The district has built a policy communication framework that puts youth at the center — through a youth network and a policy competition. Three standout proposals from last year's competition have been adopted as new projects this year. The award marks Yangcheon-gu's fourth recognition, following wins in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Yangcheon-gu announced Sunday that it has received the "Communication Award" at the 2026 Youth-Friendly Heonjeong Awards, in recognition of its efforts to incorporate young residents' voices into policy and drive community change alongside them.
The Youth-Friendly Heonjeong Awards honor local governments that have contributed to improving young people's lives and fostering a youth-friendly environment. Youth and Future, a nonprofit organization under the jurisdiction of the National Assembly Secretariat, evaluates metropolitan and basic local governments nationwide across youth policy, communication and participation, and youth activity support before selecting recipients.
The latest win is Yangcheon-gu's fourth at the awards — it previously took home the Communication Award in 2020 and 2022 and the Policy Award in 2021. The district was particularly recognized for consistently expanding the channels through which young residents can propose policies and participate in local governance, rather than treating them merely as beneficiaries.
The district runs two youth participation bodies — the Yangcheon Youth Network and the Youth Policy Committee — to channel young residents' input into the policy development and implementation process. The Yangcheon Youth Network is a participatory body through which young people themselves identify social issues closely tied to their lives — employment, housing, welfare and more — and put forward policy proposals. Since its inaugural cohort launched in 2019, about 40 young members have taken part each year, generating a wide range of policy ideas.
The Youth Policy Competition, which connects young people's proposals to actual projects, is another key communication channel. Of the ideas submitted at last year's inaugural competition, three standout proposals have been adopted as new projects this year. They include "Sinwol, a Cultural Toast," aimed at fostering exchange and community among young residents in Sinwol-dong; "Yangcheon Youth Pop-up Day," which supports young entrepreneurs and artists in expanding their market reach; and "Together Yangcheon Kit," designed to help young single-person households newly moved into the district settle into the community.
This year's Youth Policy Competition final round is scheduled for Oct. 14. The district said it plans to continue strengthening participation channels so that young residents can feel the tangible impact of its policies.
Meanwhile, Yangcheon-gu is also pursuing a broad range of support measures covering employment, housing, culture and welfare. These include subsidizing exam fees for national certification tests for unemployed youth, running tailored job-support programs such as job fairs and employment seminars, and providing monthly rent support, creative activity support for young artists, and daily care services to help young residents build a stable foundation for their lives.
"This award is the result of our consistent efforts to listen to young people and build policy together with them," Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "Going forward, we will further strengthen communication so that young people can actively participate in the policy process and their voices translate into real, meaningful policy."
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