본 연구는 자활사업 참여 경험을 통해 자활사업 참여자들이 자활사업을 어떻게 인식하고 자활계획을 어떻게 세우고 있는지, 그리고 자신들의 자활전망을 어떻게 바라보는지를 이해하고자 하였다. 자활사업 참여자들의 경험을 보다 구체적으로 이해하기 위해서 본 연구는 질적연구방법으로 이루어졌으며, 사회적 일자리형 자활근로 이상의 자활사업에 참여하고 있는 여성가장을 연구대상으로 선정하였다. 자활사업에 참여하고 있는 여성가장들은 자활사업을 자활을 위한 발판으로 인식하며 자녀들에게 노력하는 엄마의 모습을 보여주며, 자활의 성공모델이 되고자 노력하였다. 이들에게 자활의 성공은 일차적으로 공공부조를 수급하기 이전의 자신의 모습으로 돌아가는 것이었다. 그리고 이들은 자활사업 참여과정에서 자활의 경험을 자활계획으로 연결하는 적극적인 자활계획을 세우고 있었다. 그렇지만 자활사업에서 긍정적 경험을 하지 못한 연구 참여자들은 자활사업이 아닌 다른 곳에 자신의 자활의 돌파구를 찾거나 뚜렷한 계획 없이 주어진 현실을 받아들이는 소극적인 모습을 보이기도 하였다. 자활사업 참여자들이 자활에 필요한 기술을 습득하고 향상시키는데 자활사업은 한계적 역할만을 수행하고 있었고, 이들은 강한 자활의지에도 불구하고 불확실한 미래와 실패에 대한 두려움으로 노동시장 진입 가능성을 확신하지 못하고 있었다.

How Does Female Participants in the Self-Support Programs Understand the Program and View Their Entry into the Labor Market? Baek, Hak-young (Seoul National University) Koh, Mi-seon (Seoul National University) The purpose of this study is to explore how female householders who experienced the Self-support program understand the program and view their potential entry into the labor market. For the data collection, six female householders who are able-bodied and raising children were interviewed. The results show that poor female-householders chose to participate in the Self-support program rather than being employed in the labor market because of their conditions to take care of their children and difficulties in finding employment, which would be the best decision in their situations. After participating in the programs, participants evaluated the programs as a stepping-stone on the path to self-sufficiency, and showed the strong will to overcome their poverty. However, participants thought that they could not learn and enhance skills required in the labor market in the programs. In terms of potential entry into the labor market, participants wanted to step forward, but still had great anxiety about their future. Key Words: Perception on the self-support programs, prospect for the self-sufficiency, entry into the labor market, poor female householders

How Does Female Participants in the Self-Support Programs Understand the Program and View Their Entry into the Labor Market? Baek, Hak-young (Seoul National University) Koh, Mi-seon (Seoul National University) The purpose of this study is to explore how female householders who experienced the Self-support program understand the program and view their potential entry into the labor market. For the data collection, six female householders who are able-bodied and raising children were interviewed. The results show that poor female-householders chose to participate in the Self-support program rather than being employed in the labor market because of their conditions to take care of their children and difficulties in finding employment, which would be the best decision in their situations. After participating in the programs, participants evaluated the programs as a stepping-stone on the path to self-sufficiency, and showed the strong will to overcome their poverty. However, participants thought that they could not learn and enhance skills required in the labor market in the programs. In terms of potential entry into the labor market, participants wanted to step forward, but still had great anxiety about their future. Key Words: Perception on the self-support programs, prospect for the self-sufficiency, entry into the labor market, poor female householders

Perception on the self-support programs, prospect for the self-sufficiency, entry into the labor market, poor female householders(접수일 2007년 6월 30일, 게재확정일 8월 29일)