Next Year, 'Youth Self-Reliance Settlement Fund' Raised to 15 Million Won... Seoul City to Implement Phase 2 of 'Youth Self-Reliance Support' Measures

Increase in Self-Reliance Allowance from 350,000 to 400,000 KRW per Month
Strengthening Psychological and Emotional Support to Create Human Connections
Expanding 'Comprehensive Psychological Testing' to Prospective Self-Reliant Youth and Linking to Treatment
Oh Se-hoon Holds Meeting with Self-Reliant Youth at Yeongnak Borinwon in Yongsan-gu

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is preparing and implementing the "Strengthened Support Measures for Youth Preparing for Independence," which focuses on expanding infrastructure such as strengthening psychological and emotional support systems and establishing dedicated institutions for independence support to help young people become self-reliant. The city plans to increase the youth independence settlement fund from 10 million KRW to 15 million KRW and raise the independence allowance from 350,000 KRW to 400,000 KRW per month.

According to Seoul City on the 7th, this measure is a second-phase plan that supplements and strengthens the measures announced last September to support the practical independence of youth preparing for independence. While the first-phase measures focused on supporting the "economic independence" of youth preparing for independence, the second phase concentrates on "psychological and emotional support" to help them build a strong emotional foundation to rely on and share joys and sorrows throughout their lives.

The second-phase strengthened support measures for youth preparing for independence will be implemented through 12 projects across four major areas. These include strengthening psychological and emotional support systems, enhancing daily life independence support, job training and employment linkage support, and expanding infrastructure such as establishing and operating dedicated institutions for independence support.

Under this plan, Seoul City will strengthen psychological and emotional support systems for those preparing for independence starting from age 15. To create strong human connections for emotional exchange, support for pairing with emotional supporters will be enhanced, and comprehensive psychological testing will be expanded to prospective youth preparing for independence to detect and support high-risk groups such as those with depression early. If youth preparing for independence form and operate hobby clubs or self-help groups, they will receive a monthly activity allowance of 200,000 KRW.

Economic burdens will be eased by strengthening daily life independence support. The city will continuously secure SH-purchased rental housing and other accommodations to support housing for youth preparing for independence, and will raise and adjust the independence allowance and settlement fund to reflect reality. Education on how to use the settlement fund and daily life skills will be provided before and after leaving care. Seoul City plans to coordinate with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s support measures for children aging out of care to consider monthly rent support even for those living in private housing and aims to continuously expand SH-purchased rental housing and other accommodations to provide one residential space per youth preparing for independence.

Starting next year, the "independence allowance" will increase from 350,000 KRW to 400,000 KRW per month. The "independence settlement fund," which supports social adaptation immediately after leaving care, will be raised from 10 million KRW to 15 million KRW to reduce living expenses. Additionally, to prevent cases where youth miss out on support due to lack of awareness of various welfare policies provided by Seoul City, related programs and educational materials will be developed to educate on the use of the settlement fund and prevention of financial fraud and criminal involvement.

Furthermore, job training and employment linkage will be supported according to the wishes of youth preparing for independence to help them stand on their own feet practically. Customized education packages desired by youth preparing for independence will be opened at four technical training centers in Seoul to enable more youth to receive education. New New Deal jobs will be discovered and supported so that youth preparing for independence can be employed as assistants to dedicated independence support staff within facilities or support the independence of younger peers.

Infrastructure to comprehensively support youth preparing for independence will be expanded. Seoul City plans to establish a dedicated institution for independence support in December and, once the institution is fully operational, will open and operate a 24-hour emergency hotline for youth preparing for independence.

The dedicated institution for independence support will be established within the Seoul Child Welfare Center and staffed with 16 dedicated personnel. This institution will manage cases and provide integrated services for youth preparing for independence. It will produce case management manuals by age group to prevent work gaps caused by turnover of dedicated support staff and ensure continuity of operations.

Additionally, a 24-hour emergency hotline will be opened within the institution, providing psychological counseling day and night, and guidance on housing and daily life support policies. Counseling support services using SNS such as KakaoTalk Plus Friends will be provided concurrently. To conduct ongoing surveys and case management for youth preparing for independence, a monthly counseling activity allowance of 100,000 KRW will be provided to dedicated support staff.

Meanwhile, Mayor Oh Se-hoon held a meeting at Yeongnak Borinwon, a child care facility, to hear the voices of youth preparing for independence and facility officials. He stated, "We understand well the realistic difficulties you face in the process of preparing for independence, and Seoul City will always be with you through this lonely and challenging journey."

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