Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Department of Housing and Environment (Chair Jang Mi-seon) held a move-in ceremony on the 16th for 'Samwoo Senior Center,' the first completed case of the demonstration project to improve spaces for vulnerable elderly households and senior centers, carried out as part of the National University Development Project 'Community Space Welfare Implementation Project.'

The move-in ceremony was organized by the JBNU Department of Housing and Environment in cooperation with the Senior Welfare Division, Jeonju City Hall, the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Volunteer Center, and local businesses. About 50 people attended the ceremony, including seniors who use the center, officials from Jeonju City Hall and the Jeonbuk Volunteer Center, and JBNU faculty and students, who toured the newly renovated space and shared its significance.

The JBNU Department of Housing and Environment has been conducting a demonstration project since 2023 to return its expertise in housing welfare and housing environment improvement to the local community by improving housing spaces for vulnerable groups and aging public spaces. This year the project targets two elderly residences and one senior center, with Samwoo Senior Center being the first completed case.

For this senior center space improvement project, the department identified the target site in collaboration with Jeonju City Hall, developed a senior-tailored space improvement plan, and carried out the entire process itself, from measurements and surveys to space diagnostics, design, and construction.

In 2023 the JBNU Department of Housing and Environment also successfully implemented a senior center space improvement project in cooperation with Jeonju City Hall. This year the department’s student club 'Ieum' was selected for the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Youth Public Service Activity Support Program and continues social participation activities linked to the demonstration project. Through these efforts, the department is further advancing a collaboration model based on local governance.

Samwoo Senior Center, which held the move-in ceremony, has been reborn as a living-friendly space where seniors can use the facilities safely and comfortably after being inconvenienced by aging facilities and safety shortcomings.

So Byung-seo, president of Samwoo Senior Center, said, 'Previously, water leaked into the house and mold made the walls dirty, and doors were broken so they were difficult to use. The bathroom handles were installed the wrong way, so we always had to be careful. After the repairs, every space has become clean and tidy. Wallpaper and flooring were also replaced, so all the seniors can live comfortably.'

It is notable that not only faculty but also a large number of undergraduates participated in the project, combining field-based practicum based on their major knowledge with volunteer contributions of talent. In addition to students from the Department of Housing and Environment, first-year students who entered the College of Human Ecology with an interest in the major also took part, gaining early field experience and feeling the social value of their discipline. Students voluntarily visited the site even during the summer break to participate in the improvement process, accumulating practical experience in solving community problems.

Chair Jang Mi-seon said, 'When the human and academic capabilities of the university meet the local community, they can create greater value. We will continue to expand the university–local government–community institution collaboration model to address problems in vulnerable spaces.'