Seocho-gu Starts Anew with 'Kia Challenge Prentoring'!

Since 2014, youth mentees participating in Kia Challenge Prentoring have focused on a virtuous cycle of resources by becoming mentors in 2020, and from July this year, 'Kia Challenge Mentoring' has been renamed to 'Kia Challenge Prentoring' for a full-fledged new start

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seocho-gu (Mayor Eunhee Jo) has renamed the ‘KIA Challenge Mentoring’ program, which has been promoted for the healthy growth of low-income children and adolescents, to ‘KIA Challenge Prentoring’ starting in July, marking a new beginning.

‘Prento’ is a compound word of friend and mentor, meaning a friend who gives advice and help from an empathetic perspective.

The name encapsulates the unique feature of KIA Challenge Prentoring, where university students act as mentors who can play the role of friends to mentees.

Since 2013, ‘KIA Challenge Prentoring’ has been conducted in connection with local social welfare organizations with sponsorship from Kia Motors, and this year, 135 children and adolescents from low-income and at-risk families and 120 university student mentors are participating.

Although offline face-to-face activities have been restricted recently due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), online activities are being conducted actively using video conferencing platforms to maintain continuous operation.

Furthermore, recognizing its special achievements, the program won two awards from the Minister of Health and Welfare in 2019 and was selected as an educational welfare cooperation project by the Gangnam Seocho Office of Education in 2020, achieving remarkable success.

There is also a special story of a youth who was a mentee and grew into a mentor through KIA Challenge Prentoring. Kim *ho, who participated as a youth mentee in KIA Challenge Prentoring since 2014, became a KIA Challenge mentor upon entering university in 2020 and is growing together with local youth.

Before participating in Prentoring, Kim *ho lacked confidence in studying and lived without clear goals or concerns about his career path, but he said his life changed after joining the activities.

Kim *ho said, “The university student mentor I first met at that time conducted learning activities tailored to my needs and level, and greatly helped me nurture my dreams by exploring the university I was attending together.

In particular, career counseling with the mentor had a significant influence on my decision regarding my major, and I was able to enter the university I desired by choosing a career in the engineering field.

I believe my life has positively changed through mentoring activities, and now I want to share the learning I received with children and adolescents who need help,” he added. Currently, Kim *ho has been active as a KIA Challenge Prentoring mentor since February this year.

KIA Challenge Prentoring also focuses on 1:1 customized matching between mentors and mentees. For example, a university student who is interested in China and has exchange student experience was matched as a mentor to a youth mentee who entered Korea mid-way from China. The mentor provides Korean language learning to the mentee who is not fluent in Korean, and the mentor practices Chinese with the mentee, creating a synergistic effect for both.

In this way, KIA Challenge Prentoring presents desirable role models to mentees and provides meaningful care services, while offering mentors opportunities for self-growth.

Seocho-gu Mayor Eunhee Jo said, “By operating various Prentoring activities, we will help children and adolescents in the district create their dreams and hopes, and furthermore, work together with local businesses and welfare organizations to ensure a virtuous cycle of resources continues in the community.”