"Support to Become a Reliable Fence"
Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) was selected as an 'Excellent Local Government for Youth Policy in 2024' for its outstanding policies in the field of children and youth this year and received a commendation from the Minister of Gender Equality and Family.
In the selection of excellent local governments conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family targeting 17 cities and provinces and 228 basic local governments nationwide, Seocho-gu received high evaluations for establishing a foundation for youth-specialized activities, guaranteeing youth social participation, and supporting the healthy growth and development of local children and youth.
Through the remodeling of the 'Seocho Smart Youth Center' in 2021 and the 'Bangbae Art Youth Center' in 2023, Seocho-gu created the nation’s first youth facility specialized in the 'Art & Smart' project. This facility offers diverse experiences in future technology and cultural arts fields through programs such as 'VR Textbook Travel,' 'Metaverse Olympics,' 'Bangbae-dong Art Museum,' and 'Exhibition Planning Club.' Additionally, festivals themed around project specialization, such as the 'Bibi Hill Art Festival' and the 'Smart Youth Festival,' have been introduced, establishing the centers as leisure spaces and cultural hubs for youth.
Recently, at the Bangbae Art Youth Center, youth-created paintings were used to design costumes, which were then utilized as uniforms for the Bangbae Children’s Green Choir’s performance 'Harmony Wearing Dreams.' This performance won the district grand prize in the Imagination Play category at the 'Seoul Children’s Dream Festival.'
Seocho-gu has also actively promoted social participation among children and youth. The 'Seoripul Children and Youth Festival,' now in its third year, is the largest festival for children and youth in Seocho-gu, attracting over 2,000 visitors annually. Youth participate in the overall planning of the festival, including naming, promotion, and booths. Thanks to this, the festival features an e-sports event, cultural and artistic competitions, and various experience booths reflecting youth interests, becoming a festival enjoyed by children, youth, and local residents alike year after year.
Beyond the festival, Seocho-gu operates child participation organizations to incorporate the opinions of children and youth into policies. The Youth Participation Committee and Future Generation Policy Group select 6 to 8 child and youth-related projects annually for monitoring and hold 'Child and Youth Policy Forums' to listen to the voices of local youth.
Various projects are also underway to support the healthy physical and mental growth of local children and youth. The 'Seocho-gu Youth Counseling and Welfare Center' provides tailored counseling, psychological testing, and other services to youth experiencing various psychological and emotional difficulties. Seocho-gu operates the nation’s first 'Mind Recharge Counseling Bus,' which visits schools and community sites directly to offer specialized services such as gamification-based school violence prevention education and family-centered counseling services. As a result, it has been selected as the top institution in the 'Youth Counseling and Welfare Center Comprehensive Evaluation' for two consecutive years, the only district to achieve this.
For children who have difficulty having meals at home, Seocho-gu provides meals through meal cards and group meal services at local children’s centers. Since 2020, the meal card support has been the highest nationwide, and through public-private cooperation, Seocho-gu operates the nation’s first 'Our Neighborhood Good Restaurant,' which offers free meals to children at risk of food insecurity.
Mayor Jeon Seong-su stated, “This commendation from the Minister of Gender Equality and Family proves the excellence of Seocho-gu’s children and youth policies. We will continue to spare no support to be a reliable shield for children and youth, the future leaders, to grow together with the local community.”
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