Acceleration of 'Jo Eun-hee's Mom Administration'... Seocho-gu Starts Employment Support for Independent Living of 'Aged-out Children' Nationwide First

District Launches 'Seocho-type Hope Ladder Project' on 16th to Support Independence of Protection-Ended Children, Part of Accompanying the Vulnerable... Provides 1:1 Employment Mentoring through Job Consultants and Supports Until Employment... Post-Employment Follow-Up Includes Workplace Adaptation and Satisfaction Checks

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The "Jo Eun-hee style motherly administration" is accelerating. It is a warm-hearted administrative model.

Seocho-gu (Mayor Jo Eun-hee) will officially launch the ‘Seocho-type Hope Ladder Project’ from the 16th, focusing on employment support to help children aging out of care successfully become independent and settle into society.

The ‘Seocho-type Hope Ladder Project’ is a system where employment specialist consultants directly manage the entire process from career planning to job preparation to help children aging out of care succeed in finding employment. It provides immediate "fish (financial support)" to young adults who have just turned 18 and feel lost, and also teaches them "how to catch fish," offering practical and sustainable support for independence.

Additionally, this project is part of accompanying the vulnerable by providing reassurance and love, showing that they have a reliable ally and a place to lean on through substantial support.

First, the employment specialist consultants supported by the district are matched 1:1 with children aging out of care to conduct counseling, understand their readiness for independence, aptitude, and interests, set the right career direction, and establish mid- to long-term employment activity plans.

Moreover, for children aging out of care who lack job experience, necessary job training programs are provided. This support continues and is connected until "successful job placement."

Specifically, children aging out of care receive at least one hour per week of employment mentoring throughout the project participation period to review their changing readiness for independence together, boosting their motivation for employment with warm encouragement and support.

Along with this, even after employment, the ‘Seoripul Didimdol Independence Support Group’ thoroughly manages follow-up by checking the child’s workplace adaptation and satisfaction.

Kim Amugae (22), a child aging out of care participating in this project, said, “I had a lot of anxiety and fear about living on my own and an undecided career path, but through mentoring, I can find a career direction that suits me and gain various experiences necessary for employment, so I feel reassured. I can discuss difficulties I might face during job preparation with the consultant, and I have gained confidence that I can get a job.”

So far, the district has been providing various supports to help children aging out of care settle into society. This Chuseok, mentors from the independence support group will visit homes to deliver Chuseok gifts composed of daily necessities and encouragement postcards, sharing warmth and affection.

In May of this year, the district revised and institutionalized an ordinance extending the protection age nationwide for the first time from the previous 18 years old to 24 years old.

Furthermore, the district provides the highest level of financial support nationwide for children aging out of care. Since May last year, separate from government and Seoul city subsidies, the district has been providing up to KRW 25 million in settlement funds, up to KRW 18 million in living allowances, up to KRW 12 million in university tuition, and up to KRW 4 million in academy fees over five years, totaling up to KRW 55 million.

In addition, the district has strengthened emotional support. Since March this year, the ‘Seoripul Didimdol Independence Support Group’ has been operating to carefully care for the hearts of children aging out of care, maintaining a close relationship they can always rely on.

Jo Eun-hee, Mayor of Seocho-gu, stated, “We want to support professional mentors so that children aging out of care, who are still young and forced to stand alone, do not end up taking jobs unrelated to their aptitudes due to immediate difficulties. We aim to help them find their dreams and confidently take their first steps into society. We will continue to take full responsibility and accompany these ‘early adults’ until the end.”