Youth, Don't Give Up on Job Searching and Keep Challenging Yourself

Gwanak-gu Selected for 3rd Consecutive Year in Ministry of Employment and Labor's Youth Challenge Support Project to Boost Job-Seeking Confidence
This Year, 'Gwanak Youth Center' Provides Comprehensive Job Motivation Services to 90 Youth Who Gave Up Job Seeking
Recruiting 20 Participants for Short-Term Program Starting April 1... Mid- and Long-Term Programs to Follow Sequentially

Curing Program among Youth Challenge Support Projects

According to the employment trends for February released by Statistics Korea, this year's employment rate recorded the highest ever for the same month.

On the other hand, the number of employed people in their 20s decreased by 22,900 compared to the same month last year, and the number of discouraged job seekers among the economically inactive population reached the highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, the number of young "NEETs" who are effectively not seeking jobs and either resting or giving up on job hunting is gradually increasing.

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Junhee) has been selected for the "Youth Challenge Support Project" for three consecutive times and has actively stepped forward to help local youth who have given up on employment regain their confidence in job seeking.

The "Youth Challenge Support Project" is a public contest project led by the Ministry of Employment and Labor that discovers discouraged young job seekers, helps boost their motivation and confidence for job seeking, and supports employment promotion.

This year's Youth Challenge Support Project is being conducted at "Gwanak Youth Center" (1759 Nambu Sunhwan-ro), symbolizing "Youth Capital Gwanak." The district plans to provide participants with various educational and community facilities. Gwanak Youth Center, which opened in April last year, serves as a comprehensive youth activity space offering tailored information and various activities for youth.

Gwanak Youth Center provides career exploration, close counseling, and employment competency enhancement education to discouraged young job seekers aged 19 to 34. However, for youth specialized in the region, participation is possible up to age 39.

The education programs are divided into short-term (40 hours), mid-term (120 hours), and long-term (200 hours) courses, and participants receive incentives starting from at least 500,000 KRW upon completion.

In particular, if participants actually attempt employment-related activities, incentives of up to 3,000,000 KRW are provided.

The short-term challenge program plans to recruit 20 young people starting April 1 through Worknet and the Gwanak Youth Center website link, and recruitment may close early if the number of applicants is met.

Meanwhile, Gwanak-gu achieved its support target of 80 participants in last year's Youth Challenge Support Project held at Sillim-dong Three-Room, and some of the participants actually restarted job seeking activities or succeeded in employment.

Participants commonly expressed great satisfaction, saying, "It was a time not only to acquire employment-related information but also to get to know myself and regain the will for employment and life, and I am glad to have met new connections through the program."

In recognition of these achievements, Gwanak-gu was honored as an "Excellent Institution" in the 2023 Youth Challenge Support Project hosted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor last year. Additionally, in 2022, it received the "Minister of Employment and Labor Commendation" for contributions in youth employment career and long-term employment support.

Park Junhee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, "I am pleased to be able to continue the 'Youth Challenge Support Project' this year, which gives confidence and hope to young people facing economic difficulties due to the prolonged economic downturn and employment freeze," adding, "As the mayor responsible for the economy, I will continue to implement various support measures so that youth can nurture their dreams and serve as a reliable supporter for young people."

For more details, contact Gwanak Youth Center or refer to the Gwanak Youth Center website.

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