New Center to Open Next Year in Newly Purchased Building Near City Hall
Expanded Counseling Rooms and Enhanced Privacy Based on Youth Feedback
Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province will open a new youth counseling and welfare hub space in the second half of next year, where young people can freely share their concerns and receive emotional support at any time.
On December 18, Gwangmyeong City held a completion report meeting for the 'Youth Counseling and Welfare Center Hub Center Implementation Design Service' at the Lifelong Learning Center. The meeting included members of the Gwangmyeong City Youth Committee and officials from the Gwangmyeong City Youth Foundation, who discussed the layout of the center's space.
An interior rendering of the 'Youth Counseling and Welfare Center' being established by Gwangmyeong City through the purchase of a newly constructed building in Cheolsan-dong. The space layout and interior design incorporate the opinions of the youth. Provided by Gwangmyeong City
The new center will serve as the main hub for youth counseling and welfare services in the city. This follows the conversion of the existing Nodutdol building, which previously housed the Youth Counseling and Welfare Center, into a Citizen Health and Sports Center.
The new center will be established by purchasing a newly constructed building at 227-1 Cheolsan-dong, near City Hall. The building has five above-ground floors and a total floor area of 453 square meters. The city will invest 4.17 billion won to create a space tailored to the needs of young people. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first half of next year, with the center opening in the second half.
The center's layout will include: ▲ 2nd floor - art and play therapy rooms, education room ▲ 3rd floor - individual counseling rooms ▲ 4th floor - individual and group counseling rooms ▲ 5th floor - offices.
In particular, the city has incorporated the results of a survey conducted with 53 young users of the existing counseling center into the interior design and space layout. As a result, the size of individual counseling rooms will be expanded from 7.7 square meters to 9 square meters, and thicker soundproofing materials will be used to enhance privacy protection.
The interior will be themed 'A Journey to the Sea,' which was the most popular choice among the youth. Each space will feature concepts such as a seaside walk, under the sea, and deep-sea exploration, creating a healing environment that promotes psychological stability and recovery.
Additionally, to ensure that young people feel comfortable visiting the center, the waiting area will be designed as a space for communication and play, with amenities such as board games and a snack zone to provide a welcoming environment.
The new center will go beyond simply offering counseling, operating a variety of programs including: ▲ education on gambling addiction and digital media crime prevention ▲ youth mental health recovery ▲ outreach counseling services, and more.
Park Seungwon, Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, stated, "We will continue to strengthen our support system so that young people can always feel safe to visit the new center, share their concerns, and recover, with a robust emotional care network at the core."
Meanwhile, to prevent any gap in counseling services during the transition, the city will set up a temporary Youth Counseling and Welfare Center on the first floor of Gwangmyeong Library, operating it for about six months starting from December 31. For more information about using the center, inquiries can be made to the Youth Counseling and Welfare Center.
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