Jeonnam Social Service One Achieves A Grade for Four Consecutive Years... Wins Two Minister of Health and Welfare Awards

Consecutive Awards for Excellence in Management Evaluation and Contribution to Social Service Development

"Jeonnam Gwangju Happiness Bus" and "Sandeulbom Project" Introduced Nationwide

Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan Special Self-Governing City Jeonnam Social Service One has achieved the dual honor of winning two awards from the Minister of Health and Welfare, not only attaining an A grade for the fourth consecutive year in the Ministry’s management evaluation, but also being recognized for its contribution to the development of social services.

Servicewon received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award in two categories, Excellence in Management Evaluation and Contribution to the Development of Social Services, at the "Korea Social Services Expo" held on the 15th. Provided by Jeonnam Social Service Institute.

These accomplishments are attributed to the organization’s outreach caregiving initiatives and integrated social service models, which were developed to reflect the unique characteristics of the region, such as islands and farming/fishing villages.

Jeonnam Social Service One announced that it received awards from the Minister of Health and Welfare in two categories—Excellence in Management Evaluation and Contribution to Social Service Development—at the "Korea Social Service Expo," held at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul from September 15-16.

This year’s expo was organized to mark the 20th anniversary of social service policy implementation, with the theme, "20 Years of Social Services: The Path Traveled, Changes and the Future We Created Together," providing a platform to share achievements to date and explore future policy directions.

Previously, Jeonnam Social Service One had earned an A grade for the fourth consecutive year in the nationwide management evaluation for city and provincial social service centers conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a recognition of both the stability of the organization’s operations and its success in delivering region-specific social services.

In addition to its management performance, the organization was also awarded for its distinguished contribution to the advancement and activation of social services, thereby achieving recognition for both institutional results and on-site service innovation.

At the expo, the “Visiting Jeonnam Gwangju Happiness Bus” was presented as a representative best practice in the nationwide management evaluation showcase for city and provincial social service centers.

The Jeonnam Gwangju Happiness Bus is a community-based social service initiative that delivers essential services directly to residents in farming and fishing villages, as well as remote island and mountainous areas, where access to healthcare, welfare, and cultural services is comparatively limited.

By shifting away from the conventional approach of making residents travel to receive services, and instead bringing services directly to people’s everyday environments, the program focuses on narrowing the accessibility gap and addressing care blind spots between regions.

Through the Happiness Bus, Jeonnam Social Service One has provided a range of integrated services—such as basic health management, everyday life support, welfare counseling, and cultural experiences—enabling residents to receive support in one place.

This best practice presentation drew significant attention from social service stakeholders nationwide, highlighting the organization’s locally tailored service model and its proven on-site results.

At the expo venue, Jeonnam Social Service One also introduced its “Sandeulbom Project,” an integrated social service demonstration project, through a dedicated display booth.

The Sandeulbom Project is a locally circulating social service model that connects various scattered local social service resources to the daily needs of residents while linking them with social solidarity economy organizations and job opportunities in the region.

By connecting the demand for care and everyday services with the regional supply system, Jeonnam Social Service One seeks not only to provide welfare but also to stimulate the local economy, create jobs, and strengthen community vitality.

The organization explained that, through this expo, it shared field-tested social service models such as the Happiness Bus and Sandeulbom Project with relevant organizations nationwide, thereby demonstrating the potential for expanding Jeonnam-style care policies.

In particular, the organization plans to continue expanding its “outreach social services” model so that residents—regardless of whether they live in areas experiencing super-aging, depopulation, or remote island and mountainous regions—can access the services they require.

Jeonnam Social Service One also aims to enhance service accessibility by integrating digital-based care such as AI and contactless technologies. The organization will simultaneously work to strengthen the expertise of service providers, expand public-private cooperation frameworks, and improve both the quality and the public nature of local care services.

Shin Mikyung, President of Jeonnam Social Service One, stated, “Receiving an A grade in the management evaluation for four consecutive years and the award for contribution to social service development is a valuable achievement created jointly by our staff, social service professionals, and the community. We will continue to develop and expand locally customized social services—such as the outreach Jeonnam Gwangju Happiness Bus and the Sandeulbom Project—that residents can directly experience.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.