Empowerment
Refugee empowerment
MAP sees refugees as decision-makers in their own lives and agents of social change, not as recipients of aid, and supports education, career paths and community participation centered on refugee youth and young adults and on activists who are refugees themselves. Scholarships, youth and young adult programs, the Peace Academy and participation in the Refugee Reference Group belong to this work.
Background
The international community has agreed that refugees should be seen not only as people to be protected but as agents who decide the future of their own lives and communities. The Global Compact on Refugees, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2018, likewise sets refugees' self-reliance and meaningful participation as core goals.
In Korea, however, the label “refugee” is still accompanied by a view of victims and people who receive help. Refugee support is concentrated on legal counseling and emergency assistance, so there are few places for young people and young adults who need to study, work and plan their futures, or for refugees who want to speak for themselves.
MAP creates opportunities for scholarships, education and participation so that refugee youth and young adults can continue learning and refugee activists can work from their own experience and in their own language. It also opens ways for refugees to take part directly in policy and discussion.
What we do
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Good Samaritan Scholarship
A scholarship program supporting higher education and vocational education for refugee youth and young adults, run together with counseling, information provision and volunteer activities.
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Storytelling gathering for refugee youth and young adults and personal statement clinic
MAP holds gatherings where refugee youth and young adults share their thoughts about life in Korea with peers, and also runs a personal statement clinic for those preparing for university admission.
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Cultural mentoring and Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) preparation class
MAP ran a mentoring program in which refugee youth do cultural activities with Korean young adult mentors, and a TOPIK preparation class for refugee young adults.
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Peace Academy and refugee leadership training workshop
MAP holds lectures and leadership training workshops for refugee activists and practitioners who assist refugees, on topics such as interpretation, labor, mental health and trauma-informed care.
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Participation of refugee activists and the Refugee Community Advisory Committee
Refugee activists take part in planning and carrying out MAP programs as advisors, interpreters, content creators and lecturers, and the refugee community advisory committee discusses the direction and needs of programs and makes policy improvement proposals. In 2024, 2 refugee interns, 1 staff member and 10 interpreters and translators worked on Refugee News, counseling, child protection and the scholarship program, and 42 people took part in 5 focus group discussions to evaluate MAP's programs.
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Refugee Reference Group (RRG) of the Korea Refugee Forum
A group of refugees and asylum seekers living in Korea that brings their voices to the Korea Refugee Forum. It was formed in 2025, and MAP hosted the forum.
History
- 2020
MAP introduced an internship for refugee young adults, in which 2 people gained experience working at Korean civil society organizations, and 1 of them became a MAP activist. From August 5 to 7, it held the Global Citizen Peace Camp with the Yeosu YMCA and the Jeonju YMCA, where Korean young people met refugee young adults from 8 countries.
- 2022
In April, with Good Samaritan's House, MAP began the Good Samaritan scholarship program for refugee young adults. Scholarship recipients received counseling, help with searching for information, linkage to volunteer activity and internship opportunities, and workshops on writing applications and resumes. With the EDN scholarship fund, it also ran the Girl and Grit Scholarship for middle and high school girls.
- 2023
MAP ran the Good Samaritan Scholarship in three cohorts and recommended 3 university students for the Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation scholarship, of whom 2 were selected. At the Peace Academy, supported by Babo Nanum Foundation, 54 people took part in the 10-session course for people who assist refugees and 95 in the 10-session course training refugee activists. From September, with support from EDM Academy, MAP paid private academy fees for 2 refugee middle school students.
- 2024
MAP newly opened a storytelling gathering for refugee youth and young adults, cultural mentoring with mentors from a church young adults group, and a refugee leadership training workshop. The Peace Academy was held as 10 lectures. In November and December, 11 refugee teenagers of 7 nationalities and 12 young adult mentors from three churches took part in the cultural mentoring, and 231 people attended the Peace Academy.
- 2025
MAP held a storytelling gathering and a personal statement clinic for scholarship recipients and non-recipients together, and ran a TOPIK preparation class for about three months. It selected 10 members of the Refugee Reference Group for the Korea Refugee Forum, which MAP organized, and the forum was held on December 9 at Seoul National University of Education.
- 2026
MAP ran the Good Samaritan Scholarship for cohorts 15 to 18, alternating between a higher education track and a vocational education track, and continued gatherings where scholarship recipients meet Good Samaritan's House volunteers.
How to apply
- Emailyes@mapcast.org
- Main line02-2038-0231
In numbers
- 55 people
- Applicants to the Refugee Reference Group in 2025 (15 countries of origin)
- 10 people
- Members selected for the Refugee Reference Group in 2025
- KRW 2.5 million
- Maximum support per scholarship recipient for three months
- 42 people
- Participants in 5 focus group discussions in 2024
Photos
Recent activities
[RISE] Recruiting 18th Cohort Good Samaritan Scholarship Recipients (Vocational Training)!
[RISE] Notice of Selection of 17th Cohort Good Samaritan Scholarship Recipients (Document Application Period ~June 22)
[MAP LETTER] April MAP LETTER
[MAP LETTER] May MAP LETTER
[RISE] Notice of Selection of 16th Cohort Good Samaritan Scholarship Recipients (Document Applications Extended to April 6)
[MAP LETTER] January and February MAP LETTER
[RISE] 15th Good Samaritan Scholarship (higher education): applications until 13 January
[RISE] Notice of Selection of 14th Cohort Good Samaritan Scholarship Recipients
[RISE] Notice of Extended Application Period for the 13th Cohort Good Samaritan Scholarship
Korea Refugee Forum: introducing the Refugee Reference Group (RRG)
[2025 Second-Half Volunteer Introduction] Lee Chi-won (Refugee Youth Empowerment Scholarship YES Team)
Refugee Youth Empowerment Scholarship YES Team