Age: over 18
Language: English / Japanese
Volunteers: 3 (Female only)
Host Organization: Kembuchi Nishihara Gakuen
Airport: Shin-Chitose Airport
Station: JR Kembuchi station
Background:
Kembuchi Nishihara Gakuen is a school for mentally challenged people founded in 1980 as "a place where everyone gets together". The school has workshops for productive or creative activities such as processing agricultural products, ceramic art, woodwork, and fabric craft and so on, so that the mentally challenged people would have better links with the local society through the skills they learned.
Work:
- Volunteers will help mentally challenged people in their productive activities of woodwork, ceramic art and fabric crafts.
- Volunteers will join creative and recreational activities, such as painting, craft, playing music, and etc.
- Volunteers will also help the school staff in various duties to carry on daily routines such as serving meals and cleaning school items
Accommodation:
Volunteers will stay in the guesthouse.
Facilities:
There are a washer, a shared kitchen, a lavatory and a shower room in the building. Internet access is available only in the main office. A small post office, shop(s) are nearby. The area is surrounded by great nature.
Meals:
All meals will be provided. Volunteers will eat with the students.
What to bring:
Participants are encouraged to bring work clothes that can get dirty. Outfits should be warm since the weather can be cold in the mornings and evenings even during the summer time.
Location:
Hokkaido, where the town of Kembuchi is located, is the biggest and northernmost part of four main islands in Japan. It is also known as the 21st largest island in the world with abundant nature and a number of national parks. Hokkaido attracts millions of tourists from other regions in Japan with its vast wilderness, and its breezy, dry air is another attraction in summer. Kembuchi is a small town with the population of 4000, located in north central part of Hokkaido. The nearest airport is Shin-Chitose, and it roughly takes 2 hour and a half to get to the town by train. Volunteers may fly there either via Narita or Kansai International Airport. Direct flights from Korea to Sin-Chitose are also available.
Remarks:
You may find it difficult to talk with students because they are not good at oral communication. Please plan activities everyone can enjoy without using actively using oral-communication such as music tapes, CDs, paintings, exercises, dance and game are appreciated.
Volunteers with strong motivation and interests in Japanese culture and social welfare are welcome.
URL: Kembuchi town (JAPANESE) http://www.town.kembuchi.hokkaido.jp/
The important point is you enjoy yourselves doing the work or creative activities with the students, and do together in the friendly manner.