Gyeonggi Province Expands "Street Counseling" for At-Risk Youth Outside the Welfare System

Gyeonggi Province will strengthen its "mobile street counseling (outreach)" program for out-of-home youth in 13 cities and counties that do not have youth shelters, to ensure these young people do not fall through the cracks of the welfare system.

The mobile street counseling initiative involves visiting locations where at-risk youth may be found, such as streets, schools, and parks, to directly connect them with necessary welfare services including healthcare, housing, and education, and to provide emergency protection measures when needed. This project is led by the Gyeonggi Province Out-of-Home Youth Support Center, which opened in April of this year.

Youth shelters are facilities that provide temporary protection for out-of-home youth, supporting their counseling, housing, education, and independence, and helping them return to their families, schools, and society. Currently, there are no shelters in 13 cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province, so the mobile street counseling program is being operated as an alternative to address this gap.

The Gyeonggi Province Out-of-Home Youth Support Center has been conducting street counseling for out-of-home youth while touring 13 cities and counties within the province since April. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

From May to August, the support center conducted a pilot program in certain areas such as Yangju, Dongducheon, and Anseong, providing information on welfare services to 289 youth.

Starting in October, the program will be expanded to additional areas without shelters, including Yeoncheon and Gwangju, as well as Gwangmyeong, Osan, Uiwang, Pocheon, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, Gwacheon, and Gapyeong.

Seo Donghwan, Director of Youth Affairs at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "In areas without youth shelters, support for out-of-home youth is more likely to be neglected. Through mobile counseling, we will proactively identify at-risk youth in the field and connect them to the local community protection system, doing our utmost to ensure that all youth can grow up safely."