• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.20 no.8
• /
• pp.232-250
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study is to identify the context and pattern of Korea's self-sufficiency program based on the experiences of self-sufficiency program practitioner. To this end, this study applied the context-pattern analysis method, which was known as one of the qualitative research approaches, to provide proper and effective evaluations of self-sufficiency program. The analysis shows that the context of the self-sufficiency program consists of such sub-contextual components as 'market economy', 'social service system', 'self-sufficiency system', 'self-sufficiency program', 'self-sufficiency program participant', 'procedural experiences of the program', 'outcomes of self-sufficiency program', and 'meaning of the self-sufficiency program'. Furthermore, such patterns as 'decreased vitality of self-sufficiency system', 'service flow', 'journey to the self-sufficiency', and 'sequences to small success', were also presented. Based on these findings, this study suggests policy and practice implications, and subsequent related research topics.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.113-139
• /
• 2012

Under the goal of investigating the difference of staff perceptions in performance evaluations at local self-sufficiency centers, this study set out to examine whether differences would be found between team leaders or those in higher positions and the common staff in criteria, procedures, implementation, rewards, and feedback of performance evaluations. For that purpose, the investigator conducted a survey by mail with staff working for local self-sufficiency centers in 15 cities and provinces across the nation from September 6 to 30, 2010. Of 672 questionnaires that were distributed, 439 were returned. Of these, a total of 432 were used in latent mean analysis. The major findings are as follows: first, the staff at local self-sufficiency centers had a relatively negative perception of performance evaluation in terms of rewards for evaluation results. Secondly, the team leaders or those in higher positions had a more negative perception of performance evaluation in terms of evaluation criteria and rewards for evaluation results than common staff. Based on those findings, the study offered some implications with regard to performance evaluation systems at local self-sufficiency centers.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.5-33
• /
• 2018

A self-sufficiency service has worked as a typical workfare policy combined with public assistance in Korea since 2000. Despite of its long history, three core pillars in administrating the self-sufficiency service, policy, research, and practice, have respectively understood the meaning of self-sufficiency in terms of their own interests. As a result, the self-sufficiency service has recently faced with its own identity issues by showing failures to its environmental changes. The current situation makes it necessary to reconceptualize the definition of self-sufficiency by exploring its in-depth understanding perceived by service providers. Specifically, we analyzed practical reflections on 35 service providers' experiences which were collected via focus group interviews for two hours. The study findings presented that service providers had two antithetical approaches towards self-sufficiency. While a dominant approach to self-sufficiency has been concentrated on improving clients' economic outcomes such as employment, job retention, the escape from welfare trap, and increasing earnings and assets, the other approach has been extended to empower clients and achieve their well-being and quality of life. Yet, these contrary perspectives have led to suffer from their role confusions and identity crisis between the work-ready process and the employment-oriented outcomes. Specifically, they described self-sufficiency in terms of psychological, social, and integrated aspects. The psychological aspect included a process of developing inner strengths, intensifying job motivation, and coping with barriers of employment. The social aspect meant a path toward social integration through recovering human relationships. The integrated aspect covered more comprehensive support for their recovery of daily life and autonomy to make a decision for their own life. In conclusion, the study findings suggest that self-sufficiency should be more extensively considered as a stepwise process towards work-ready preparations beyond ultimate economic outcomes. Such an extended concept of self-sufficiency could contribute to restructuring the whole practice of self-sufficiency including organizational and program changes in the fields.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.67 no.1
• /
• pp.143-163
• /
• 2015

Although self-sufficiency program participants' alcohol problem is widely recognized among social workers in the field, it has not been received much attention. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between alcohol problem and self sufficiency among the participants. A total of 281 participants were participated in this study. Significant relationships between alcohol problem and self sufficiency were not found in bivariate analysis. However, the moderating effect of alcohol problem on the relationship between the length of participation and willingness for self sufficiency was statistically significant. Among the participants with alcohol problem, the length of participation was positively related to willingness for self sufficiency. The result on the moderating effect of alcohol problem on the relationship between the length of participation and willingness for self sufficiency has been never mentioned in previous studies.

• The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.457-474
• /
• 2012

In order to understand the gender differences in factors affecting willingness for self-sufficiency, this study examined the level of willingness for self-sufficiency of 424 male and female program participants from 36 local self-sufficiency centers nation-wide in Korea, and investigated the factors affecting willingness for self-sufficiency. The results show that, in the male group, age, debt, and family support were statistically significantly associated with willingness for self-sufficiency while depressed mood, professionals ' support, and family support were significantly associated in the female group. While males' willingness for self-sufficiency were found to be higher with older age, possessing no debt, and higher family support, femails' willingness for self-sufficiency were found to be higher when they felt less depressed, and received more support from professionals and their family. Based on these findings, it was confirmed that family support played an important role both in male and female participants, and was found that different factors were associated with willingness for self-sufficiency in male and female program participants. It was also discussed that policy and micro-level intervention need to consider the gender differences in promoting willingness for self-sufficiency.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.21 no.11
• /
• pp.553-564
• /
• 2021

This study was conducted to understand the effects of participation perception, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and empowerment on self-support intention of self-support work project participants. For this study, a survey was conducted on participants in the self-support work project within the G-gu area. As a result of the study, it was found that the participation perception, self-efficacy, and empowerment of participants in the self-support project had a positive (+) effect on the self-support will. Also, in the process where participants' perceptions of participation, self-efficacy, and self-esteem affect the will to self-support, it was found that empowerment partially mediated participation perception and self-efficacy and fully mediated self-esteem. Based on these results, the following are practical suggestions for improving self-support project participants' will to self-support as follows. First, systematic training courses are needed in the application and selection of recipients, establishment of self-support plans, and gateway training courses so that participants in self-support projects can correctly recognize self-support projects. Second, it is necessary to systematize the case management system provided by the self-help center and re-establish the role in order to strengthen the participants' hope for self-reliance. Third, it is necessary to identify the strengths of the participants in the self-support project, create results for self-support, and operate a program that strengthens the latent motivation to solve their own problems and change their behavior. Fourth, the empowerment of participants and professional ability of practitioners should be strengthened so that participants can solve the alienation and social exclusion experienced in the process of participating in the project.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.64 no.3
• /
• pp.203-229
• /
• 2012

This study aims to analyze fundamental dilemmas of welfare-to-work programs, which aim to introduce labor market principles to the welfare system. Through a qualitative case study of a South Korean welfare-to-work program (the self-sufficiency program), this study demonstrates that various institutional problems are an inevitable consequence of such welfare-to-work programs because they have tried to combine two contradictory values and principles of the labor market system and the social welfare system in one policy. The analysis of the collisions between social welfare and market labor in the self-sufficiency program suggests that not only institutional reforms, but also profound debates on the values and principles underlying welfare-to-work programs are necessary to solve the phenomenal conflicts and problems with such programs.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.233-259
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate the problems brought about by applying the case management of prostitution in practice, considering its special characteristics. The study is based on the actual experience and understanding of the hands-on workers toward its case management, who are working at the organization for preventing prostitution. To do this, data collected for the research is analyzed by an inductive approache. Participants are selected in the Counseling Centers for Prostitution, General Supporting Facilities, Supporting Centers for Self-help, and Youth Facilities. Three organizations in each type of the centers or facilities are respectively chosen. Twelve participants are composed of six hands-on workers in charge of the case management and six managers supervising it(called the director of the Center in some Centers). According to the analysis, the main issues of their case management experiences are divided into 5 topics and then sub-divided into 12 ones in 3 areas. Each theme of the topics is 'Steady & ordinary, not special tasks', 'Co-existence of a burden & thrilling', 'Sad, but pretending to be serene', 'Know-hows through practical experiences', 'Nevertheless, fill my future with hopes'. On the basis of the result, some policies and instructions necessary to actively revitalize the case management are suggested: expanding professional training centers based on the field, preparing government level customized-services in medical treatments and laws, creating jobs & intensifying job training, setting up various cooperative systems with local organizations via active networking, establishing super-vision systems, and so on.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.1149-1179
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the participation of rural elderly people in senior employment programs, their satisfaction level and needs in an effort to provide some information on the improvement of rural elderly people's quality of life. The findings of the study were as follows: First, the largest group of the rural elderly people investigated took part in senior employment programs for the public good. The biggest group engaged in activities for environmental improvement, and the greatest group participated in these programs to earn their livelihood. Second, they were most satisfied with their relationship with the working-level employees of the institutions that were in charge of these programs, and they were least contented with their own pay. Third, the rural elderly people perceived that in terms of senior education for employment, customized education should primarily be conducted in consideration of the differences and diversity of senior citizens, and they faced the most difficulty due to traffic while they participated in these programs. Given the findings of the study, it's required to take measures to bolster the self-support of rural elderly people.