Inside South Korea’s Social Impact

  In fact, one of the topics I am most interested in these days is "youth." To put it simply, agreeing that young people's participation must expand and their roles must increase for the social sector to remain sustainable, I have been participating in related gatherings and continuing discussions.  (On a personal note, I actually have a gathering with young people in the social sector scheduled for this Saturday as well.)   The reason I came to focus on this topic is clear. Social challenges such as the climate crisis, digital transformation, new forms of labor, low birth rates, and an aging population are changing rapidly, and the social sector must also quickly capture and nimbly respond to these changes. Moreover, the key decision-making structures of the social sector and non-profit organizations are still often run centered around the older generation. Only when the younger generation can fulfill their roles for the organization's sustainability and mission ...

  Throughout my time covering South Korea's social impact landscape, I noticed a striking common denominator among most practitioners: an earnest thirst to study and grow. From an outside perspective, working in social impact might appear straightforward or driven merely by goodwill. In reality, it demands rigorous professionalism. Furthermore, with related policies, regulations, and institutional frameworks constantly shifting, ongoing learning is indispensable.   <Read 1 Part first> Why Social Impact Practitioners Must Keep Studying: The Case for Lifelong Learning (Part 1)   Yet many practitioners find themselves submerged in daily operations, struggling to carve out dedicated time for professional development. Because authentic learning is not something that can be achieved through short-lived sprints, taking that very first step often feels overwhelming. On top of that, many are left wondering where to begin or which institutions offer meaningful learnin...