Samsung held an opening ceremony on the 11th for the 16th Incheon Center of "Hope Stepping-stone," a housing support program for care leavers.
At the event held at the Bupyeong-gu Youth Training Center in Incheon on the same day, Samsung shared its program outcomes and future vision under the theme "Warm companionship, 10 years of Hope Stepping-stone."
Hope Stepping-stone is Samsung's flagship social contribution initiative that began in 2013 to mark the 20th anniversary of the "Samsung New Management" declaration.
Starting with the groundbreaking of the Busan Center in 2015, a total of 16 Hope Stepping-stone centers have opened as of today, completing a housing support network in 13 regions nationwide 10 years into the program.
The Hope Stepping-stone centers go beyond providing "housing space" for care leavers to serve as a safe haven where they learn "life skills and wisdom."
Through Hope Stepping-stone, Samsung has provided housing support such as center residency, independence education and experiential programs, as well as job training, to 54,611 care leavers over the past 10 years.
In 2023, it advanced the program into "Hope Stepping-stone 2.0" to support economic self-reliance through job training, providing vocational education to 241 care leavers under age 34. Of the 167 graduates, 79 (47.3%) successfully found jobs at companies of their choice.
Samsung also operates various programs such as mentoring and clubs to support the psychological and emotional well-being of care leavers. Starting this year, it launched the "Pre-care leaver career coaching camp," strengthening the support system so that they can proactively prepare for independence from the period before protection ends.
Attendees included ▲ Lee Seu-ran, First Vice Minister of Health and Welfare ▲ Yoo Jeong-bok, Incheon mayor ▲ Jang Seok-hoon, president overseeing social contribution at Samsung Global Research ▲ Baek Soo-hyun, president of the Communications Office at Samsung Electronics ▲ Park Seung-hee, head of CR at Samsung Electronics, among about 200 people. Vice Minister Kwon Chang-joon of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) delivered congratulatory remarks via video.
Park Seung-hee, head of CR at Samsung Electronics, said, "Independence is achieved by adding tangible support in housing, education and employment, along with strong backing from those around them, on top of young people's potential, and Hope Stepping-stone has brought about this change."