Gwangju City Holds 1st Dream Start Operations Committee... Strengthening Customized Integrated Welfare for Children

On January 19, Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province held the "1st Gwangju City Dream Start Operations Committee" at the City Hall Vision Hall.

Mayor Bang Se-hwan of Gwangju City is holding the "1st Gwangju City Dream Start Operations Committee" at the City Hall Vision Hall on the 19th. Photo by Gyeonggi Gwangju City

This operations committee is a newly established body for 2026, created in accordance with the enactment of the "Ordinance on the Operation and Support of Gwangju City Dream Start." The committee consists of a total of 10 members, with Gwangju City Deputy Mayor Kim Chungbeom serving as chairperson.

The committee includes experts in child welfare and representatives from local Dream Start partner organizations, such as the Gwangju City Youth Training Center, Gwangju Hanam Office of Education, Southern Infinite Care Happiness Center, Gyeonggi Gwangju Child Protection Agency, Gwangju City Foundation for Arts and Culture, ChildFund Korea Gyeonggi Regional Headquarters, and Semix Co., Ltd. Through this, Gwangju City has established a more professional and extensive foundation for advancing the Dream Start initiative.

During the meeting, newly appointed committee members received their certificates of appointment, followed by a report on the implementation of the 2025 Dream Start project and a review of the 2026 business plan. In particular, there were in-depth discussions focusing on identifying children in crisis, providing customized integrated welfare services for children from vulnerable groups, and strengthening the linkage of local welfare resources.

Going forward, the city plans to strengthen public-private cooperation centered on the Dream Start Operations Committee and actively discover and connect local welfare resources, continuously expanding "customized integrated services for children from vulnerable groups" that citizens can truly experience.

Mayor Bang Sehwan stated, "Dream Start is a core child welfare project that supports children from vulnerable groups so they can begin on an equal footing," adding, "I hope that, based on the expertise of the operations committee and cooperation within the local community, Gwangju City's child welfare policies will expand in a more systematic manner."

Meanwhile, Gwangju City Dream Start is a project that provides customized welfare services for children from vulnerable groups aged 12 and under, operating a variety of programs to support their holistic growth and development.