Gyeonggi-do Should Include Youth Leaving Welfare Facilities as a 'Vulnerable Employment Group'

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] To support the independence of youths who have left their guardians due to family conflicts, abuse, or running away and have been protected for a certain period in shelters or youth welfare facilities, Gyeonggi Province has officially requested the government to recognize them as a vulnerable group for employment in social enterprises.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 2nd that it submitted a proposal titled "Amendment to the Guidelines for Social Enterprise Certification under the Enforcement Decree of the Social Enterprise Promotion Act" to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 31st of last month.

The current system does not recognize "youths discharged from youth welfare facilities" as a vulnerable group eligible for employment in social enterprises.

On the other hand, "children who have aged out of care" who become independent after turning 18 in foster care facilities, etc., are recognized as a vulnerable group for employment in social enterprises up to the age of 34.

The province holds the position that youths who are left without protection or support from both family and youth welfare facilities and thus fall into a blind spot in management have poor conditions for independence in housing, livelihood, and employment, making the need for government support through system improvement even greater.

Accordingly, the province requested that, similar to "children who have aged out of care," the scope of vulnerable groups eligible for employment in social enterprises be expanded to include "youths discharged from youth welfare facilities who are 34 years old or younger."

The age 34 criterion was set by considering the standards applied to "children who have aged out of care" in determining vulnerable groups and the definition of youth under the Youth Basic Act.

Park Seung-sam, Director of the Lifelong Education Bureau of the province, stated, "We hope that the Ministry of Employment and Labor will actively accept Gyeonggi Province's proposal so that out-of-home youths discharged from youth welfare facilities can gain more employment opportunities in social enterprises and become independent."

In addition, the province plans to expand various support measures, including linking housing and livelihood independence support projects for the stable social settlement of "youths discharged from youth welfare facilities."

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