Dobong-gu Challenges Nationwide 3 'Youth-Friendly Cities' as Seoul's Representative
Established Youth Future Division in January Last Year...Promoting Youth Policies Reflecting Youth Voices
Supporting Youth Employment and Startups, Operating Cultural Arts Youth Job Platform 'OPCD' etc.
Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) is challenging to secure the title of ‘Youth-Friendly City’ as Seoul’s representative.
A Youth-Friendly City refers to a local government that, based on youth participation, provides an environment where young people can live well and has growth engines for youth development.
According to the Youth Basic Act, this year marks the first time Youth-Friendly Cities are designated. Metropolitan governments recommend two basic local governments to the Office for Government Policy Coordination, which then selects them through document evaluation and on-site assessment.
A total of three local governments will be selected, with the final decision made in December. The selected local governments will hold the status of ‘Youth-Friendly City’ for five years from the date of designation.
Earlier, Seoul City conducted a review to select the representative district for the Youth-Friendly City and chose Dobong-gu as Seoul’s representative, recommending it to the Office for Government Policy Coordination.
Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “This qualification as Seoul’s representative for the ‘Youth-Friendly City’ is a meaningful result of our efforts to actively transform the city for youth by utilizing local resources together with young people. We will continue to do our best to promote youth support policies so that young people can challenge themselves and grow in Dobong-gu.”
The district is making significant efforts to promote youth participation in local policies and development processes and to improve youth development and quality of life.
In January last year, the ‘Youth Future Division,’ dedicated to youth policies, was established to implement youth policies reflecting the voices of young people.
A representative project is the youth employment and startup support program. To actively respond to the youth employment crisis, the district has established a Youth Startup Center and Youth Employment Support Center, operating internships in Dobong-gu companies, public institutions, and overseas, reflecting the job market’s preference for experienced interns.
Efforts to become a city centered on young creators are also ongoing.
The district operates ‘OPCD’ (Open Changdong Project Group) to create opportunities for young creators and generate related jobs. OPCD is a cultural and artistic youth job platform operated to proactively respond to changes in the Changdong area due to increased jobs in music and arts fields following the construction of Seoul Arena.
Additionally, with the establishment of large-scale industrial infrastructure such as Seoul Arena, the Robot Science Museum, and the Photography Museum, the district is nurturing young creators skilled in 3D content production through local educational institutions to meet the demand for young creative talent.
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