Press Releases

2008 Youth V-UFO Program Co-sponsored
by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul and The Korea Council of Volunteering

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul and the Korea Council of Volunteering (KCV) announce a joint small grants program for Korean youth named, ‘Youth V-UFO Program.’  KCV is receiving applications from young volunteers between the age of 14 and 24 (representing youth clubs or from individuals who plan to form temporary groups to participate in this project) from October 22 until November 19, 2007.   The Embassy and KCV will provide small grants of $1,000-$2,000 to the youths whose applications for community projects are chosen for funding.

The purpose of the Youth V-UFO Program is to promote youth volunteer activities which provide a sustainable benefit to local communities.  Suggested project areas are: social welfare, environment, education/training, health care, legal assistance, social programs and services, elder care, civic education, vocational training for adults; assistance and/or training for disadvantaged youth; programs to discourage school violence; assistance to foreign workers and spouses; promotion of gender issues and the rights of the disabled; arts, music or science education for disadvantaged children; assistance to victims of trafficking in person, etc.  Those who want to apply for this program can apply through KCV’s homepage (www.kcv.or.kr). 

This is the 3rd year that the U.S. Embassy and KCV are partnering to conduct the V-UFO Program and the project selection will be announced on December 3, 2007.  V-UFO stands for Volunteering – Use your head, Follow your heart, Outreach to community calls. This is part of the efforts of the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section to reach out to Korean youth and support them.   Successful applicants will need to complete their projects by June 2008, when the projects’ principal representatives will gather to make presentations about their projects and receive recognition.