Gwangju City to Eliminate Welfare Blind Spots for At-Risk Youth

128 Billion KRW Invested...
Customized Service Support

Gwangju City provides employment and workplace experience opportunities to youth seeking jobs through the 'Self-Reliant Employment Support Service' consulting site. Provided by Gwangju City

Gwangju City is implementing a variety of customized support programs to help at-risk youth outside of school and home in the region grow into healthy members of society.

According to Gwangju City on the 14th, 12.8 billion KRW will be invested this year to protect and provide welfare services for at-risk youth outside of school and home.

First, 3 billion KRW will be allocated to six local Out-of-School Youth Support Centers. These centers offer tailored services for out-of-school youth, including counseling, education, employment, and self-reliance support.

Youth who wish to find employment are provided with vocational competency enhancement programs, workplace and internship programs, and self-reliance and employment support services, offering opportunities for job training and workplace experience.

Support is also being promoted for reclusive and isolated youth experiencing psychological issues after dropping out of school. With a budget of 225 million KRW, the city will launch the first metropolitan one-stop package support project for early identification and customized services, such as home visits and counseling, to help these youth achieve independence.

The city will also provide 2.8 billion KRW to six Youth Counseling and Welfare Centers to offer one-stop, integrated services such as counseling, protection, medical care, and self-reliance support for youth in psychological crisis. The city operates “Youth Companions,” who are mobile counseling specialists, and runs the 24-hour “Youth Counseling Hotline (1388)” for easy access to assistance by phone.

Policies to protect youth outside of the home are also being implemented. The city plans to provide 2.4 billion KRW to six youth welfare facilities (five youth shelters and one youth recovery support facility). To protect runaway youth due to family conflict, abuse, or violence, the city operates shelters and, for the first time in the country, has commissioned a youth recovery support facility to prevent delinquency.

Lee Youngdong, Director of the Department of Women and Family, stated, “Gwangju City will spare no effort in providing institutional and systematic protection and support for self-reliance so that at-risk youth are not excluded from social opportunities and can become healthy members of society.”

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