Seoul City to Pilot 'Youth Camp' During Vacation for the First Time... Expected to Ease Experiential Activities and Childcare

Camp Program Operated for 5 Days from 8th to 12th
Creative Science, Culture & Arts, Ecology & Environment, Social History Themed Courses Offered

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 24th that it will operate a five-day long camp for adolescents who have been exhausted from their studies and have been withdrawn due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, as a pilot operation, the camp will provide various experiential opportunities to adolescents every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., focusing on theme-based educational programs without overnight stays. After the pilot operation, Seoul plans to steadily continue the vacation camp annually to also alleviate the burden on parents who have to care for their children during school breaks.

The Youth Accompaniment Camp, held in cooperation with Seoul City, will take place from the 8th to the 12th of next month. It is expected to be a valuable time for adolescents who tend to spend a lot of time on the internet and smartphones during vacations to explore career paths and gain new educational experiences. Overseas, vacation camp culture is already active at the regional level with affordable participation fees. In particular, in the United States, various camp programs are offered by regional schools or non-profit organizations on a weekly basis.

The participants are elementary school students in 4th grade or higher (10 years old or older) and middle school students (13 years old or older and 15 years old or younger), and the camp fee is 20,000 KRW per person. Two base camps will be operated in each of the four regions of Seoul, recruiting 20 participants per base camp for a total of 160 participants. Seoul plans to prioritize the selection of vulnerable youth, such as low-income adolescents, to reduce the gap between income classes in access to diverse educational experiences.

The camp programs will be operated by region (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Downtown). They are composed of diverse courses reflecting local characteristics and adolescents’ interests, centered around four themes: △Creative Science △Culture & Arts △Ecology & Environment △Social History.

This summer vacation pilot Youth Accompaniment Camp was developed in cooperation with eight youth centers to create theme-based education and experience courses. However, starting from the upcoming winter vacation, Seoul plans to expand this to 21 youth centers and 3 Youth Future Career Centers and operate long-term camps. Additionally, in response to the recent resurgence of COVID-19, Seoul will ensure thorough compliance with quarantine rules and preventive measures, including preemptive COVID testing through self-diagnosis kits and coordination with public health centers to ensure safe youth activities.

Lee Dae-hyun, Director of Lifelong Education at Seoul City, said, “Vacations can be an opportunity for diverse experiences and high-quality education for some, but for vulnerable youth, it can be a lonely and isolating period. The Youth Accompaniment Camp prepared by Seoul City will help these adolescents as well as parents who need long-term care to have a happy vacation life.”