5,250 people from 211 organizations.
This is the number of volunteers registered with the Kurashiki Volunteer Center as of February 2024.
This article reports on the event "2023 Kurashiki Volunteer Conference", aimed at deepening the connections among volunteers in Kurashiki City and introducing the current state of volunteering to new friends.
2023 Kurashiki Volunteer Conference
On February 25, 2024, the "2023 Volunteer Conference" was held at the Kurashiki Health and Welfare Plaza in Sasao, Kurashiki City.
The organizer is the Kurashiki City Social Welfare Council.
The Volunteer Center of the Kurashiki City Social Welfare Council is a core center for volunteering in Kurashiki City. It not only introduces and matches volunteers but also provides training.
On the day of the event, a talk session was held in the Plaza Hall in the first half, followed by a networking event on the third floor where the Social Welfare Council is located. The networking event featured eight booths as follows:
- Braille experience
- Audio transcription experience
- Summary writing experience
- Sign language experience
- Welfare shop "Ayumi"
- Community support matching corner
- Volunteer consultation and registration
- Ikigai Point System consultation
It was unfortunately rainy on the day, but it seems that some people who had planned to participate in a trash pickup volunteer activity that was canceled due to the rain came to the Plaza Hall, where participants began to gather one after another.
The age range was broad, from preschool children to elderly individuals, including those currently engaged in volunteer activities and those who wanted to start volunteering.
At the reception, people received the stamp rally sheet to be used that day and entered the Plaza Hall.
A venue where you can feel the volunteer scene up close
In the venue, there are two large screens side by side.
The center screen is used for the progress of the event.
The screen on the left side facing the stage is set up to display the information typed by the summary writer.
Additionally, next to the screen for summary writing, a woman in a black suit is standing. She is a sign language interpreter.
In this way, an environment was prepared where individuals with hearing impairments could enjoy the talk session just like hearing individuals.
Since a deaf person (a person with hearing impairment who uses sign language as their language) was sitting in front of the interpreter, the interpreter proceeded with the interpretation while observing the deaf person's nods and reactions.
On the other hand, I have a hearing impairment and use sign language in daily life, but since I was participating while taking photos of the venue, I was not constantly looking at the sign language interpreter. Hearing individuals can listen while taking photos, but we, the hearing impaired, cannot do that.
However, with the presence of summary writing, text information remains on the screen for a certain period, so there is no worry about missing information. Thanks to this, I was able to focus on the photography for this report while also grasping the content of the talk session.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 15.6% of hearing impaired individuals use sign language.
In other words, more than 80% of hearing impaired individuals need information support not only in sign language but also in written form.
Additionally, among individuals with developmental disabilities or intellectual disabilities, there are those who find visual information easier to understand than auditory information.
Being able to see both volunteers and those receiving volunteer services up close during the talk session felt like a unique delight of the volunteer conference.
A lively talk session with the floor
The first half of the program featured a talk session themed "Let's talk about the current state of volunteering!! - Shaping what you want to do".
Ikigai Point System registered facilities for accepting volunteers, the social welfare corporations Masumi-kai and Kumure, took the stage and engaged in a dialogue-type session with participants in the audience.
From the audience, the following opinions were shared about the benefits of volunteering:
- Expanded relationships with people of different jobs and ages
- Gained energy through volunteer activities
- Thought it would be useful in the future (students)
- It became lifelong learning that allowed me to know a new world
Additionally, there was a question from the audience:
"What should I do when I want to do more activities while volunteering?"
Responses from two accepting organizations included:
- We are happy to receive suggestions from volunteers. We want to create activities together.
- Even when the burden is large, we can ask for different activities tailored to individuals. We want to communicate to make it easier for both sides to engage in activities.
Participants from the floor were involved in various fields such as elderly welfare, child welfare, and trash pickup, making it a meaningful time to learn about each other's perspectives.
Stage performances
After the talk session, there was a stage performance.
On this day, the kids' dance group AC☆Fam, which performs recreational activities in Kurashiki City, showcased a dance.
They usually perform dance performances at elderly facilities. The cute dance was easy to imagine bringing smiles to the faces of the facility users who watched the performance.
Networking event
In the second half, a networking event was held on the third floor. During the networking event, participants visited each booth while participating in a stamp rally, experiencing volunteering and attending consultation sessions.
I also went around the various corners with a stamp rally sheet in hand.
Braille experience
Braille is the writing system for visually impaired individuals.
In this corner, participants were experiencing the process of inserting Braille paper into a Braille machine and writing Braille with a stylus.
The paper used for typing in Braille is made of a harder and thicker material compared to copy paper, so it does not tear easily when Braille is typed on it.
I had studied Braille to obtain a license for a visual support school during my university days, so I held a Braille stylus for the first time in a while.
It seems that Braille translation volunteers mainly work on translating Kurashiki City’s public relations magazine and other materials.
Audio Translation Experience
Audio translation is a volunteer activity that helps visually impaired individuals read text.
Since the voice quality and speed vary depending on the reader, it is said that the voices that are easily understood by visually impaired individuals differ greatly. Therefore, having many audio recordings of the same reading material expands the options for the individuals involved.
The literacy rate for Braille among visually impaired individuals is about 10%. Many visually impaired individuals obtain information through audio, so reading volunteers play an important role.
Summary Writing Experience
During the talk session, summary writing was done using a computer, but in the experience corner, participants could try handwritten summary writing.
I also used summary writing volunteers during my student days to attend lectures.
While computer summary writing is suitable for general lectures, handwritten notes are more appropriate for lectures that heavily use formulas and symbols or foreign languages, making it one of the familiar volunteer activities for me. I felt nostalgic seeing the machine again after a long time.
In this corner, I happened to meet a participant with a hearing impairment, and we got excited talking about "I have used it in such situations."
Sign Language Experience
Sign language is the language of individuals with hearing impairments.
In the experience corner, they introduced sign language for greetings and self-introductions.
The sign language circle "Kusanokai," which operates at Kurashiki Health and Welfare Plaza, is in charge of this.
Deaf individuals (those with hearing impairments) also participated, creating an environment where real communication using sign language could take place.
Ayumi Welfare Shop
Ayumi Welfare Shop sells sweets made at facilities for individuals with physical and mental disabilities in Kurashiki City.
There are many baked goods, and I purchased several items as souvenirs.
All the sweets were beautifully shaped and had a rich flavor.
It seems that they are usually sold at the AEON Mall Kurashiki store. This time, only baked goods were sold, but the store also handles handmade crafts. Since there seems to be a wide variety, I would like to visit the store next time.
Community Support Matching Corner
Here, there were pamphlets introducing organizations active in the community and samples of the Kurashiki Gokinjo Pantry.
The Kurashiki Gokinjo Pantry Project collects food items nearing their expiration dates and delivers them to those in need in the community.
This is one of the volunteer activities that individuals can easily start, especially for those who are interested in volunteering but feel anxious about joining an unfamiliar community.
Volunteer Consultation and Registration
If you feel motivated after coming to the volunteer event, you can register for volunteering on the spot.
On this day, people were continuously coming to the reception to register.
What kind of volunteer activities can one start?
The staff at the reception also expressed their joy, saying, "We are happy to see more companions."
Ikigai Point System Consultation Meeting
I have not yet reached that age, so I did not participate in the consultation meeting, but since the goal of the stamp rally was here, I went into the room.
Not only around JR Kurashiki Station but also many organizations registered in the Ikigai Point System from various regions such as Mabi, Tamashima, and Kojima were present, and I saw participants excitedly talking directly with the representatives of facilities that are easy for them to visit.
Conclusion
The Kurashiki Volunteer Festival brought together people who want to volunteer, those who are already volunteering, and those who are receiving volunteers.
Both participants and staff were all smiling, and everyone left with a lot of energy.
The Kurashiki City Social Welfare Council Kurashiki Volunteer Center is always looking for volunteers.
How about volunteering as a new hobby or a way to find purpose in life?
Articles Related to the Kurashiki City Social Welfare Council
Data for the R5 Annual Kurashiki Volunteer Conference
| Name | R5 Annual Kurashiki Volunteer Conference |
|---|---|
| Date | February 25, 2024 (Sun) 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Location | 180 Sasao, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
A unique system in Kurashiki City where volunteers can earn points for their activities in facilities such as nursing care insurance facilities, which can be exchanged for cash.