We have started hearing the words “telework” and “workation” quite often.
With advances in IT and the spread of COVID-19, new ways of working that use the internet are becoming more widespread.
On the other hand, people who are unfamiliar with the internet may feel that it is a high hurdle, wondering, “It sounds difficult” or “Can you telework in rural areas, too?”
In the Takahashi River Basin, the “Takahashi River Basin Workstyle Discovery Marche Kuraboro” (hereafter, Kuraboro) is being held to promote new ways of working that use the internet.
As someone who works using the internet myself, I attended the first “Work-from-Home Basics” course!
In the first half of this article, I’ll report on the course; in the second half, I’ll share an interview with the organizers from Kurashiki City’s Gender Equality Division.
You’re sure to discover a lot, including that “this is a way of working anyone can try!”
The information presented was current when this article was published in August 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Takahashi River Basin Workstyle Marche Kuraboro”?
Kuraboro offers courses for local people who want to reconsider their reasons for working, acquire skills that interest them, or find a new way of working, even while raising children and doing housework.
Nine courses are being offered, mainly on Saturdays and Sundays, between July 20 and December 21, 2021.
The program runs over 13 days, and in addition to courses, “Workstyle Chat Sessions” and “Individual Consultations” are also planned.
The courses are divided into three categories: “Vision,” “Skills,” and “Knowledge.”
- Seminar on thinking about the future of work
- Web Communications Course
- Design Course
- Online Secretary and Administrative Support Course
- Video Editing Course
- Graphic Recording Course
- Work-from-Home Basics
- Work-from-Home Practice
- Work-from-Home Course: A Tax Perspective
You can learn about a wide range of ways to work using the internet, from considering questions like “What kind of workstyle do I want in the first place?” to learning practical skills.
Kuraboro is a program held as part of Kurashiki City’s “Takahashi River Basin Women’s Empowerment Promotion Project.”
Although the project promotes women’s empowerment, anyone can participate, regardless of gender.
“Work-from-Home Basics” course expands workstyle options
The Work-from-Home Basics course is held under the theme “Let’s find the telework that works for me.”
The day’s program went as follows.
- Introductions
- What is telework (work from home)?
- How to find work
- The reality of working from home
- How can you increase your income?
- Sharing impressions
The first to introduce himself was the course instructor, Hiroshi Sakanoue.
He is also the representative of the Takahashigawa Presentare General Incorporated Association, which runs Kuraboro.
Mr. Sakanoue first encountered the internet when he was 20.
He apparently worked part-time at a mobile phone company, responding to customer emails.
That experience taught Mr. Sakanoue that with the internet, you can work from anywhere. Afterward, he worked from home and also did Japanese work overseas through the working holiday program.
Meanwhile, most of the participants were beginners at working from home.
“I want to work from home while raising children”
“I want to move to an island”
“I want to work overseas”
The participants had a variety of reasons for attending.
Almost all the participants were women, and it seemed they had joined in the hope that it would be “an opportunity to think about their own workstyles.”
The course began with the question, “What is telework in the first place?”
“Telework” itself is a coined word, formed from “tele,” meaning “at a distance,” and “work.”
I learned that “working from home” is one type of telework.
We decided to look into the kinds of jobs available for working from home.
We searched using CrowdWorks, one of the crowdsourcing services.
When we searched for “writer,” there were a whopping 45,286 listings on the day of the course!
Searching for “writer camping” narrowed it down to 654 listings.
“Searching for a profession together with a field you’re good at or a hobby makes it easier to find work in areas that interest you,” said Mr. Sakanoue.
Although there was a break afterward, the participants were fascinated by the job listings.
It seemed that many were seeing CrowdWorks for the first time and were curious about the kinds of jobs available.
There are also ways to find work besides crowdsourcing services.
- Former employer
- Former business partners
- Acquaintances
- Posting on social media
- Your own website
I realized that there are many workstyle options I simply hadn’t known about.
According to Mr. Sakanoue, one thing that is actually important when teleworking is “creating the right environment.”
He said that getting your family’s understanding is especially important.
He explained that showing your family your website and talking about your work makes it easier for them to understand.
Another question on everyone’s mind was “how to increase your income.”
The participants shared ideas about how they might increase their income.
- Demonstrate that you have improved your skills
- Combine multiple skills
- Expand your network
- Look for clients who will pay more for your work
- Create work that delights people and that only you can do
When you think about it, there seem to be many ways to increase your income.
There was also plenty of time to exchange ideas, with prompts such as “Let’s map out the work process and think about ways to increase income” and “Let’s think about ways to earn a stable income.”
At the end, participants also had time to share their impressions with one another.
“Telework feels much closer to home now!”
“My career options have expanded!”
“I learned how to find telework jobs, and now I feel like I can give it a try, too!”
Those were some of the comments.
Although most of the participants at this event were beginners at working from home, they seemed to gain a solid understanding of what it is really like.
It seems the course gave them an opportunity to consider workstyles suited to their individual lifestyles.
Next, we spoke with Yoko Seno, chief of Kurashiki City’s Gender Equality Division, and Tadashi Takatsuka, deputy chief, about their thoughts on Kuraboro.
Takahashi River Basin Workstyle Discovery Marche Kuraboro details
| Name | Takahashi River Basin Workstyle Discovery Marche Kuraboro |
|---|---|
| Dates | ・July 25, 2021 (Sun), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Seminar on thinking about the future of work” ・August 28, 2021 (Sat), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Web Communications Course” *Venue in Takahashi City ・September 25, 2021 (Sat), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Design Course” ・October 2, 2021 (Sat), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Online Secretary and Administrative Support Course” ・October 30, 2021 (Sat), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Work-from-Home Course: A Tax Perspective” ・November 20, 2021 (Sat), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Video Editing Course” ・December 4, 2021 (Sat), 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. “Graphic Recording Course” Other courses on working from home, Workstyle Chat Sessions, and individual consultations are also being held. See the website for details. |
| Location | 2-13-3 Chuo, Kurashiki City (some events held at a venue in Takahashi City) |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Takahashi River Basin Workstyle Discovery Marche Kuraboro |
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