Outcome of South Korean asset building program for low-income young adults from a social inclusion perspective using a longitudinal analysis

The purpose of this study is to analyze the outcomes of the South Korean asset building program for low-income young adults by tracking the multidimensional changes participants experienced in the process of building assets in the program. The study analyzed the changes of young people who participated in the asset building program comprehensively using a panel survey data conducted at four different points in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 targeting 720 young people who joined the Youth Hope Savings Account Program in 2018, an asset building program for young people receiving livelihood support. As a result of analyzing a continuous response panel of 384 participants, the study found that over 70%, that is, three in four out of the participants succeeded in welfare exits of livelihood support. Additionally, improvement in employment status and stability, income, savings, living expenses, family support, housing assets, housing environment, self-esteem, and happiness were statistically significant. This indicates that young adults experienced positive changes in economic, employment, social, housing, health, and psychological aspects in the process of asset building participating in the Youth Hope Savings Account Program. Despite the limitation of not being able to control other factors that may have affected changes in young people for three years, such as environmental changes like the COVID-19 pandemic or individual development, this study verified the multidimensional outcomes of the youth asset formation support program by conducting longitudinal analysis of participant changes. Given these results, the study proposes institutional and practical implications.