청년센터 센터장의 직무 경험에 관한 현상학적 연구

초록

Background: Youth centers in Korea, established as public institutions following the enactment of the Youth Basic Act in 2020, are still in their early stages of operation. With operational models yet to be fully established and role expectations remaining unclear, directors face the dual challenge of constructing both organizational and role identities. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the work experiences of youth center directors in Seoul through a phenomenological approach and to understand the essential structures and meanings of their lived experiences. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted with six youth center directors currently serving in Seoul. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method. Findings: The analysis yielded three experiential stages: ‘Starting from a Place with Nothing,’ ‘Enduring and Learning on the Boundary,’ and ‘Beginning to See Their Own Path.’ Eleven sub-themes were identified, and the essence of the experience was described as ‘Making a Path at the Boundary’. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the work experiences of youth center directors are characterized by role creation rather than mere role adjustment, thereby extending existing job crafting theory. Practical implications include the development of structured peer-support networks for directors, onboarding programs for newly appointed directors, qualitative evaluation indicators, and differentiated institutional support based on operational structures.

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