[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Samsung Electronics opened the 8th center of the 'Samsung Hope Didimdol' program, the Gyeonggi Center, on the 29th to practically support the independence of youth preparing for self-reliance (children aging out of care).
Samsung Hope Didimdol is a youth education CSR program established by Samsung Electronics, the Community Chest of Korea (Sarangui Yeolmae), and local governments to help youth preparing for independence prepare and experience self-reliance in a stable environment by providing housing and education.
The Samsung Hope Didimdol Gyeonggi Center operates in officetel buildings in Hwaseong and Goyang cities in Gyeonggi Province, considering the scale and accessibility of youth preparing for independence in the region. Hwaseong has 14 independent living rooms and 3 experience rooms, while Goyang has 4 living rooms and 2 experience rooms.
The living rooms allow youth aged 18 to 25 preparing for independence to live alone for up to two years, and the experience rooms enable youth aged 15 to 18 who are about to age out of care to stay for a few days to experience independent living in advance. Both living and experience rooms are equipped with various home appliances, kitchenware, and furniture.
Additionally, various independence education and support programs help youth achieve practical self-reliance. Essential life skills such as cooking, cleaning, organizing, and housing management, basic economic education including financial knowledge, asset management, and lease contracts, as well as job-related education like interviews, speech, and basic technical training are provided. Support also includes career counseling, job placement (internship introductions), emotional management, and financial support such as living expenses and scholarships.
A Samsung Electronics official stated, "Approximately 2,500 youth annually reach the age of 18 (with plans to extend to 24) and must become independent after aging out of child care facilities, group homes, or foster care." He added, "Gyeonggi Province accounts for about 16% (around 400) of the approximately 2,500 youth preparing for independence nationwide each year, making it the region with the highest number of youth leaving care facilities and starting to stand on their own."
Through the first and second phases of the project, Samsung Hope Didimdol has invested 50 billion KRW to operate 10 centers (13 locations) nationwide. Currently, seven centers are in operation in Busan, Daegu, Gangwon, Gwangju, Gyeongnam, Chungnam, and Jeonbuk. Following the opening of the Gyeonggi Center, plans are in place to open centers in Gyeongbuk and Jeonnam next year. Including youth who have moved into each center up to last year, about 8,500 youth have received support for preparing for independence and experiencing self-reliance.
Samsung Hope Didimdol selects metropolitan local governments and executing agencies through public contests to carry out the project and supports the construction costs of centers and three years of pilot project operation expenses in each region. After the pilot project ends, the Hope Didimdol centers continue to operate through the respective local governments.
About 60 people attended the opening ceremony, including Oh Byeong-kwon, Acting Governor of Gyeonggi Province; Jang Hyun-guk, Chairman of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council; Jo Heung-sik, Chairman of the Community Chest of Korea; Jin Seok-beom, CEO of the Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation; Park Hak-gyu, President of Samsung Electronics DS Division Management Support Office; and Hwang Jun, Employee Representative of Samsung Electronics Giheung Hwaseong Labor-Management Council.
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