Establishing an Integrated Youth Support System Including Youth Foundations, Training Facilities, Counseling Welfare, and Out-of-School Support Centers
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Pohang City in Gyeongbuk announced that it is promoting various youth policies to support creative growth and self-directed competency development for the happy future of over 80,000 young people.
The ‘Pohang Youth Foundation,’ which serves as the control tower and reliable partner for youth policies, is responsible for expanding training facilities such as the Youth Training Center, Guryongpo Youth Training Center, and Youth Culture House, as well as operating the Counseling Welfare Center and Out-of-School Youth Support Center, striving to foster and protect healthy and creative youth.
Established as the first youth foundation in Gyeongbuk Province, it has unified youth-related policies and projects that were previously implemented individually by various institutions, providing more integrated and professional services.
To encourage voluntary talent and competency development among youth, the foundation strengthens youth self-governing bodies and club activities, and expands youth-led planning events, offering opportunities to explore and design aptitudes and futures.
It is also doing its best to expand youth training facilities, spaces for youth training and cultural activities. The Youth Training Center and Guryongpo Youth Training Center are currently in operation, with the Northern District Youth Culture House scheduled to open in the first half of this year, and the Southern District Youth Culture House under construction for completion in 2025.
By operating the Youth Counseling Welfare Center, the foundation not only protects youth but also builds networks with schools and various institutions for welfare, counseling, and experiential activities, enhancing the overall efficiency of youth policies and acting as a sponsor to ensure balanced growth of local youth.
The city operates the ‘1388 Youth Hotline,’ allowing anyone who wishes for the healthy growth of youth to report harmful environments or consult with experts by phone, and is expanding the ‘Outreach’ program where youth counselors visit sites to listen to youths’ difficulties and concerns, implementing various policies.
Additionally, the city supports the Out-of-School Youth Support Center (Kkumdeulim) to provide a protective shelter for out-of-school youth who have had to discontinue their studies due to unavoidable circumstances, and is promoting the After-School Academy project to support after-school youth’s academic pursuits.
Alongside this, the city is expanding and supporting alternative schools such as ‘Open School’ and ‘Free School’ and other non-formal educational institutions, linking with local academies to help youth obtain qualifications through the qualification exam, strengthening customized support to ensure youth do not stop learning.
Pohang operates the ‘Career and College Admission Support Center,’ providing a channel to resolve questions from students and parents. Opened as the first of its kind in Gyeongbuk, the center overcomes the reality that information and conditions in frontline educational sites do not match those in the metropolitan area or large cities, and spares no effort to support each student’s social self-realization.
The support center conducts career experience programs and field trips for elementary, middle, and high school students, and offers tailored programs by life cycle such as college admission workshops for middle and high school students, transitional education, self-directed learning methods, college entrance planning support, college admission fairs, one-on-one admission counseling, and personal statement and interview consulting.
It also operates special lectures by experts on career and learning for parents, parent academies to strengthen child career coaching skills, parent radio via YouTube broadcasts, and parent support groups, contributing to nurturing future talents through customized program development considering regional characteristics.
Mayor Kangdeok Lee of Pohang said, “We will create practical policies and programs to be a strong shelter and partner supporting the happy growth of youth, who are the hope of future Pohang.”
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