Welfare and Leisure of Children and Youth in Urban and Rural Areas

Kim, MeeSook; ShinShin, Oejin

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study compared the welfare level and leisure activities of children and the youth in urban areas with rural areas, and examined factors affecting their life satisfaction.
METHODS
The fourth wave of the Youth Panel data collected by the Korea Youth Policy Institute has been utilized. A total of 3,145 sample was drawn, and the average age of the sample was about 17 years old (a sophomore in high-school). T-test and multiple regression has been employed.
RESULTS
In almost all welfare related variables including life satisfaction, leisure satisfaction, parent attachment, and relationship with teachers and peers, the rural children and youth showed lower scores than their urban counterparts. The only factor whose score was higher to the rural children and youth was community factor including community attachment and guidance. In terms of leisure (satisfaction) level which was the most influential factor of predicting the variance of life satisfaction, the rural children and youth revealed unfavorable condition, as their accessibility to the facilities was low and there were less facilities in rural areas in the first place.
CONCLUSIONS
As a way to improve the welfare and cultural level of rural children and youth, this study proposed to make investment to the rural areas by providing them with welfare and leisure infra structure and various welfare and leisure programs. To improve the outdoor leisure activities of the urban children and youth, setting up a sisterhood between urban and rural schools has been suggested.