The Daejeon Metropolitan City Social Innovation Center announced on March 3 that it is recruiting participants for an "Age-Based Problem-Solving Project" that will identify everyday problems in Daejeon and develop actionable solutions based on the life experiences of youth, middle-aged, and senior generations.
The project is a participatory initiative where citizens define realistic problems faced by each generation and connect solution ideas to implementation. It aims to establish a citizen-led regional problem-solving model and expand intergenerational cooperation.
Daejeon residents aged 19 and older with ideas can apply as age-based teams. Teams are divided into youth (ages 19-39), middle-aged (ages 40-59), and senior (ages 60 and above) categories. Each team must consist of at least two members, and only current Daejeon residents may participate. Applicants may freely apply to problem-solving topics for other age groups regardless of their team's age classification.
The application period runs through March 20, 2026, with submissions accepted via the center's website or email. A total of 20 teams will be selected through screening, with approximately five to eight teams per age group, subject to adjustment based on evaluation results. Final selection results will be announced on the center's website on March 27.
Applicants may choose between designated or open-theme categories. Under designated themes, youth may propose ideas related to independence, mental health, single-person household isolation, finance and housing, career paths, and policy information accessibility.
Key areas for middle-aged participants include re-employment and career transition, caregiving burden reduction, digital competency enhancement, addressing economic activity disruption, revitalizing community exchange, and strengthening citizen adaptability following tram introduction. Senior participants are invited to submit ideas addressing daily life issues such as health and medication management, medical accessibility improvement, establishing care networks for elderly living alone, bridging digital information gaps, preserving local records and culture, and residential safety. The open-theme category accepts diverse problem-solving ideas without topic restrictions.
Selected teams will receive activity funding ranging from 2.5 million won to 3 million won on a tiered basis. Support during the activity period includes expert mentoring, policy-linked consulting, product development assistance when needed, and promotional and marketing support including social media, press coverage, and promotional materials.
"This project is an implementation-oriented initiative where citizens directly solve regional problems based on generational experiences and perspectives," said Baek Seong-yeol, director of the Daejeon Social Innovation Center. "We hope that the creative ideas of Daejeon citizens will serve as a starting point for regional change."