Seoul's Gangdong-gu has launched what it says is the country's first pilot program pairing senior volunteers with isolated and self-reliant young residents, linking elderly employment initiatives with youth welfare support. District Mayor Lee Su-hee leads the initiative.
Some young people living in isolation or preparing for independent living have spent extended periods cut off from the outside world and struggle to maintain their living spaces on their own. In response, the district developed a visiting residential-environment improvement service to ease the daily burden on these youth and give them a foothold toward rebuilding their routines.
Operated by the Gangdong Senior Club, the program sends senior volunteers on regular visits to the households of isolated and self-reliant youth. The volunteers help with cleaning and tidying to improve living conditions, and provide emotional stability through welfare check-ins and conversation.
Each care team consists of two senior volunteers who visit a participating household twice a month. Since the program began in July, five youth households have each received two residential-environment improvement visits. The pilot runs through November, and the district plans to gradually expand the number of volunteers as operations develop and the pool of eligible participants grows.
In the early stages, the program focuses on building trust between the senior volunteers and the young residents while respecting each youth's circumstances and wishes. As consent and need arise, the district plans to connect participants with relevant policies and community resources through partner organizations such as the Gangdong Youth Center — going beyond basic household assistance to help young people restore a daily rhythm and reconnect with their community.
"The Senior-Youth Care Team is a cross-generational care model that helps young people recover their daily lives while giving seniors a meaningful opportunity for social participation," district mayor Lee said. "We will run the program with care so that youth and seniors can become a source of strength for each other in our community."
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