Ulsan City Increases Support for Youth Preparing for Independence... Increased Settlement Grants and Allowances

29 Billion KRW Invested to Support Independence of 130 Care Leavers

Ulsan City is increasing support for young adults preparing for independence after leaving protective facilities.

On the 25th, Ulsan City announced that it has established the '2023 Support Plan for the Independence of Children under Protection' to strengthen support projects.

Young adults preparing for independence refer to those who have lived in child care facilities, group homes, or foster care and have exited protection after turning 18. These individuals are often in psychologically and emotionally vulnerable situations due to broken family relationships and lack a social support system, requiring multifaceted assistance for stable social integration.

Currently, there are about 130 young adults preparing for independence in Ulsan.

The newly established 'Support Plan' includes a budget of 2.9 billion KRW to expand the independence settlement funds and independence allowances provided to these young adults. It also includes expanded support for independent living centers and dedicated independence support agencies.

This amount is an increase of 300 million KRW compared to last year's support budget of 2.6 billion KRW.

As part of the support, to guarantee basic living, the independence settlement fund will be increased from 8 million KRW to 10 million KRW, and the independence allowance will be expanded from 350,000 KRW to 400,000 KRW per month, provided for up to 60 months.

Additionally, the Ulsan Independence Support Agency will provide case management in areas such as living, housing, education, and medical care within a monthly limit of 400,000 KRW per person. In the first half of this year, additional personnel dedicated to preventing isolation and withdrawal among young adults preparing for independence will be deployed to establish a customized follow-up management system covering income, housing, employment, and psychological support for five years after protection ends.

The Ulsan Independent Living Center, where young adults can live free of charge, has changed from double occupancy rooms to single occupancy rooms to provide a more comfortable living environment. For young adults preparing to 'stand again' due to career changes, unemployment, illness, or bankruptcy, customized employment support such as job training linked to income, university admission, and counseling will be provided.