Dobong-gu Supports 'Youth Future Card · Dobong Dream School'

Annual 100,000 KRW Points Support per Person for Over 2,500 First-Year Middle School Students for Career and Job Experiences, Cultural Activities, Sports Academies, Online and Offline Bookstores, and More... First-Year Middle School Students Apply Online at School, Out-of-School Youth and Transfer Students Apply at Local Community Centers

Dobong-gu is holding the 'Dobong is Full of Festival' bazaar at Dobong Dream School Seoul Foreign Language High School. (October 2019)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dobong-gu (Mayor Dongjin Lee) is starting the ‘Youth Future Card Support Project’ this month to provide various experiential opportunities for youth to realize their dreams and hopes.

The ‘Youth Future Card Support Project’ is a program designed to support youth in developing their talents and aptitudes by offering experiential opportunities in various fields such as career, culture, and arts, following the expanded implementation of the free semester system.

To promote the ‘Youth Future Card Support Project,’ the district enacted the 'Seoul Dobong-gu Youth Future Card Support Ordinance' in 2018 and invested 255 million KRW from the district budget to carry out the project.

The target beneficiaries are approximately 2,500 first-year middle school students registered as residents in Dobong-gu and out-of-school youth aged 13. The support amount is 50,000 KRW each for the first and second half of the year, totaling 100,000 KRW annually, provided via a prepaid card.

The Youth Future Card can be used in various fields including △online and offline bookstores △career exploration camps, job counseling, job experience programs △cultural experiences such as theaters, art galleries, museums, cinemas, and cultural centers △sports academies and training centers. Through this, the district expects to significantly contribute to revitalizing the local economy.

Applications for the card will be guided through online home communications for first-year middle school students due to online school openings amid COVID-19, and applications will be accepted online. Out-of-school youth and new residents can apply at their local community service center.

Details on affiliated stores, card usage, registration, and issuance can be found on the Youth Future Card website (https://db.purmee.kr).

Additionally, the district has selected a total of nine schools for the ‘Dobong Dream School,’ which has been operating for five years this year: △three elementary schools (Seoul Soongmi Elementary, Seoul Sinchang Elementary, Seoul Changwon Elementary) △one middle school (Banghak Middle School) △five high schools (Nuwon High School, Seoul Foreign Language High School, Jawoon High School, Jeongui Girls’ High School, Changdong High School).

The selected schools will receive up to 50 million KRW in project funds and will establish plans for four areas: △building a village education community with the local community △pilot operation of creative curricula to cultivate future core competencies △after-school programs integrated with the village △creating a warm school culture, operating these for one year.

Dobong Dream School Seoul Soongmi Elementary School Pottery Experience

Mayor Dongjin Lee of Dobong-gu said, “I hope the Youth Future Card project linked with the free semester system will greatly help students develop their creative capabilities, and through the Dobong Dream School, I hope students, parents, and teachers?the main stakeholders of schools?will better understand the community and have opportunities to engage with it.”