Gyeonggi Province Selects 19 Communities Including Suwon for 'Child Care Community Building Project'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province has made final selections of 19 communities from within the province to participate in the '2022 Gyeonggi Province-type Child Care Community Building Project.'

The province conducted a review of 23 communities that participated in the 'Child Care Community Building Public Invitation Project' and made final selections of 19 communities from 12 cities and counties including Dodeum Children's Small Library in Suwon, announcing this on the website of the Gyeonggi Province Village Community Support Center.

The 'Gyeonggi Province-type Child Care Community Building Project' is an initiative in which village residents voluntarily form child care communities rather than being government-led, implementing customized care suited to local conditions, reducing parents' burden of childcare, and fostering a communal culture where the neighborhood collectively cares for children.

Selected communities will receive up to 50 million won per community in 'child care space facility construction costs (including asset acquisition expenses)' and annual 'program operation expenses' of up to 24 million won, which will be used for the creation of 'Gyeonggi Province-type Child Care Communities.'

'Child care space facility construction costs' are used to develop unused spaces within the village into child care spaces. Along with financial support, the province also provides space design consulting services through experts.

'Program operation expenses' are utilized for childcare exchanges, school vacation care, meal and snack provisions, and other programs.

In addition to subsidies, the province plans to provide various opportunities for communities including consulting support for community operations, hosting activity sharing meetings, and facilitating sharing and mutual exchange and learning among communities.

Kim Young-chul, Director of Communication and Cooperation at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "The Gyeonggi Province-type Child Care Community Building Project is a meaningful endeavor that can solve childcare issues and restore a sense of community through villages practicing care together," and added, "We will actively support the continuous expansion and operation of the child care community building project."