Department of Music Therapy, Receives Award of Appreciation from Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office
- Date2024.09.11
- 27623
[From left] Ga Eul Yoo (Chair, the Department of Music Therapy), Sun Hwa Kim (Chief Prosecutor, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office), and Hyun Ju Chong (Professor, the Department of Music Therapy)
On August 27, the Department of Music Therapy, Graduate School received an award of appreciation from the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office (hereafter, Seoul Western Prosecutors’ Office) for its contributions to offer a music therapy program for at-risk youth who have been granted deferred prosecution. The program was highly recognized for its success in providing therapeutic support and education to these youth, as well as for its contribution to the local community.
Since 2013, the Department of Music Therapy has consistently implemented programs supporting the psychological and emotional well-being of at-risk youth and preventing school violence. In 2016, the department signed an agreement with the Seoul Western Prosecutors’ Office to establish a collaborative model between government and academia. Since then, the department has conducted specialized music therapy programs that focus on emotional support for adolescents at risk. This initiative has now expanded to seven cities across the nation, extending its impact as a university-led social contribution activity, utilizing its academic infrastructure and expertise.
The ongoing program, in cooperation with the Seoul Western Prosecutors’ Office, is led by alumni of our Music Therapy Department, with participation from current students. The program provides creative and therapeutic music activities to youth under deferred prosecution, helping them release negative emotions, strengthen their psychological resilience, and foster positive behavioral and perceptual changes. The Seoul Western Prosecutors’ Office acknowledged the dedication and efforts of the Department of Music Therapy, recognizing the program’s outstanding expertise and effectiveness through the meaningful changes observed in the participating youth, and presented an award of appreciation. The Department of Music Therapy plans to continue its specialized efforts to fulfill its vision of contributing to the community, building on the recognition from this award and the ongoing initiatives of both the university and the department.