework with a locally elected council and mayor. Five administrative districts further manage local affairs. Citizen participation is encouraged through public hearings, advisory committees, and online platforms. Gwangju collaborates with the national government to align with national goals and access resources.
Website
https://www.gwangju.go.kr/eng/
The 2021 Gwangju local social security survey indicated that the citizens perceive care services as a more pressing concern (scoring 3.43 out of 5) compared to employment (2.86) and living environment issues (2.41). The populace emphasized the urgent need for the government to provide comprehensive care for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and children, ranking it above safety and education in terms of immediacy and importance.
 
It has been identified that those in need of care—namely the elderly, people with disabilities, and children—often encounter barriers in accessing information on welfare services. Under the prevailing system, individuals are expected to independently seek out and apply for welfare programs, a task that can be daunting and complex.
 
Furthermore, the existing framework necessitated that individuals navigate through a fragmented array of services, requiring separate applications at various institutions to meet their diverse needs. This process can be time-consuming and inefficient, potentially leaving the most vulnerable without essential support.
 
Objective
To ensure that no individual is neglected in the provision of care, the programme is dedicated to safeguarding their well-being and health through the provision of prompt and accessible social assistance, and constructing a social infrastructure that supports these objectives.
 
The Care Call process is initiated immediately upon reporting to the Gu-office and triggers an alert to the Dong-office Care Managers through a computerized system, ensuring swift and precise communication compared to traditional methods like email or phone. The Dong-office Care Managers then visit homes to assess the required care, recording consultation details on-site via tablets and a dedicated application. This data is instantly synced with the central web system.
 
Following the home visit, the appropriate service is selected and logged into the web system, which then alerts the corresponding private institutions. These institutions allocate tasks to their staff, who receive notifications on their smartphones. Service personnel record the details and outcomes of their service on their phones, allowing Dong-office Care Managers to monitor the process in real time for efficient response to emergencies.
 
After service delivery, private institutions submit cost claims through the system, which are verified and reimbursed by the Gu-office. Dong-office Care Managers conduct service evaluations, either in-person or by phone, and document the feedback in the system. This streamlined computer system enables the rapid formation of service plans and real-time monitoring of outcomes, thereby improving the quality of care services and facilitating the assessment of impact.
 
Data recorded in the system includes initial and follow-up evaluations to gauge service satisfaction and the impact on the resident’s quality of life. Dong-office Care Managers, who conduct the preliminary assessment during the first visit and the subsequent evaluation post-service, collect this data.
 
The system also captures demographic and socioeconomic details, including age, gender, income, disability status, health conditions, family composition, and specific challenges, enabling targeted analysis and evaluation.
 
Finally, the amassed data is analysed by an associated welfare policy research institute for expert performance analysis. The findings are communicated to the city authorities for consideration in future project planning.
 
The City and Gu-office have allocated 7.74 million dollars in 2023. They are mobilizing the resources of hospitals, police agencies, the National Health Insurance Service, regional social security councils, social welfare facilities, etc.
 
Resources:
City Operates collaborative governance, provides operational guidelines, establishes Care Call (one-call application channel) lines, develops a dedicated computer system, promotes the care services to citizens, trains care managers, and distributes best practices.
 
Gu-office Operates 16 newly established services (selects service providers, controls quality, pays costs, etc.), and supports Dong-office care managers activities.
 
Dong-office Home visits (application visits, compulsory visits) ➝ Care-level assessment ➝ Care plan establishment ➝ Service linkage/referral ➝ Evaluation/follow-up management
 
Public Institution (Gwangju Metropolitan Social Service Institute) Dedicated to emergency care and caregiver training.
 
Private organisations Private organizations from diverse areas—welfare, medicine, architecture, etc. participate in providing 15 types of care services.
 
Assembly Enacts ordinances (legal grounds) and takes votes to confirm budgets.
 
Partner organisations (social welfare associations, medical societies, health insurance corporations, etc.) Identify citizens in need of care and provide additional resources to institutions. 
 
Individuals across all life stages, from children to seniors, have accessed essential aid promptly, leading to an enhanced standard of living characterized by better health and cleaner living conditions. A total of 3,067 residents, hindered by economic constraints or health-related disabilities, are now receiving nutritious home-delivered meals. Meanwhile, 1,108 individuals who faced challenges in maintaining their households are benefiting from housekeeping services. Medical home visits for diagnosis and rehabilitative exercise instructions are being provided to 917 individuals suffering from chronic diseases. Additionally, 2,022 residents have availed of services such as cleaning, pest control, disease prevention, and home repairs to ensure their living spaces are safe and hygienic.
 
This program has predominantly supported low-income users, who account for 97.8% of its beneficiaries, thus addressing gaps in care accessibility and mitigating financial disparities. Individuals at risk, including those who have attempted suicide, seniors living in solitude, and young or middle-aged single-person households suffering from illnesses, are now entitled to care services. These services play a crucial role in preventing suicides and the phenomenon of individuals dying alone. The streamlined process allows an individual to conveniently register for up to five care services with a single application. Furthermore, the initiative has generated employment for 700 caregivers.
 
Collectively, this care project has heightened national awareness of the importance of caregiving, reinforcing the concept that the responsibility of care is a collective societal duty, not just an individual burden.
 
Organisational Autonomy and Cooperation: Despite Gu-office's autonomy under the jurisdiction of the City, particularly in managing its personnel, it is not mandated to comply with City directives. The City, recognizing the crucial need for human resources to implement the project, engaged in persistent dialogue with Gu-office. Consequently, each Gu-office has inaugurated an Integrated Care division, allocating 368 staff members to it.
 
Budget Coordination and Consensus: The deliberation over the budget allocation between City and Gu-office encountered an impasse, leading to pessimistic media reports. Nevertheless, through determined negotiations, an agreement was reached on a budgetary split of 75% (City) to 25% (Gu-office), ensuring the availability of 7.74 million dollars for the year 2023.
 
Improving Managerial Competence: Acknowledging that the success of this initiative hinges on the capabilities of the 1,000 managers (368 from the administration and 700 from private sectors) who engage directly with the public, we have organized 78 training sessions. These sessions are designed to provide in-depth knowledge of their responsibilities and our overarching mission.
 
Expanding Healthcare Provider Networks: The introduction of 16 new services has prompted active engagement from private institutions. After a thorough evaluation process, outstanding providers have been chosen. One challenge is the preference of physicians for in-clinic visits over home visits. However, recognizing the public's trust in traditional medicine, we have incorporated oriental medicine practitioners with expertise in chronic and pain management into our program, with 74 oriental doctors now participating.
 

Many local governments including Busan, Jeju, Daejeon, and Suwon have visited us to benchmark our programs for potential emulation. Moreover, policy research institutions, including the Korean Academy of Social Welfare have featured our initiative as a subject of discussion at their research forums.

 
 
 

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External links / documents

Gwangju Initiative on Guangzhou Award Website

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