Interview with Tomoko Kusudo, Director of Kurashiki Community Center
In April 2022, I spoke with Tomoko Kusudo, who took office as the director of Kurashiki Community Center.
What kind of work is done at Kurashiki Community Center?
What kind of work do the staff members at Kurashiki Community Center do?
Kusudo
Currently, there are 12 staff members working at Kurashiki Community Center.
Most of the staff are called "instructors" and are involved in planning the courses they host.
There are various courses such as sign language and exercise, and each is managed by a designated person.
Are the instructors "experts" such as sign language teachers?
Kusudo
They are not experts.
In practice, we often ask expert teachers to conduct the courses, so the focus is on planning and administrative tasks.
If you look at the course guide for the community center, you will see that the fees are quite low compared to typical culture schools, which charge several thousand yen, with some courses being free or costing only a few hundred yen.
The instructors work within a limited budget, seeking teachers who understand lifelong learning projects at the community center and are willing to cooperate, while striving to create attractive course content through daily study and effort.
Unique "consideration" of a community center located in a tourist area
Are there any challenges due to being located in a tourist area like the Bikan Historical Area?
Kusudo
We open the restrooms for tourists, so we often get questions like, "Where is...?" or "What do you recommend for lunch?" Sometimes I get asked things that even locals don't know, which can be a bit stressful.
I think it's rare for other community centers to provide tourist information, but we don't say, "We're a community center, so that's not our concern. We can't provide guidance."
Rather, we respond with the mindset of "as a community center, we are part of 'Team Kurashiki' and we welcome tourists with hospitality."
The current director is responsible for practical work
What does the position of "director" at Kurashiki Community Center entail? It seems like an honorary position.
Kusudo
I just took office in April 2022, so I don't have a complete grasp of everything yet, but it may have been seen as an "honorary position" during the Showa era.
At that time, there was an "assistant director" who handled practical work, but due to organizational reforms in the early Heisei era, the assistant director position was abolished and we are where we are now.
One of the unique responsibilities of the director is to be invited as a guest to events such as the entrance ceremony at the nearby Kurashiki-Higashi Elementary School.
However, in recent years, I have refrained from attending due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By the way, what kind of work did you do before taking office as the director of Kurashiki Community Center?
Kusudo
I was in the "Audit Office."
To put it simply, it is a department that audits whether administrative tasks are being carried out smoothly in accordance with laws and regulations, and advises on corrections if there are violations.
Since it is a department that engages in activities to ensure that administrative tasks can be explained to citizens, the main focus was on dealing with staff, and I spent all day creating reports on the computer, which was an indoor job.
So, there was almost no citizen interaction, but at Kurashiki Community Center, I also deal with citizens, and as I mentioned earlier, I also interact with tourists.
Additionally, shortly after I took office in April, I was told, "Director, please give a greeting at the first course," and I went up on stage, received the spotlight, and greeted the audience with a microphone.
The change in work was so significant that I thought I had changed jobs (laughs).
The community center can be used as a "satellite of the library"
I think the users of the community center are mostly seniors, but how would you like young people to use it?
Kusudo
There are no age restrictions, but since many courses are held during the day on weekdays, it may be difficult for young people to utilize it.
However, the community center can be utilized in ways other than taking courses.
For example, you can request library books at the community center and pick them up or return them.
Since Kurashiki Community Center is very close to the Central Library, you might not feel much value in using it.
However, this system functions not only at the core community centers in Kurashiki City but also at district community centers, so I think that is the most convenient aspect.
Regarding courses, there have been many instances where we couldn't hold them in recent years, but in the summer, we have drawing courses for elementary school students and courses that help with independent research, so I hope you will take advantage of them.
A message to the citizens
Finally, please give a message to the citizens who use Kurashiki Community Center.
Kusudo
Since I have only been in office for a few months since April 2022, I can only speak on the surface, but just one thing.
The operation of the community center is conducted based on the Kurashiki City Community Center Ordinance and its enforcement regulations.
Additionally, for rental facilities and course applications, if the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, a lottery will be held, and since it is a social education facility, there are restrictions on usage.
For example, the sale of goods for profit is not allowed.
Since there are differences from general rental facilities, we will provide sufficient explanations to users.
What I pay attention to is that the treatment of users does not change depending on the staff member they interact with, and that the treatment is always the same from the last time to this time, so I value fairness and equality in operations.
For that reason, there may be times when we cannot respond to requests from users, but I ask for your understanding.
Please come visit Kurashiki Community Center while taking a walk!
It has a retro atmosphere.
Conclusion
When I was in elementary school, I often attended events at the community center (which I now think may have been courses).
However, as time passed, I lost the opportunity to use it, but
the community center is a "social education facility" for lifelong learning.
Hearing about the purpose of the community center and the people who work there, I feel that even though I am distant now, it has become a treasure for the future.
"Learning" continues throughout life, but the way we engage with "learning" should change with age.
I hope that through the community center located in a tourist area, more people will come to know about community centers.
Data on Kurashiki City Kurashiki Community Center
| Name | Kurashiki City Kurashiki Community Center |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-21 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-423-2135 |
| Parking | Available |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM 9:00 AM - 5:15 PM |
| Closed | Monday ・Open if Monday is a holiday ・The next weekday if Monday is a holiday ・Year-end and New Year (December 28 - January 4) |
| Admission Fee (including tax) | Rental fees vary by room For details, see the Kurashiki Community Center website |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Available ※Reservations required by the day before ・Meeting rooms can be reserved from two months before the usage date ・The large hall can be reserved from six months before the usage date ・Exhibition rooms can be reserved from the first day of the month six months before the usage month Applications can be made at the Kurashiki Community Center counter |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Restrooms | Western-style restrooms |
| Barrier-Free | Barrier-free restrooms |
| Website | Kurashiki City Kurashiki Community Center |
