At the business agreement ceremony held on the 16th at the ChildFund Korea Building in Jung-gu, Seoul, from the left, Hwang Youngki, Chairman of ChildFund Korea, Lee Suran, 1st Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, and Lee Jungbok, President of Korea Western Power, are posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by ChildFund Korea
ChildFund Korea (Chairman Hwang Youngki), a child welfare organization, announced on the 16th that it will launch a public-private partnership project with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Korea Western Power to provide practical support for the self-reliance of young adults preparing for independence.
The project, titled 'KOWEPO Youth Independence Plus+', is a customized self-reliance support program jointly conducted by the three organizations to help young adults who are leaving protective care take their first steps into society and become confident members of the community. Unlike previous approaches that focused only on obtaining certifications or providing training, this new initiative places its core emphasis on practical employment and entrepreneurship support tailored to each individual's career path and capabilities. In particular, it is drawing attention as a model that can bring about real change for young people who have been left out of existing policies.
This project is a mid- to long-term initiative based on private sponsorship funds and will be implemented over three years from 2025 to 2027, with a total budget of 1 billion KRW. Rather than offering only temporary support, the project aims to accompany young adults preparing for independence on a continuous and systematic journey, enabling them to design and choose their own lives.
In connection with this, ChildFund Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Korea Western Power held a business agreement and advisory committee appointment ceremony for 'KOWEPO Youth Independence Plus+' on the 16th at the ChildFund Korea Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by Lee Suran, 1st Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, Lee Jungbok, President of Korea Western Power, and Hwang Youngki, Chairman of ChildFund Korea, as well as advisory committee members and representatives from small but strong enterprises, all pledging joint public-private efforts to support youth independence.
Through this agreement, the three organizations plan to strengthen employment and entrepreneurship support for 18 young adults preparing for independence, work together to enhance their self-reliance capabilities so that they can enter society stably, and establish a self-reliance support model based on public-private cooperation.
During the event, in addition to the signing of the business agreement, an advisory committee appointment ceremony and a pledge ceremony for child rights protection and cooperation by representatives of small but strong enterprises were also held. Ten experts from various fields, including academia and government foundations, were appointed as advisory committee members, and nine small but strong enterprises from across the country participated to provide young people with opportunities for hands-on job experience and mentoring in real industrial settings.
Lee Suran, 1st Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, stated, "For young adults preparing for independence to achieve stability in their lives and self-realization, economic activities such as employment and entrepreneurship based on an understanding of their career paths are essential." She added, "Since employment and entrepreneurship require cooperation with companies and schools, the public and private sectors will continue to work together actively."
Lee Jungbok, President of Korea Western Power, said, "We will develop this project into a program that brings real change and hope for the healthy independence of young people, and lead it as a sustainable social contribution model." He continued, "As a public enterprise fulfilling its social responsibility, we will do our utmost to realize the value of a world where we live and move forward together."
Hwang Youngki, Chairman of ChildFund Korea, emphasized, "This project is a meaningful public-private partnership model that can address the fundamental challenges faced by young adults preparing for independence." He added, "ChildFund Korea will continue to take the lead so that all children can grow up healthy and make a stable transition into society."
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