Looking after young people preparing for independence, including their emotional well-being... LH launches “On: Youth” with seven organizations

[Financial News] Starting this month, boxes containing daily necessities and messages of support will be delivered each month to the homes of 300 young people who have left care facilities and are setting out on their own.
According to Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) on the 15th, “On: Youth” is a social-contribution megagovernance initiative that brings together the expertise and resources of public institutions and companies. Seven organizations are taking part, including LH, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), Yuhan-Kimberly, Asung Daiso, Naver Happybean and World Vision. The initiative stands out for adding care to existing support, which focused mainly on housing and money. Its goal is to provide tailored, comprehensive care that helps young people find emotional stability, expand their social networks and build the strength to stand on their own.
A two-day, one-night camp will be held on the 24th and 25th at the KSPO Sports Value Center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. One hundred young people preparing for independence will take part in sports and leisure activities and attend special lectures on housing and career paths. For three months starting this month, a “Well-being Box” will be sent to 300 people each month. The boxes include daily necessities they can use right away, along with messages of support. An online campaign to attract public interest will continue on Naver Happybean through the end of the year. More than 20,000 internet users have posted messages of support so far.
The barriers to receiving support have also been lowered. Until now, young people living outside the home had to have used a facility for at least two years to qualify for housing support. A change in the law eliminated this length-of-use requirement. LH has also newly included them among those eligible for its living-support programs. It is helping them apply for various programs through the U-Start platform, just as it does for young people preparing for independence.
LH’s support for young people preparing for independence goes beyond providing rental housing. Key programs provide assistance with contributions to housing subscription savings accounts, rental deposits, move-in grants and energy costs. LH has consolidated the application process into a single “U-Start Housing and Living Support Platform.” Users can take care of everything there, from applying to move into rental housing to applying for living-support programs. LH also operates a separate dedicated call center exclusively for young people preparing for independence and young people living outside the home.
LH plans to actively publicize that people can apply for housing support even before leaving child welfare facilities. The aim is to prevent a gap between the end of their protective care and the time they move into housing. In January last year, when LH invited applications for 400 units of purchased rental housing reserved for young people preparing for independence, it also allowed people scheduled to leave protective care or a facility to apply. The terms at the time were a 1 million won deposit and rent set at around 40% of nearby market rates. Tenants could stay for up to 10 years, with no separate income or asset requirements. The housing was intended for young people without homes whose protective care had ended or who had left a facility, in either case within the previous five years.
An LH official said, “We are strengthening cooperation with various institutions and companies to expand the scope of support beyond housing and financial assistance to include emotional care. We will support young people preparing for independence as they establish stable lives and make a fresh start toward their dreams.”
[email protected] Jeong Gyeong-su Reporter