Education Disaster Support Fund to Be Distributed to Out-of-School Youth Previously Excluded

[Suwon Ilbo = Park No-hun, Reporter] Gyeonggi Province will distribute 50,000 won per person in education disaster support funds to approximately 120,000 out-of-school youth in the province who were previously excluded from the support recipients of the education disaster support fund provided by Gyeonggi Province Office of Education.

Gyeonggi Province will accept applications for the education disaster support fund for out-of-school youth from November 15 to December 10.

The education disaster support fund is a project through which local governments provide cash or goods in support using unused school free meal budgets for elementary, middle, and high school students who were unable to attend normal in-person classes due to COVID-19 prevention measures.

The Gyeonggi Province Office of Education plans to distribute 50,000 won per person to approximately 1.66 million students enrolled in public and private schools in the province from November 15 in accordance with the 'Gyeonggi Province Office of Education Education Disaster Support Fund Ordinance.'

However, approximately 120,000 out-of-school youth ages 7 to 18 in the province were unable to receive the support funds because they do not attend school due to health conditions and family circumstances.

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Province Council promulgated the 'Gyeonggi Province Out-of-School Youth Education Disaster Support Fund Ordinance' in October and established institutional grounds for providing the funds.

The Gyeonggi Province education disaster support fund can be applied for by out-of-school youth ages 7 to 18 who are registered as residents in Gyeonggi Province as of November 12. Applications can be submitted in person at the city/county Out-of-School Youth Support Centers from November 15 to December 10, or via email or fax from the city/county Out-of-School Youth Support Centers.

In cases where the registered address and actual residence differ, applications can be submitted at the Out-of-School Youth Support Center in the area of actual residence rather than the registered address.

For those under 14 years old who are not subjects of personal information collection, applications can only be made through a legal guardian such as a parent rather than by the applicant themselves. For those 14 years old and above, applications can be made by the applicant or a legal guardian.

The 50,000 won support per person will be directly deposited into the applicant's or guardian's account.

For application convenience, whether an individual is an out-of-school youth will be confirmed directly by the province through Gyeonggi Province Office of Education without requiring separate supporting documents.

Once eligible recipients are confirmed, the city/county centers will notify applicants of fund distribution status via text message to their mobile phones, and funds will be distributed sequentially from late November through December.

For other inquiries, contact the Gyeonggi Province Out-of-School Youth Support Center (031-8064-1519) or the nearest city/county Out-of-School Youth Support Center in your area.

Meanwhile, 31 'Out-of-School Youth Support Centers' are currently operating in Gyeonggi Province and provide self-reliance, welfare, mentoring, and mental health services to out-of-school youth.

This year, the province is implementing various support projects, including the establishment of a self-reliance support allowance program that provides 200,000 to 250,000 won annually to out-of-school youth.