Yangcheon-gu's 1st Anniversary of the 'Ordinance on Support for Socially Isolated Youth': Remarkable Achievements?

Providing Necessary Services for Socially Isolated Youth to Enter Society Through Youth Challenge Support Projects Based on Ordinances

Photo of participation in the 'Youth Challenge Support Project' to help isolated young people enter society

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) marked the first anniversary on the 29th of last month of the “Ordinance on Support for Socially Isolated Youth,” which was enacted nationwide for the first time last year.

Last year, Yangcheon-gu enacted and promulgated the “Ordinance on Support for Socially Isolated Youth” to guarantee opportunities for social participation and entry for socially isolated youth and to improve their quality of life.

Over the past year, based on the enacted ordinance, Yangcheon-gu has operated the “Youth Challenge Support Project,” actively identifying socially isolated youth and encouraging their motivation for social activities through capacity building and linking customized programs, thereby supporting their stable entry into society.

The “Youth Challenge Support Project,” jointly promoted by Yangcheon-gu and Mujungryeokjidae Yangcheon, supports employment activities for job-seeking youth aged 18 to 34 who have no history of employment, education, or vocational training participation for more than six months. Youth who complete the support program receive incentives and are provided with necessary services (such as employment linkage) to help them enter social life and the labor market even after participating in the program.

Yangcheon-gu initially planned to identify 250 job-seeking youth who had given up looking for jobs by December and help them enter society, but due to overwhelming support, the target number was finally increased to 300. By actively utilizing welfare centers in the region, internet cafes frequently visited by youth, SNS, and other channels for promotion, it was found that more socially isolated youth than expected were waiting for a helping hand.

The district plans to actively support the identified isolated youth through ▲ close counseling ▲ confidence recovery ▲ network formation ▲ career and aptitude exploration ▲ basic employment education and mentoring by current professionals, so that they can confidently take steps into the world.

So far, 204 youth have participated in the Youth Challenge Support Project and received incentives, and it is expected that this number will increase further once the ongoing programs are completed.

A youth in their 20s, Mr. Kim, who received help by participating in the Youth Challenge Support Project, said, “Before participating in the Youth Challenge Support Project, I didn’t even know what I was good at and felt hopeless as if I had no competitiveness compared to others.” He added, “Now, I have gained confidence that I should at least try, and I am truly grateful to Yangcheon-gu for reaching out to me when I was withdrawn.”

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “I am thankful and feel rewarded that many youth have been helped through various support projects in just over a year based on the socially isolated youth support ordinance, which was first enacted nationwide in Yangcheon-gu.” He added, “Socially isolated youth are no longer just a family issue but a social matter that the public must address. Yangcheon-gu will continue to take responsibility and stand by them until they can enter society.”

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