Samsung Employees Support Youth Preparing for Independence... 'Hope Stepping Stone' Project Progresses Smoothly

Samsung Hope Stepping Stone Chungbuk Center Established... 11 Centers Nationwide Planned for Operation

On the 6th, at the Chungbuk Provincial Government Office in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, Chungbuk Province, Community Chest of Korea, Chungbuk Child Welfare Association, and Samsung jointly signed an agreement to establish the "Samsung Hope Didimdol Chungbuk Center." From the left: Jo Heung-sik, Chairman of the Community Chest of Korea; Lee Jung-bae, President of Samsung Electronics Memory Business Division; Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungbuk Province; Kwon Hyun-sook, President of the Chungbuk Child Welfare Association.
(Photo by Samsung Electronics)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Samsung Electronics is actively helping youth preparing for independence (youth aging out of protective care) achieve practical self-reliance.

Samsung Electronics announced on the 7th that it has signed an agreement with Chungcheongbuk-do to establish the 'Samsung Hope Stepping Stone' Chungbuk Center.

Samsung Hope Stepping Stone is a program where Samsung, the Community Chest of Korea (a social welfare community fund), and local governments jointly establish 'Samsung Hope Stepping Stone Centers' to provide housing and education to youth preparing for independence.

Following the agreement signed the previous day, the Chungbuk Center to be built in Cheongju City will be a five-story building consisting of 20 residential units where individuals can live alone for up to two years, along with experience rooms and a book cafe.

Center staff will propose customized support plans and independence education programs through one-on-one counseling with the youth.

Independence education includes essential life skills such as cooking and cleaning, basic economic education covering financial knowledge, asset management, lease contracts, and real estate, as well as job-related education such as interviews and speech training.

The Chungbuk Center will be operated by the Chungcheongbuk-do Child Welfare Association.

The Samsung Hope Stepping Stone project began in 2013 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 'Samsung New Management' declaration, initiated by ideas and donations directly from Samsung Electronics employees.

Based on employee donations totaling 25 billion KRW, the operation of Samsung Hope Stepping Stone Centers started in 2016, and in 2019, the company added another 25 billion KRW in support funds to expand the project areas.

Currently, nine centers are operating in Busan, Daegu, Gangwon, Gwangju, Gyeongnam, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongbuk, and the plan is to operate a total of 11 centers, including the Jeonnam Center opening this November and the Chungbuk Center opening in December next year.

So far, including youth residing in each center, a cumulative total of 12,839 youth have received support for preparing for independence and independence experience.

Since this year, Samsung has allowed employees to choose their preferred programs within the company's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives to donate, and the company stated that the Samsung Hope Stepping Stone project is the most selected program by employees participating in donations.

Samsung Electronics is also operating a mentoring group by recruiting about 30 employees to share and support the concerns of youth residing in the centers.

Samsung selects metropolitan local governments and implementing agencies, supports the construction costs of centers in each region, and provides operating expenses for a three-year pilot project; after the pilot project ends, the respective local governments take over operations.

A Samsung official said, "About 2,400 youth age out of protective care and start independence every year," adding, "The Samsung Hope Stepping Stone Centers are walking the first steps with them into the world."

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