The Social Security Special Support Zones Project: Community-Tailored Social Services

Abstract

The Social Security Special Support Zones Project, aimed at enhancing support for areas where social services are insufficient, has as one of its goals the provision of social services tailored to local characteristics. This article looks in particular at community-tailored social services provided as part of the first wave of the special support project. These services, primarily intended for older adults and disabled residents, achieved considerable success in many respects despite the relatively short timeframe of the project. This success is attributed to the ‘provision of services reflecting the community needs,’ ‘community residents not just as service recipients but also as partners in problem solving,’ and ‘support and collaboration from various organizations.’ In addition, I discuss policy implications for further, sustained success in the support project.