Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on March 3 that it has been selected as a participating municipality for the Ministry of Employment and Labor's "Youth Challenge Support Program" and "Youth Growth Project," securing 228 million won in national funding.
The city plans to launch a comprehensive youth support network spanning from preventing job-search abandonment to facilitating social reintegration.
Yangju City held a contract signing ceremony at the Uijeongbu Employment and Labor Office on February 27, officially launching the programs. The national funding is allocated as 128 million won for the Youth Challenge Support Program and 100 million won for the Youth Growth Project.
The Youth Growth Project focuses on "prevention." It provides counseling for job-seeking youth and early-career workers dealing with work-related stress and job-change concerns, while supporting community building through youth cafes. The structure aims to prevent young people from falling into a state of abandoning their job search.
The Youth Challenge Support Program focuses on "recovery." It identifies youth who have already given up on job-seeking, provides customized programs, and helps them re-enter society.
Operations will be conducted through a partnership between Yangju Youth Center's in-house staff and Newteams, a company specializing in youth support. The approach combines public project experience with private-sector expertise to enhance program quality.
The Yangju Youth Center, which serves as the program hub, is scheduled to relocate to a larger, more accessible space in April. In line with the expansion, the city plans to improve program quality and enhance the center's function as a space where young people can freely visit, rest, and connect.
A Yangju City official said, "We will combine the city's professional workforce with private-sector capabilities to support young people in taking on challenges and achieving growth."