Three Youths Together Receive 5 Million Won Support?... Nowon Youth Participation Budget Contest

Until the 5th... Call for Innovative Policy Ideas to Transform the Lives of Youth and Nowon... Teams of 3 or More Youth Aged 19-39, Up to 5 Million KRW Support per Team... Participation Budget School, Final Selection After Interview... Encouraging Active Social Participation of Youth

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is conducting the ‘Nowon Youth Participatory Budget’ contest, where teams of three or more youths propose and implement projects themselves.

The Nowon Youth Participatory Budget is one of the ‘Nowon-style Youth Policies’ aimed at creating an ecosystem where young people can work and engage in activities locally.

It is designed to increase social participation rates and activate youth communities by providing opportunities for young people to voice their opinions and implement policies.

In its second year, the participatory budget themes include ▲ youth policy projects tailored to Nowon-gu’s characteristics ▲ activation of youth communities and network building ▲ policies leading changes in Nowon in areas such as transportation, culture, education, welfare, and jobs.

Applications are open to teams of three or more youths aged 19 to 39. Even if not all team members reside in Nowon-gu, the team can apply as long as at least one member is a Nowon-gu resident or activist.

Each team can receive up to 5 million KRW in support funds, and 6 to 7 teams will be selected.

The application deadline is the 5th. Applicants can download the forms from the district office website and submit the participation application, project plan, and local base verification documents (such as employment certificates, enrollment certificates, or other documents proving activities in Nowon-gu) via the email (hongga07@nowon.go.kr) posted on the website.

To comply with COVID-19 social distancing, applications are accepted online only.

Selection will proceed in the order of ▲ application submission ▲ completion of the participatory budget school ▲ interview evaluation.

The participatory budget school will be held on the 9th at the Nowon Seoul Youth Center for about three hours, covering cases of participatory budgeting, budget execution, and settlement methods. All project applicants must attend, and those who do not complete the course will be excluded from the selection process. However, if the lead proposer completes the course, the entire team is considered to have completed it.

After completing the budget school, the district will evaluate detailed project plans based on social participation, public interest, originality, and other criteria to select the teams. The final results will be announced on the district office website and notified individually on the 19th.

Selected teams will apply for subsidies and carry out their projects by the end of October. The district will also provide customized consulting for teams facing difficulties in project implementation.

Additionally, after project completion at the end of November, a network party will be held to share achievements and gather feedback on youth projects, which will be actively reflected in district administration.

Meanwhile, the district established a Youth Support Team in 2019 during the 7th local government term. In May of that year, it enacted the Nowon-gu Youth Basic Ordinance to establish a foundational framework for youth policy promotion. In 2020, it formulated the ‘Nowon-style Youth Policy’ plan, consisting of five core strategies and 58 short- and long-term projects, marking the full-scale implementation of youth policies.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We will listen to the voices of young people and implement policies that are truly needed by them,” adding, “We hope for active participation from passionate youths who dream of change.”