Yongin's People-Centered Lifelong Learning Gains Great Popularity

Yongin residents are engaging in ‘people-centered’ lifelong learning education where they independently consider and solve local issues, a program being promoted in ‘lifelong learning villages.’

Yongin City announced on the 26th that the ‘lifelong learning village,’ a village-level learning community initiative designed to reduce the lifelong education gap in Yongin—a city with characteristics of both urban and rural areas—is establishing itself as a hub for ‘people-centered lifelong education’ by not only implementing joint projects to solve local issues but also providing specialized lifelong education tailored to residents’ needs and contributing to job creation.

Currently, Yongin’s lifelong learning villages consist of five areas: Haenggune Village in Wonsam-myeon, Cheoein-gu (Yongin Women Farmers Center), Ssamgol Village in Idong-myeon, Cheoein-gu (Yongin Integrated Social Welfare Center), Poongdeokcheon Village in Suji-gu (Yongin YMCA), Jukjeon 1-dong in Suji-gu (Jukjeon 1-dong Residents Autonomy Committee), and Jungang-dong in Cheoein-gu (Jungang-dong Residents Autonomy Committee).

The lifelong learning villages conduct various activities including hosting workshops among regional stakeholders to activate the lifelong learning village-building network, fostering village leaders, and holding learning village festivals and village camps as joint projects to form village communities. They also implement campaigns and forums to address regional issues, as well as specialized lifelong education programs tailored to residents’ demands.

Additionally, they address educational issues including establishing an educational welfare system for vulnerable children, youth, and seniors, linking school and community programs, and undertaking joint projects to solve local environmental problems.

A city official stated, "Through the formation of lifelong learning village communities, we expect to not only elevate residents’ love for and pride in their hometown but also greatly contribute to creating a balanced lifelong learning city and promoting regional development."

The official continued, "By providing diverse, high-quality lifelong learning programs, we aim to expand participation in lifelong learning, activate village economies through job creation projects linked to educational welfare, and contribute to building an extensive network through exchanges of lifelong learning villages with other cities."