Opening of Eunpyeong Jajuncheong... Support for Youth Preparing for Independence

[Seoul District News] Eunpyeong-gu Holds Opening Ceremony of 'Eunpyeong Jajuncheong' to Support Independent Youth, Pilot Programs Including Psychological Counseling and Self-Help Meetings... Gwanak-gu Accepts Applications Until October 7, Selected 8 Teams to Freely Busk Until Late November... Jungnang-gu Hosts '2022 Jungnang Youth Career Festival' at Yongma Waterfall Park on October 5 at 9 AM

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced on the 27th the opening of ‘Eunpyeong Jajuncheong,’ the nation’s first center aimed at eliminating blind spots for youth preparing for independence.

Eunpyeong Jajuncheong (Eunpyeong Youth Independence Preparation Center) is a space designed to support youth preparing for independence who fall into blind spots not covered by government assistance. It aims to prevent unfortunate incidents such as losing contact with youth who have left protective facilities or recent distressing news.

Located in Jingwan-dong, Eunpyeong Jajuncheong consists of an education room, office, and counseling room. The counseling room provides a comfortable atmosphere where youth preparing for independence can reach out for help.

Since April this year, Eunpyeong Jajuncheong has been running pilot operations offering various programs and support. The programs, divided into three courses?outreach, mentoring support, and psychological counseling?have been conducted 109 times in total. Additionally, emergency supplies and food were provided 17 times for youth preparing for independence who had nowhere else to turn. Starting in October, practical programs such as financial and economic education and psychological programs will be offered to support independence.

Going forward, the district plans to install and operate four ‘independence experience houses’ where youth can experience living alone before leaving protective facilities. This will help youth preparing for independence (including prospective participants) overcome fears about independence, shorten social adaptation periods, and settle as healthy members of society.

From next year, to expand the operation of Eunpyeong Jajuncheong, the district plans to collaborate with the Joy Sharing Foundation, the entrusted corporation of Seoul Municipal Dream Tree Village. The goal is to support youth preparing for independence to live stably within the local community network and to establish a foundation for forming communities among youth living alone.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “Eunpyeong Jajuncheong is a meaningful first step supporting youth preparing for independence as they take their first steps into society. I hope it will serve as a focal point where youth leaving facilities and living alone can form communities.”

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) is creating opportunities for everyone to empathize with and enjoy unique artistic and cultural activities characteristic of the youth generation.

The district is recruiting talented young artists to participate in the ‘2022 Gwanak Youth Art Club Street Performances’ until October 7.

The ‘2022 Gwanak Youth Art Club Street Performances’ aims to expand youth cultural spaces in everyday locations such as local landmarks, plazas, parks, and markets, discover young artists in the area, support their creative activities, and help establish a proper street performance culture.

Youth will freely hold street performances in various open rest areas, providing opportunities for young artists to engage in artistic activities and for residents to enjoy culture and arts.

Applications are open to all performance and cultural art genres suitable for street performances, including singing, playing instruments, dancing, and magic. Any young artist aged 19 to 39 residing or living in Gwanak-gu can apply. However, to activate youth art club activities, teams of two or more members who can freely set performance schedules and locations are being recruited.

The application period runs until October 7. After reviewing application forms and performance videos, eight youth art clubs will be selected and announced on the district’s website on the 12th, with individual notifications sent.

Youth artists wishing to perform can check the recruitment announcement on the Gwanak-gu website, download and complete the application form, and submit it either by visiting the Youth Policy Division at the district office or via email.

Selected teams will be free to schedule performances anywhere within Gwanak-gu’s open spaces until the end of November, and the district will provide a modest performance fee.

The district operates the ‘Gwanak Youth Culture Zone’ project, offering youth networking spaces and self-development programs. It runs programs accessible to youth in 15 local spaces, broadening the scope of youth cultural and artistic activities.

On October 1 at 7:30 PM, at the Gwanak-gu complex cultural space, Culture Platform S1472, the second performance presentation of the ‘Gwanak Youth Culture Zone’ project will be held, featuring the first concert of the ‘Dotori Choir,’ participants of the ‘Dotori’ space program.

This performance will showcase a choir unlike traditional choirs, performing popular music genres such as pop songs, Korean songs, and drama OSTs, accompanied by various live instruments played by Team Dotori.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “Youth artists’ street performances will bring youthful energy and vitality to the district. I hope many youth artists will participate and that street performances enjoyed by residents will become more active.”

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) will hold the ‘2022 Jungnang Youth Career Festival’ on October 5 at Yongma Waterfall Park, targeting about 2,500 middle school students.

Now in its third year, the ‘Jungnang Youth Career Festival’ provides opportunities for career and job exploration, helping youth discover their interests and aptitudes and broaden their career choices. The event will feature 44 booths across three areas: job experience hall, career and academic guidance hall, and village network space.

At the job experience hall, participants can try out various occupations. From familiar jobs like firefighters, DJs, aromatherapists, and village guides to less common ones, a wide range of experiences will offer youth broad career exploration opportunities.

In the career and academic guidance hall, 25 schools will participate to provide counseling for students concerned about high school admissions. Practical career information will be offered, and specialized high schools will provide related experiences such as drones, LEGO, and broadcasting content, allowing participants to gain information while enjoying themselves.

The village network space will be operated by nine booths run by local youth-related organizations, including the Jungnang-gu Youth Counseling and Welfare Center. Each institution will host experience booths aligned with their roles, offering counseling, psychological support, and child rights campaigns.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi said, “I hope the youth, the future of Jungnang, will participate in the career festival to experience various jobs and career paths and envision their futures. We will continue to provide diverse education through the Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center and offer ongoing support so youth can freely dream and develop their talents.”

Jungnang-gu is pursuing various educational support projects aiming to create the best public education environment in Seoul. Centered on the Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center, which celebrated its first anniversary this year, the district offers customized education for all ages, from children to seniors. The education budget has more than doubled from the original 3.8 billion KRW to 8 billion KRW, ranking third among Seoul’s autonomous districts. The district plans to further strengthen educational infrastructure by doubling the education budget again, establishing a second Bang Jeong-hwan Education Support Center, and building an astronomy science center.