Gyeongbuk Office of Education to Provide Up to 1.1 Million KRW Annually for Out-of-School Youth... Covering Transportation and Study Expenses

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) will operate the "2024 Customized Independence Support Companion Card Project for Out-of-School Youth" starting in February.

The customized companion card project is designed to support out-of-school youth in successfully returning to school and achieving independence, helping them grow into healthy members of society.

Gyeongbuk Office of Education.

The support targets out-of-school youth aged 9 to 24 who have been using the Out-of-School Youth Support Center for more than two months. They receive 100,000 KRW per session, with support provided 6 to 11 times annually depending on income level.

The funds can be used in various areas needed by the students, such as transportation costs, meal expenses, book purchases, learning support fees for online lectures, self-development expenses (academy tuition), and daily necessities.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education’s companion card project for out-of-school youth began in 2015 as the first of its kind nationwide and is now in its 10th year of operation. In 2023, about 120 youths received support each month.

In 2024, a budget of 140 million KRW has been secured, and a commissioned educational institution (Gyeongbuk Happiness Foundation) will be designated and operated to support the continuation and return to school of out-of-school youth.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of Gyeongbuk Office of Education, said, “I hope this project will provide strength once again to youths who have left school for various reasons,” adding, “Since the companion card project has received positive satisfaction ratings of over 90% annually, we will continue to actively support it going forward.”