Daejeon launches Daon Cafe to support youth employment

Daejeon Metropolitan City has launched ‘Daon Cafe’, the first instance of its new public youth self-sufficiency job model. Located on the first floor of the Gapcheon Ecological Lake Park Community Center, the cafe is operated by nine participants from the Seo-gu Local Self-Sufficiency Center.

The initiative aims to provide a stable foundation for economic independence for youth while offering a new rest space for citizens. Participants gain practical experience in customer service, beverage preparation, and store management to build skills for future employment or entrepreneurship.

In addition to coffee and desserts, the cafe serves as a hub for promoting local brands by selling regional specialty teas—such as ‘Song Si-yeol Tea’, ‘Magnolia Tea’, and ‘Citizen Health Tea’—alongside local souvenirs. The project follows the success of the ‘Kumdori Walnut Cakes’, a youth-led product that generated 280 million won in cumulative sales within five months of its launch last year. Proceeds from such initiatives contribute to self-sufficiency funds to support the participants' long-term independence.