Gwanak-gu, Youth Policy of the Year?

A Total of 23.6 Billion KRW Invested in Youth Budget...
41 Projects in 4 Key Areas Using National, City, and Private Resources
New Initiatives Expected, Including:
▲ Dedicated Youth Lawyers
▲ Support for "Resting" Job Seekers
▲ Eliminating Youth Welfare Blind Spots

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee), which has the highest youth population ratio (41.4%) nationwide, will fully implement its 2025 youth policy, accelerating efforts to create a "city where young people want to stay."

The district will invest a total of 23.6 billion KRW, a 22.7% increase from the previous year, to support youth. The youth policy consists of 41 projects across four areas: ▲ youth participation and rights ▲ youth employment and housing ▲ youth education ▲ youth culture and welfare.

This year, the district will carry out various new projects that provide practical support to young people's lives.

First, through the "Youth Community Activation Support," it will strengthen community capabilities via expert lectures and create opportunities for exchanges among communities.

In major commercial areas and youth cultural spaces, youth-only promotional bulletin boards called "Youth Information Posts" will be installed to provide timely useful information to local youth.

Youth facing difficulties due to legal issues in daily life can receive free legal consultations from dedicated lawyers.

Especially for the recently increasing number of "resting" youth (those who have given up job seeking) and long-term job seekers, customized programs will be supported through the "Youth Growth Project" to boost their motivation to find employment.

Efforts will also be made to eliminate welfare blind spots for youth through ▲ programs to prevent youth solitary deaths ▲ support for home appliances for youth preparing for independence ▲ support for discovering isolated and reclusive youth using neighborhood community center organizations.

Since 2017, the district has operated the "Gwanak-gu Youth Policy Committee" to gather youth opinions and establish a foundation for effective youth policy implementation.

In December last year, 13 new committee members with rich experience and expertise in youth fields were appointed to share major projects for 2025 and further strengthen communication with youth.

Additionally, the district is preparing a service for the "Establishment of a Youth-Friendly City Advancement Strategy." Based on the youth policies implemented so far, this will closely investigate the status and ecosystem of Gwanak-gu youth and discover "Gwanak-style youth policies" reflecting local youth characteristics.

Through this service, the district expects not only to verify the effectiveness of existing policies and survey the actual needs of youth but also to leap forward as a truly youth-friendly city rather than merely establishing policies.

Mayor Park Jun-hee said, "Gwanak-gu's youth policy is creating real changes in young people's lives beyond simple support," adding, "I hope the youth policy, reflecting Gwanak-gu's commitment that youth are the agents of innovation and the protagonists of policy, will bring hope and opportunities to more young people."

Geumcheon-gu Announces ‘2025 Neighbor Well-being Volunteer’ Group Contest... Up to 2 Million KRW Support

Online applications accepted via Botaem-e system from February 7 to February 20

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) announced that it will hold the "2025 Neighbor Well-being Volunteer Program Contest" targeting volunteer clubs and camps in the region until February 20.

The Neighbor Well-being contest was established to activate volunteer activities and establish a resident-led culture of daily volunteering. This year’s contest has a total budget of 40 million KRW, and selected groups can receive up to 2 million KRW in operational expenses related to the project, such as material and activity costs.

The contest fields include ▲ social welfare ▲ community development ▲ environment ▲ education ▲ talent donation, and various volunteer activities aimed at creating a safe (well-being, safety, security) society.

Main activities include checking on and caring for vulnerable groups, delivering daily necessities, environmental cleanup, talent donation, and sharing education.

Applicants must be groups registered on the 1365 Volunteer Portal with at least one year of activity and able to cover at least 5% of the requested subsidy amount as self-funding. However, this year, to encourage participation from youth and adolescent volunteer groups, groups composed of youth and adolescents and family volunteer groups are exempt from the activity period requirement.

Groups wishing to participate can download the application form from the Geumcheon-gu Office website under "Notices & Announcements" or from the Botaem-e local subsidy management system and apply online through the Botaem-e system.

The district plans to announce the selected groups in March after a first document screening and a second review by the local subsidy review committee.

Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon said, "Through this contest, we hope to build a network across various fields that can create a safe society," adding, "We will strive to activate a resident-led, life-centered volunteer culture."

The district supports various volunteer activities every year. In 2023, a total of 34 groups, and in 2024, 24 groups participated in the contest, carrying out diverse activities for the community such as sharing side dishes and daily necessities for vulnerable groups, pest control, and talent-sharing performances.