Community Support Rejoice: Preventing Isolation in Parenting ～ Building Connections That Help Women Raising Children Feel the Joy of Living Authentically as Themselves

The organization “Community Support Rejoice (CSR), working to prevent isolation in parenting” was born in December 2021.

As parenting support services and places for exchange were canceled or closed as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, parents themselves came together to find places where they and their children could belong.

On November 14, 2023, just before the second anniversary of the start of its activities, the organization is set to hold the second Caremar Ladybug, a care market for the mind and body.

After the care market, CSR is set to make a fresh start under a new structure.

We spoke with the three people who run the organization about its founding, its history so far, and their thoughts on its activities.

Here is an introduction to the organization, along with excerpts from the interview.

What is Community Support Rejoice, working to prevent isolation in parenting?

Community Support Rejoice, working to prevent isolation in parenting, is run by three people, including its representative, Ayami Castillo.

The name Rejoice means “joy” or “to rejoice”.

It is a word that has always resonated with Ayami, who has been familiar with the Bible and worship since childhood.

“I’m someone who finds it hard to focus on joy, but humans have been given free will, so let’s choose joy; let’s rejoice.”

The name expresses the hope of creating joyful connections in the community.

The organization’s guiding principle is to “create connections where women raising children can feel the joy of living as their true selves.”

November 14, 2023: The second Caremar Ladybug, a care market for the mind and body

The market is one of CSR’s major events.

The first one was held in November 2022.

The event was held in the large conference room on the second floor of Okayama Toyota Motor Corporation’s Kurashiki branch in Nakashima, Kurashiki City.

Vendors included CSR’s organizers, networking event participants, and voluntary organizations that support CSR’s activities.

A kids’ corner was set up in one part of the spacious venue, with supporters keeping an eye on the children, creating a comfortable environment for both vendors and visitors.

The second event is scheduled to be held at the Tamashima Civic Exchange Center on November 14, 2023.

Some vendors joined after Ayami reached out, while others offered to participate through connections they had made over the years. A total of 12 groups, including individuals and organizations, are scheduled to set up booths.

“We want as many people as possible to know that there are organizations working to eliminate isolation in parenting,” says Ayami.

She is devoting considerable energy to holding the care market, creating opportunities for CSR participants to shine and helping more people learn about the organization’s activities.

For the second event, four people—including participants who have been involved since CSR’s early days—have joined as event support volunteers, in addition to the organizers.

True to CSR’s guiding principle of “creating connections where people can feel joy,” it seems likely that many new connections will be made.

This is an event that we hope many people will attend—not only women raising children.

The Sound of Joy: A networking event connecting women raising children

The main activity apart from events is a networking event held on the second Tuesday of every month.

It brings together women raising children to enjoy spending time and connecting with one another.

With the hope that mothers can participate with their children and feel at ease, supporters join the activities to watch over the children and play with them.

The supporters are volunteers who agree with CSR’s mission.

Many have finished raising their own children. Some support the group because they wish they had had an activity like this when they were raising their children.

At the networking event, no one is criticized for what they say.

It is a place where people can open up about things that are usually difficult to talk about, such as their relationships with their partners or past hurts.

Perhaps because the organizers speak on equal terms with everyone, a welcoming space where no one is judged has naturally taken shape among the participants, without anyone needing to say, “Not judging others is a rule.”

Differences in age and experience can sometimes lead to misunderstandings about parenting, but the group values holding events regularly so that relationships can gradually evolve.

Workshops: Participants become instructors by sharing their strengths

When the activities began, workshops lasting around 15 to 30 minutes were held alongside the networking events.

Of the three workshops held so far, participants led two.

They offer participants a chance to share with others their own strengths—things they rarely get the opportunity to express in their lives as mothers.

When participants discover their own strengths and appeal at a networking event, they can take the next half-step or step forward and turn them into a workshop.

CSR also values encouraging women raising children to be true to themselves.

“If there’s something you want to do while raising children but can’t, creating an opportunity to do it may itself be a way to start moving beyond isolation in parenting,” says Ayami, the organization’s representative.

“Some people feel energized by teaching and sharing, while others feel energized by learning from someone or gaining new knowledge. I hope it can become a positive connection for everyone.”

As of November 2023, the workshops are temporarily on hold so the group can deepen its connections through the networking events, but they remain one of CSR’s core activities.

CSR successfully held a market less than a year after its activities began and has steadily made its mark.

With its second anniversary approaching, we spoke with the organizers about the group’s founding, its history so far, and their thoughts on its activities.

Community Support Rejoice: Organization details

Organization name	Community Support Rejoice, working to prevent isolation in parenting
Representative	Ayami Castillo
Year established	2021
Address	3-4-5 Tamashima Chuo-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture
Website	Community Support Rejoice, working to prevent isolation in parenting

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