Nowon-gu, the Nation's First 'Youth Safety Net Integrated Support Center' Operation

Establishing a One-Stop Support System through Collaboration between District Office, Police Station, Education Office, and Youth Counseling Welfare Center... Remodeling Existing Security Center... Equipped with Counseling Rooms, Small Program Rooms, and Youth Rest Areas

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is operating the nation’s first-ever ‘Youth Safety Net Integrated Support Center’ to help at-risk youth grow healthily.

Since 2019, Nowon-gu has been recognized for three consecutive years as an excellent institution in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s policy project, the ‘Youth Safety Net Leading Project,’ and has been dedicated to youth safety. However, due to insufficient coordination in information sharing among the public sector, private sector, and police, there were limitations in providing integrated support for at-risk youth.

The core of the Youth Safety Net Integrated Support Center is that the district office, police station, education office, and private organizations can jointly respond to at-risk youth in one space.

Through rapid mutual information sharing, the center plans to eliminate blind spots by providing youth-centered customized support and integrated case management.

The center remodeled the existing Sanggye 2-dong Security Center (120.2㎡), which is located in youth-dense areas with high accessibility such as Nowon Station and Sanggye Station. It is equipped with an office for 10 staff members, two counseling rooms, a small program room, and a youth rest area.

The programs operate counseling and group activities targeting youth aged 9 to 24 who are exposed to crimes such as school violence.

A close cooperation system has also been established. Four district office staff and case managers, three case managers from the Youth Counseling and Welfare Center, two School Police Officers (SPO) from the police station, and one education office official responsible for at-risk youth are stationed at the center.

Regarding the operation system, when a case reported to the police station is referred to the Youth Safety Net team, an integrated case meeting is held with the district office, police officers, education supervisors, and center case managers to plan individual intervention strategies.

According to the plan, the district office participates in the school violence committee and provides psychological testing linkage; the Youth Counseling and Welfare Center offers crisis-tailored case management; the police conduct guidance programs; and the education office runs school life adaptation programs.

If necessary, close collaboration will continue with the Nowon-gu Child Protection Agency, Addiction Management Support Center, and others.

Meanwhile, the district is continuously investing in creating a child and youth-friendly city by expanding youth-only spaces such as ‘Youth Ajit,’ increasing after-school care facilities like the ‘I-Hu Center,’ and offering various educational programs such as ‘Village Learning Centers within Schools.’

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “With the establishment of the Youth Safety Net Integrated Support Center, we have built a more thorough support system for at-risk youth through close cooperation among the public sector, private sector, and police,” adding, “We will do our best to create ‘Nowon that does not give up on any child’ so that all youth can grow up safely and healthily.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.