Basic Data Analysis of a Community Welfare Plan for the Disabled
1Kim, Nam-Sook
1,Dept. of Social Welfare, Tongmyong University, [email protected]
Abstract
A community welfare plan is comprised of a detailed analysis on social needs and is used to implement successful community welfare policies. This research focuses on the disabled among the residents in Haeundae-gu in the City of Busan, South Korea, and attempts to determine the needs of the disabled as well as various opinions for the community regarding disabled welfare services. The methods used include a social needs survey, key information survey, focus group interview and Delphi Method. Based on the results, this paper proposes some suggestions about the vision and purpose of a community welfare plan for the disabled in Haeundae-gu.
Keywords
: Community Welfare Plan, Social Needs, The Disabled1. Introduction
Ever since the local autonomy system was introduced in Korea in 1991 and social welfare affairs were transferred to the local governments in 2005, each local government has developed its own self-rescue measures to bolster its social welfare capabilities according to the agenda of the Korean government, civil organizations and businesses.[1]
In this present age of localization, local communities plan and implement their welfare programs and make evaluations regarding them. To improve social welfare, there should be some partnership and cooperation between the residents and government agencies, and among the residents themselves.
Since 2006, local governments have been chartered to establish their own community welfare plans, and by law, they are to set up welfare plans every 4 years. And for these plans, they have performed research and conducted surveys to obtain information from around their local communities. Using the data obtained they are able to understand the wants and needs of local residents and also the problems that exist in the local community. A community welfare plan is required to integrate the social welfare needed in supporting the elderly, disabled and nursing children within the community.[2]
To research and assess the social needs of various levels is the most important element and most essential work for laying the foundation in establishing local community social welfare plans. A community welfare plan is comprised of a detailed analysis and it is used for successful implementation of community welfare policies. The data can be a powerful tool in advocating for a policy change because it provides concrete evidence for the policy makers.[3] Community welfare plans must understand community welfare problems such as the residents’ welfare needs and the characteristics of the community. Based on these efforts, the problems and needs of the local communities are solved through the cooperation of the public sector and the private sector.[4, 5]
In particular, this research focuses on the disabled among the residents of Haeundae-gu, and attempts to determine the disabled’s needs and various opinions of the community in relation to disabled welfare services. Finally, this research purports to provide the basic materials for the establishment of local community welfare policies that are based on practical needs, in regards to offering welfare services for the disabled of Haeundae-gu.
2. Needs and Process for the Establishment of Local Social Welfare Plans
2.1. Needs for Local Social Welfare Plans
The needs for local social welfare plans are as follows: First is the aspect of demand for social services. Local social welfare plans are needed to prepare a welfare policy that reflects the welfare needs of the affected local residents. Since the local governments need to identify the characteristics and issues of the local community during the establishment process of local community welfare plans, and to view in detail the needs of the local community residents and reflect them in the plans, social
welfare policies that are regionally-centered and resident-centered can be prepared through the process of establishing local community welfare plans.
Second is the aspect of the supply for social welfare services. In order to meet the identified demand for welfare, local community welfare plans check items in advance for the social welfare service supply system, such as the human- and material-welfare resources of the local community, and undergo systematic preparations.
Third, the link between the social service agencies and the links with similar services are enabled. During the establishment process of local community welfare plans, the priorities of local community welfare projects are set and active participation is induced through continuous 3-way dialogue and adjustments between the local governments, private organizations, and residents.
As such, by accurately identifying the welfare needs of the disabled of a local municipality named Haeundae-gu, this study purports to provide the basic materials needed for establishing comprehensive local community-level plans that respond positively to those needs. [6, 7]
2.2. Establishment Procedures of Local Community Welfare Plans
The establishment procedures of local community welfare plans are set forth in Article 15, Section 3 of the Social Welfare Act, and their contents are as follows:
Table 1. Establishment process for community welfare plan
Stages Main Activities Specific Activities
Preparation Stage Plan Establishment / Design
General design of planning, funding and utilization plans
Confirmation of clear division of roles between the welfare plan establishment entities and the participation categories of local welfare experts
Analysis Stage of Basic Needs of
Local Communities
Conducting studies of needs and resources
Identification of the local residents' needs
and available resources
Perform the professional roles of research
institutes during the stage that requires the most expertise.
Project Planning
Stage Design of project plans
Proceed with project planning ideas centered on the sector-specific local community welfare council practice subcommittees. Idea Convergence
Stage
Convergence of the local ideas
Ensure fairness of the local community welfare plans through the procedure of convergence of ideas of local residents via notices, public hearings, meetings, etc.
Deliberation / Confirmation
Stage
Deliberation / confirmation
Deliberation of local community welfare establishment and confirmation of plans centered around the representative council of local community welfare council
Reporting Stage Reporting
Submit to the municipality mayor / state governor the local community welfare plan establishment ideas that have gone through final deliberation and confirmation.
Recommendation / Adjustment
Stage
Reflect recommendation / adjustment items
The municipality mayor / state governor discusses the submitted recommendation and adjustment items with councils, which are reflected in the local community welfare plans; the final plans are confirmed.
Above all, this study applies to the stage of analyzing the region’s basic needs, which are considered the most important of all establishment procedures for local community welfare plans; this study’s domain is the field of welfare of the disabled.
3. Methods
This study used 4 methods for obtaining information about disabled welfare. Information gathering and data analysis are very important for social planning. This study used various methods and required the input of people all around the community, including: (1) a social needs survey (direct questioning of residents who live with the disabled or are disabled themselves), (2) key informant survey (asking opinion leaders who have a certain position in the community), (3) Focus Group Interview (asking experts about social work practice for the disabled and local government administrative officials), and (4) Delphi Method (asking social workers who work at institutions for the disabled) was conducted for 3 rounds in this particular research.
Table 2. Instruction of research methods
Method Sample amount Object
Social needs survey 101 Residents who live with the disabled or are disabled themselves
Key informant survey 34 Opinion leaders who have a certain position in the community
FGI 5 Experts on social work practice for the disabled and local government administrative officials Delphi 8 Social workers who work at institutions for the
disabled
4. Results
4.1. Social needs survey
According to the survey, the serious problems in the disabled’s social life are as follows, in descending order (plural reply): ⓛ economic problems, ② lack of medical service, ③ lack of cultural and leisure life, ④ difficulty in parenting, ⑤ difficulty of access to education, ⑥ social prejudice, and ⑦ marriage, dating, and sexual problems.
4.2. Key informant survey
The most difficult issues for the disabled in their community life are as follows: economic problems (31.4%), lack of jobs (27.0%), lack of the disabled welfare facilities for rehabilitation and leisure activity (20.4%), community and social prejudice (7.3%), absence of a formal support system in the community (5.2%), family relation difficulties (5.1%), lack of information provided (3.6%), and others (0.2%).
4.3. Focus Group Interview (FGI)
For FGI, 5 experts on welfare services for the disabled were gathered in Haeundae-gu. Their opinions are as follows: lack of infrastructure for the disabled (budget, institutions, service, workers), lack of job opportunities, and lack of leisure and cultural services.
Figure 1. Most Difficult Issues for the Disabled’s Community Life (KI)
4.4. Delphi Method
Delphi is a useful method for gathering intuitive predictions from experts.[9] With Delphi, the participating experts do not know about the other experts (for anonymity);[10] only the researcher knows the participating experts’ opinions, and the results are sent to all members. Delphi requires more than 3 rounds of exchange of views between the researchers and experts. The information gathered by this study is as follows: expansion of jobs for the disabled throughout the community, setting up disabled welfare centers and facilities for rehabilitation, lack of programs for rehabilitation and therapy, lack of facilities for leisure life, and lack of footpaths for the disabled.
5. Implications
Recently, the paradigm of welfare for the disabled has converted the design of independent life with holistic and comprehensive service, from rehabilitations to independent living. Independent living is premised in social integration, which means equal opportunities and rights for the disabled and non-disabled. Most importantly the disabled children and young people need to know that they have earned respect for their ability and that they have been supported to develop their own lives.[11]
As for the basic philosophy for this independent living, DeJong pointed out the following: consumerism (consumer sovereignty), self-determination, self-reliance, and political and economic rights.[12]
“Does the Haeundae-gu community support these philosophies for independent living?” According to the results, Haeundae has to improve in the areas of institutional support and movement for the changing paradigm of welfare for the disabled, especially the economic rights. In all research, the economic needs (economic problems and job opportunities) were found to be the highest and were frequently discussed. Some reports indicate that the children have shown poor school performance, low self-esteem and juvenile delinquency depending on the level of the parents’ financial situations.[13-15] In particular, if the parents have a disability, there is a high correlation.[16] For this reason, economic support for the disabled has significance and it will have positive economic effects such as prevention of juvenile delinquency.
Besides a community welfare plan for the disabled, Haeundae-gu needs to design leisure and cultural areas that support the disabled’s needs. Several researches show positive effects on improving self-esteem, progressing social integration and motivation for life of the disabled through leisure activities.[17, 18] The philosophy of independent living for the disabled needs to be manifested as a dynamic and healthy life within the community.
This research suggests a vision for the disabled welfare policy in Haeundae-gu, which can be summarized as "to inspire an independent living and dynamic life.” This research proposes several goals for the vision.
Figure 2. The vision for the disabled welfare policy in Haeundae
6. References
[1] Seo, J. H., “Research for municipalities conduct and the change of administration of local governments”, Korean Public Administration Review, vol. 42, no. 2, pp.191-215, 2008.
[2] Miki, K., Adachi, K., “A case study on grasp of community characteristics and social welfare needs for “Community-Based Welfare Plan”, AIJ Journal of Technology and Design, vol. 15, no. 29, pp. 217-220, 2009.
[3] Kruger, Daniel J., Hamacher, Linda, Strugar-Fritsch, D., Shirey, Lauren, Renda, Emily, Zimmerna, M. A., “Facilitating the development of a county health coverage plan with data from a community-based health survey”, Journal of Public Health Policy, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 199-211, 2010.
[4] Cho, S. S., “Problems and Tasks of the Community Welfare Plan of Daegu”, The Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 30, no. 1, pp.267-284, 2011.
[5] Jeong, H. J., “The Directions and Tasks of Community Welfare Planning of the Local Government”, Journal of Community Welfare, no. 31, pp. 139-163. 2009.
[6] Jee, E. K., Cho, S. J, “Community Welfare”, Hakjisa, Korea, 2010.
[7] Kang, H. K., “Activation for Local Government’s Community Plan”, Health and welfare policy forum, vol. 75, pp. 75-83, 2003.
[8] An, H. Y., Kim, Y. J., “Community Outreach Plan Work Manual for City/County/Region," Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs & Korea Welfare Workforce Institute, Korea, 2009.
[9] Linston, H. A. and Turnoff, M., “The Delphi Method: techniques and applications”, Addison Wesley. pp. 621. 1975.
[10] Kim, K. D., Choi, K.,“A Study on the Policy of Sustainable Domestic Timber Supply Using Delphi Technique and AHP”, Journal of Korean Forest Society, vol. 3, pp.434-442. 2012.
[11] Murry, Rosemary, “Sixth Sense: The Disabled Children and Young People’s Participation Project”, CHILDREN & SOCIETY VOLUME, vol. 26, pp.262-267, 2012.
[12] Dejong, G., “The Movement for Independent Living: Origins, Ideology and Implications for Disability Research”, Michigan State University, USA, 1971.
[13] Lee, W. S., “Family Welfare”, Hakjisa, Korea, 2012.
[14] Belsky & Vondra, J., “Developmental origins of parenting: Personality and relationship factors”, In Luster, T., & Okagaki, L.(Eds)Parenting-an ecological perspective. Lawrence Erlbaun Association, USA, 1993.
[15] Blanch, A., Nicholson, J., Purcell, J., “Parents with severe mental illness and their children: The need for human services integration”, Journal of Mental Health Administration, 21, pp. 388-396. 1994.
[16] Yeum, D. M., Hue, M. J., Lee, H. W., “A Study on Parenting Burden of Parents with Hearing Impairment”, Journal of Special Education, no. 5, vol. 2, pp. 357-380, 2004.
[17] Woo, S. M., “A Study on the effects of social participation on quality of life among persons with physical disabilities”, Graduate School of University of Seoul, 2005.
[18] Jang, E. S., “A Case Study on Leisure and Cultural Activities of Noncongenital Handicapped Persons in the Community Rehabilitation Center”, Graduate School of University of Seoul, 2007.
