Kurashiki Support LABO - People connecting welfare and society. Aiming for a society where everyone can enjoy life beyond disabilities.

Interview with Shoichi Sato, the founder of Kurashiki Support LABO

We interviewed Shoichi Sato, who established Kurashiki Support LABO, about the background of his activities and his thoughts on them.

We delve into the behind-the-scenes of events aimed at resolving divisions related to welfare.

The background of Kurashiki Support LABO

Can you tell us about the circumstances that led to the establishment of Kurashiki Support LABO?

Sato

I have been involved in employment support for children with disabilities and have sent many children into society.

However, I noticed that even after they started working, their living scale had not increased.

Many of the children continued to live a life that was just commuting between home and work, similar to students commuting between home and school.

Their only way to spend weekends was to go to shopping malls, and they had not transitioned to a life with enjoyable activities like going out for drinks with friends or attending concerts.

When I thought about the reasons for the lack of change in their lives, I realized that they had almost no opportunities to participate in events happening in society.

Therefore, I felt the need to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to encounter things that enrich their lives, such as romance and entertainment.

How did you initially proceed with the planning?

Sato

Around the beginning of 2021, I started discussions with another leader, Ando, and colleagues involved in welfare projects about what we should specifically realize.

What we concretized at that time were: “Building an environment where connections can be made between people with disabilities and supporters,” “Creating a ground for interaction between people involved in welfare and society,” and “Developing a notebook to document support from childhood to adulthood.”

In addition to these, we clearly defined four goals, including “Holding a report meeting to communicate the results to the local community” as a culmination of our activities.

At that time, I heard that a friend of mine had started a marriage consultation service, so I suggested whether we could hold a matchmaking event for people with disabilities.

Furthermore, while preparing for the matchmaking event, I also started the application process for a grant from the Toyota Foundation.

Not only did we apply for the grant, but we also began to take concrete actions to produce preliminary results.

I believe 2021 was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Were there many challenges in holding events?

Sato

Due to the impact of COVID-19, opportunities to meet people decreased, creating a very anxious situation for those who need support.

Because the points of contact with others decreased, we felt a sense of urgency that we had to hold events as soon as possible.

However, public event spaces were mostly closed, making it difficult to find venues.

Rather than giving up on events due to COVID-19, we pushed forward with the idea that we must hold events for those in need, especially in difficult situations.

The society Kurashiki Support LABO aims for

How do you disseminate information about events?

Sato

At Kurashiki Support LABO, we have been using social media to disseminate information about events.

Even people with disabilities use social media regularly, so they can gather information on their own.

Many of the events held so far seemed to have participants encouraged by supporters.

However, if they continue to rely on others' judgments, they will not develop a sense of agency as adults.

We continue to announce events on social media so that they can gather information and participate in events based on their own judgment.

Is there anything you prioritize when implementing events?

Sato

From the desire for people to experience authenticity, we have professional performers and speakers participate.

Traditionally, events aimed at entertaining people with disabilities have been held in society.

In those events, volunteers or amateur speakers are sometimes invited.

I also feel that many events were held in closed settings at specific facilities.

While I believe that is one form of support, it is trapped within the framework of welfare, and there is a distinction against people with disabilities.

Kurashiki LABO does not hold special events limited to people with disabilities.

We hold open events that anyone can participate in, featuring highly skilled professionals who are active in society.

How do you realize authentic events?

Sato

By using a dining bar where alcohol can be served, we provide authentic events that transcend the realm of welfare.

Of course, there is a participation fee for events, regardless of whether one has a disability or not.

Our role is to provide the opportunity to “enjoy events chosen by oneself with money earned by oneself.”

I believe that a society where events that can be enjoyed regardless of disability are held as a matter of course is ideal.

Can you tell us why you chose the café & bar KAG in Kurashiki City?

Sato

In the matchmaking seminar, we hold not only classroom-style lectures but also matching events aimed at forming couples.

In other words, it is an event to practice what was learned in the classroom.

Holding a matching event in a conference room seemed unappealing, and I was struggling with venue selection.

So, I consulted with Yuichi Akiba, the representative director of Kurabiz Co., Ltd., which operates café & bar KAG, even though I thought it would be difficult.

Mr. Akiba understood the purpose of Kurashiki Support LABO's activities and readily agreed to use café & bar KAG.

He also attended the matching event.

“Whether one has a disability or not, everyone has the desire to love and marry. I realized that they have feelings that are no different from ours,” he expressed his support for the activities of Kurashiki Support LABO.

Since then, he has continued to provide KAG as a venue not only for matchmaking events but also for music events and flower arrangement events.

The thoughts behind Kurashiki Support LABO

Are there any precautions you take when holding events?

Sato

What I am conscious of when holding events is to not provide special treatment as much as possible.

Whether it is matchmaking, music, or flower arrangement, the basic flow of any event is the same as those held in society.

The only slight difference is that among the event staff, there are people who have knowledge of supporting individuals with disabilities.

By doing so, we create a venue where people with disabilities can feel safe to attend.

Rather than adjusting the content of the events to suit people with disabilities, I believe it is more important to widen the entrance for participation so that people with disabilities can join without hesitation.

By keeping the support to a minimum, we aim for events that, while within the framework of welfare, do not appear to be welfare-like.

What kind of activities do you want to pursue in the future?

Sato

My next goal is to create more events that can be enjoyed by a larger number of people through their proposals, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.

Many of the events we have planned so far have been led by me and Ando.

Among the friends who have worked together in organizing events, there may be people with wonderful ideas.

I want to create a world where many supporters can propose ideas and clarify the processes leading to event implementation.

The goal is to increase opportunities for people with disabilities to connect with the local community through many ideas.

Learning about new forms of support

Since I started engaging in local activities such as interviews and writing, I have had opportunities to interact with people with disabilities.

Until then, I had been doing a closed job where progress could only be made by meeting with a limited number of people, and I was confused when meeting people with disabilities.

I have also had experiences where my way of speaking was inappropriate, causing confusion for the other person, and from that reflection, I studied the characteristics of people with disabilities.

It was an event that made me acutely aware of the importance of knowledge about disabilities.

When I asked Mr. Sato about the efforts to realize events that everyone can enjoy, he responded as follows.

“It is important to have staff among the event personnel who have knowledge of supporting individuals with disabilities.”

Given my experience, it was a response that resonated with me.

If events are held without any distinction, it is likely that not everyone can enjoy them, regardless of whether they have a disability.

Surely, the same can be said for our entire society, not just events, and to ensure that everyone can live happily, it is necessary to increase the number of people who have knowledge of supporting individuals with disabilities.

I also want to acquire the knowledge of support to empathize with others rather than distinguishing between disabilities.

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