Gyeonggi-do Supports 300 Self-Reliant Youth... 'Mentee-Mentor' Program

Promotional Banner for Gyeonggi-do's Independent Preparation Youth Mentor-Mentee Support Project

Gyeonggi Province is stepping up to support the independent living of youth preparing for self-reliance.

From the 24th of this month until the 11th of next month, Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Self-Reliance Support Agency will recruit 300 youth preparing for self-reliance and 500 mentors to support them for the "2023 Youth Preparing for Self-Reliance Mentor-Mentee Together Project."

The project targets youth aged 15 and older who are within five years after leaving protective care. Mentors can be anyone from ordinary workers to experts in various fields among the residents of the province who are interested in supporting youth preparing for self-reliance.

The mentees (youth preparing for self-reliance) select their mentors directly. Consent to personal information use is mandatory for verifying criminal records related to sexual offenses and child abuse. Mentors must also complete online and offline mentor school training before participating.

Mentor activities, expected to begin by mid-August, will be divided into ▲Support Mentors (providing emotional support and social family roles through regular activities at least twice a month), ▲Assistance Mentors (offering occasional expert knowledge and advice on employment and career paths), and ▲Psychological Healing Mentors (providing psychological support such as stress relief, meditation, and counseling).

Gyeonggi Province will support case managers from dedicated self-reliance support agencies to facilitate mentor-mentee activities and will cover actual expenses related to group activities, lectures, cultural, performance, sports, employment, career field experiences, and meal costs associated with mentor-mentee activities.

Yoon Young-mi, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Women and Family Bureau, said, "We are looking for mentors for youth preparing for self-reliance who face various challenges with psychological anxiety due to insufficient preparation for independence." She added, "We ask many residents to participate as mentors to help establish a foundation where youth preparing for self-reliance can grow with emotional and social support."

Meanwhile, there are about 1,800 youth preparing for self-reliance in the province, accounting for 16% of the national total.

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