New facility to identify and support young caregivers and isolated or reclusive youth, from initial outreach through daily life recovery
Daejeon city is launching a dedicated support system for at-risk youth — including young family caregivers and those living in isolation or seclusion — covering everything from initial outreach to daily life recovery.
The city held an opening ceremony Monday for the Daejeon Youth Future Center on the third below-ground floor of Daejeon Station, marking the facility's official launch and taking the first steps toward building a cooperative network with local partner organizations to identify and support at-risk youth.
The center was established under the Act on Support for Children and Youth in Crisis, including Family Caregivers. The city drew up a basic installation and operation plan in May, selected the Daejeon Youth Tomorrow Foundation as the operating body in August, and has since recruited dedicated staff and prepared the facility space.
About 50 people attended the opening ceremony, including Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong, Park Eun-hee, chair of the city council's welfare and environment committee, fellow council members, representatives from social welfare organizations including the Social Welfare Council, and youth participants.
The event began with a progress report on the center, opening remarks and congratulatory speeches, followed by an unveiling of the center's signboard, a video screening featuring stories of young family caregivers and isolated or reclusive youth, and a conversation session with young people.
The center will operate two dedicated teams — one for young family caregivers and one for isolated and reclusive youth. For young caregivers, it will provide initial consultations, case management, self-care allowances, daily care support, and referrals to medical and welfare services, along with assistance for their own future planning in areas such as education, career development and employment.
For isolated and reclusive youth, the center will conduct initial consultations to assess the degree of isolation and living conditions before drawing up individualized recovery plans. Based on those plans, it will offer step-by-step support — covering daily life recovery, psychological and emotional assistance, relationship building and social participation programs — so that young people can reconnect with society at their own pace.
Going forward, the city plans to build a standing system for identifying at-risk youth by strengthening cooperation between the center and the five autonomous districts, neighborhood administrative welfare centers, schools, universities, hospitals, mental health welfare centers, social welfare agencies and youth support organizations.
"The Daejeon Youth Future Center is a community hub where society proactively reaches out to young people who need help but have struggled to speak up for themselves, and walks with them through recovery and toward independence," Mayor Heo said. "We will provide careful, tailored support so that youth who have put their own lives on hold to care for family members, and those who have become cut off from social relationships, can rebuild their daily lives and prepare for their futures."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
