Songpa-gu, Independent Preparation and Socially Isolated Youth Safety Care Service

Songpa-gu Launches Isolation and Reclusive Youth Safety Care Service Starting October
Targeting 20 High-Risk Individuals Including Youth Preparing for Independence and Reclusive Youth
Focus on Preventing Solitary Deaths Across Life Cycles Beyond Youth Generation with Comprehensive Support
Comprehensive Management Up to 3 Years Including Housing Subscription Savings, Actual Expense Insurance, Dietary Education, and Case Management

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) is implementing the ‘Isolated and Reclusive Youth Safety Care Service (hereinafter referred to as the Service)’ to support vulnerable young people in becoming independent.

According to last year’s Seoul City survey on isolated and reclusive youth, it is estimated that there are 8,788 isolated and reclusive youth in Songpa-gu. This figure is based on the city’s estimated isolation rate of 4.5% among youth.

In particular, among them, about 490 single-person households of vulnerable youth such as youth preparing for independence (children aging out of care) and basic livelihood security recipients accounted for 5%. This means that 5 out of every 100 young people require social attention and support.

Accordingly, the district has expanded its understanding of the isolated and reclusive youth issue to ‘prevention of solitary death by life cycle’ and provides comprehensive services including psychological, economic, educational, and welfare support. This is based on the judgment that long-term, all-around measures must be implemented for these youth to settle as healthy members of society.

The service targets 20 high-risk single-person youth households aged 19 to 34. Starting from October, support will be provided for up to three years in four areas: ▲asset formation ▲health management ▲independence capacity enhancement ▲integrated case management.

Asset formation includes support for a monthly 50,000 KRW housing subscription savings and financial education through financial institutions, while health management provides support for actual expense insurance and health insurance at around 30,000 KRW per month.

The independence capacity enhancement area offers direct support for self-reliance through group and individual counseling, home repair, dietary, and financial education. Until the end of the project, one-on-one mentoring by integrated case managers will provide various customized services such as employment linkage for individual households.

The focus is on combining long-term preparations for independence and practical support for maintaining a healthy daily life, especially addressing gaps in government and Seoul City policies.

On the 19th, the district held a sponsorship agreement ceremony with the nonprofit organization Seomgim and Nanum to promote the service. Over the next three years, Seomgim and Nanum will provide regular sponsorship of 20 million KRW annually for the project.

In addition, the district is proactively identifying high-risk groups for solitary death and establishing a 24-hour care system using information technology such as smart plugs and AI check-ins. It is also working to solve social isolation issues through initiatives such as the ‘Our Neighborhood Care Group,’ a health drink check-in service for middle-aged single-person households, and the creation of a community communication space called ‘Our Neighborhood Sarangbang.’

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “The Isolated and Reclusive Youth Safety Care Service is being promoted not just as a youth generation issue but as part of the life cycle-based solitary death prevention measures. We will do our best to support young people in difficult circumstances to regain hope for the future and the will to live, enabling them to stand independently in good health.”