‘Work Together Society’ launches in reaction to changes caused by currency crisis
The IMF crisis (national default) in 1997 causes a massive decline in employment; Work Together Society is developed to bring about changes in the Korean labor market and solve unemployment problem through job creation.
Work Together Society builds a network between sectors to resolve job instability and unemployment issues
Work Together Society expands projects to varied fields, and leads collaboration between government-corporate-NGOs, mainly carrying out social support assignments for social service jobs in means to solve the unemployment problems.
Work Together Society spreads corporate model national-wide to resolve unemployment
Work Together Society designs a collaboration model that combines its sector expertise with government policies and corporate resources. Following up on this model, the foundation created social service jobs in collaboration with private enterprises such as Samsung, SK, Kyobo, and POSCO under the Ministry of Employment and Labor policies.
Work Together Society leads program dedicated to reducing youth unemployment
Youth unemployment rate set a record in 21 years, and in reaction to that, Work Together Society opens up a youth unemployment networking center, ‘Hope Network’, to assist the development of career capacity strengthening program. Hope Network then developed into job-cafe’s benchmarking model for the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
Work Together Society lays the foundation for the growth of social enterprise ecosystem in Korea
With the enactment of the Social Enterprises Promotion Act, social enterprises has risen as a solution that tackles social issues in Korean society. Work Together Society assumes the role of integrated supporting organization; fostering social enterprises; assisting in certification procedures; and screening and making social job review for entrepreneurs launching their businesses.
Work Together Foundation’s role expands in social economy in Korea and abroad
Work Together Society changes its name to Work Together Foundation and becomes a leading actor in the social economy sector.
Hosting the “Asian Social Entrepreneurs Summit,” the foundation expands its influence as a hub of the Asian Network for Social Enterprises.
Work Together Foundation fully develops as a institution providing integrated social enterprise support system
Since the Social Enterprises Promotion Act in 2007, the foundation has been acting as a comprehensive social economy support organization.
WT Foundation opens a social venture incubating center for fostering young social entrepreneurs.
Work Together Foundation expedite its efforts to eradicate child poverty over raising funds through securing individual donors
Since 2009, WT Foundation has been raising funds through SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System) Hope TV from individual donors. It’s a fund designed to support children in low-income households. Of which, ‘Light a Lamp’ program supports those in Korea, and the ‘Smile Together Partnership’ program assists children in developing countries.
Overall support for social ventures expands nationwide
Based on the successful installation in 2009, WT foundation’s social venture incubating center, providing personalized and customized support for young social entrepreneurs, becomes officially institutionalized as the Ministry of Employment and Labour’s Social Entrepreneurship Incubation Program.
In response to climate changes, Work Together Foundation focuses on creating green jobs
As alternative energy business becomes popular in reaction to the climate crisis, WT foundation focuses on creating eco-friendly green jobs.
Work Together Foundation contributes to make sustainable work environment with the paradigm shift of social economy policies
With underprivileged groups such as isolated seniors and single-parent families on the rise, the need for a social safety net (SSN) became increasingly important. WT Foundation began to provide social services business model as the role of social enterprise expanded.
Work Together Foundation organizes Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) for the first time in Asia
SEWF 2014 was held in Korea, as WT Foundation organized the event, in pursuit of addressing social conflicts; emphasizing the role of social enterprises as a front runners creating jobs; and making positive social impact in our society for development of social ecosystem.
Work Together Foundation expands the scope of support for vulnerable social groups
WT Foundation provides stable job through customized on-site job training that allows vulnerable social groups (low income group, unemployed workers, youths, senior citizens, etc.) to actually experience jobs in field of their expertise.
The SDGs era – the foundation focuses on the creation of sustainable jobs
The launch of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in 2015 had the world focus on the ‘decent work’ related human rights in the workplace, emphasizing gender equality, and irregular work.
WT foundation has reached out its business targeting youth NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) whose in state of despair from continued failures.
Work Together Foundation opens social tech innovation lab, providing a lab space for IT startups
WT Foundation opens ‘social tech innovation lab’ where social entrepreneurs resolve social issues with technology and realize their business models. IT and ICT related start up teams were supplied of funds, business space, and mentoring for a year until they reached the growth stage.
Work Together Foundation expands CSV Projects, shaping social impact through collaboration with entrepreneurs
As WT foundation's business take a step forward from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) model to a Creating Shared Value (CSV) project, the foundation gradually expands its business fields to the senior job model in collaboration with corporations.
Work Together Foundation expands urban regeneration revitalization projects to build resilience in local communities
WT foundation develops urban renewal revitalization project - restoring local community and establishing the social safety net, around the social sector such as social welfare, residential environment, and culture by inducing employment creation in communities.
Outbreak of COVID-19 and actions to save local communities
With the spread of COVID-19, establishing strategic measures and a unity in different sectors have become more important. WT foundation has held post-COVID-19 challenge forum, a pre-event to SEWF 2020, to share experience of Korean social enterprises in their action against the pandemic. In connection to the pre-event, social enterprises have discussed collective impact in 2020 SEWF Digital.
Social Enterprise World Forum 2021 (SEWF)
To solve the unemployment faced by younger people in the post-Corona era, the Foundation hosted a forum with the Seoul Youth Office and Project Day where the current policy was analyzed in consultation with experts in each field and the direction for the Seoul-style youth unemployment problem-solving policy was suggested.
YBI - COVID-19 Pandemic Recover Program Inspired Forum
The COVID-19 pandemic caused people to take a greater interest in the “fundamental value of work”. Various cases were presented in this forum, such as personal branding, side projects, free workers, and startup, shedding light on a “startup” environment for creating new, digitalized business models post-pandemic, which should be based on the pursuit of both personal and social values and the digital transformation as an essential business strategy for survival.
Hope Library Renovation Project in Malaysia (Samsung Engineering)
As part of the Hope Library Renovation Project of Samsung Engineering, Work Together Foundation renovated three libraries at state-run middle and high schools in Sarawak, Malaysia. The scope of this project included library remodeling, librarian training, and IT equipment provision, and we contributed to creating social values for Bintulu Village in Sarawak which suffers political and economic marginalization.