Gyeonggi Province Youth Participation Committee Kicks Off to Implement Youth-Centered Policies

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hoon, Reporter] The "Gyeonggi Youth Support Project Unit," operated by the Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation, held an online orientation on July 17 and 24 for participating members of the Gyeonggi Province Youth Participation Committee to launch their full-scale activities, the foundation announced on the 27th.

The Gyeonggi Province Youth Participation Committee is an organization where Gyeonggi youth share their voices and lay the groundwork for Gyeonggi Province policies to address difficulties and inconveniences young people face.

A total of 2,179 people applied through recruitment in June, demonstrating the active will of Gyeonggi youth to participate in society. Two hundred five people selected through final lottery held a launching ceremony on June 26 and began their activities with an orientation as their term started in July.

At the orientation, a special lecture was delivered by Jang Jae-yeol, representative of "Youth Counseling Center by the Noona Sisters," which contains sincere discussions about youth social participation. Mo Gyeong-jong, Youth Secretary-General of Gyeonggi Province, lectured on the role of the youth participation committee and Gyeonggi Province's expectations from the youth perspective.

Regional networking sessions followed, led by existing youth activists in the province.

Park Je-se, a youth participation committee member from Goyang City who attended the orientation, shared her thoughts: "Through networking with other young people with similar concerns and expert lectures, I was able to feel a sense of belonging and overcome confusion about policies. As a youth committee member going forward, I will continue active engagement to help many young people overcome unfamiliarity with policies and present diverse opinions."

The Gyeonggi Province Youth Participation Committee members comprise diverse members of society, including teachers, social workers, bus drivers, freelancers, career-interrupted individuals, students, job seekers, and youth activists.

Since existing youth activists who have worked centered around basic local governments in the province have come together to revitalize Gyeonggi Province's youth committee, the province expects that future youth policies in Gyeonggi Province will comprehensively incorporate the voices of young people.

Jin Seok-beom, CEO of the Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation, said, "Along with active administrative support and careful examination of diverse cases from other local governments, we will do our best to ensure that Gyeonggi Province's Youth Participation Committee is successfully established."

The Gyeonggi Province Youth Participation Committee plans to pursue regional and departmental activities and workshops for capacity building of youth committee members. The term for these first-term committee members runs until June 2022.

For detailed inquiries about the Youth Participation Committee, contact the Gyeonggi Youth Support Project Unit (031-898-9349).