Practical Approaches to Various Volunteer Activities in the Community
(1) Haboro Town Children’s Patrol Force Committee (Hokkaido Prefecture, Haboro Town)
In recent years, there have been many media reports concerning children being the victims of incidents involving suspicious individuals as well as incidents caused by undesirable behavior of youths themselves. It is now recognized that these problems are not restricted to large cities, and such incidents have also been reported in Haboro Town over the years. With the realization that the community would have to take action, in addition to a leaflet campaign calling for caution that was delivered to daycare centers, schools, and every home in the town, another program was launched calling for volunteers to join the Haboro Children's Patrol Force.
Currently 64 people are registered in this program, and these volunteers engage in patrols of the town during their free time, and also talk to local children. In addition, given that there are volunteers who are new to patrolling activities, in July 2005, with the cooperation of the Haboro police, a training session for Patrol Force members was held.
This Patrol Force was implemented with the aim of protecting children from suspicious and other unwanted individuals and preventing undesirable behavior by youths, but it has also aroused an interest in the community's children among adults. The latter aspect has taken on increased significance as the adults now watch over the children in the community. The people of Haboro are seeking to sustain and expand their Patrol Force.
▲Crime prevention volunteers in Haboro Town
(2) Tozawa Village Volunteer Circle – STAFF (Yamagata Prefecture, Tozawa Village)
The Tozawa High School Volunteer Circle, known as STAFF, was formed in 1979. It currently comprises 25 members, who plan and implement various activities that involve people of various ages within the community.
The following are just some examples of the activities that have been undertaken: cleaning the area in the vicinity of the Japan Railways (JR) station, support for the “community school boarding program” implemented at 16 independent citizens’ public halls, snow clearing services for the elderly living alone, and fundraising activities in the community. Specific contents for activities are discussed at meetings held regularly each month.
The characteristic of this circle is for high school students to come into close contact with the younger children in the community, playing a role as their older “brothers” and “sisters.” The aim of the circle is to provide activities that are indispensable to the people in the community.
In addition, from this fiscal year a new group called INSPIRE has been formed by six former STAFF members who have found employment in the area, and this group is offering support and guidance to the high school students’ volunteer circle.
▲Cleaning activities around JR Tozawa station
(3) “Interaction with Babies” Program at Seiyo City Volunteer Center (Ehime Prefecture, Seiyo City)
Given that with the establishment of a parenting class targetingmothers and fathers it was also necessary to provide childcare facilities (for 1 to 3-year olds) while the parents are taking their classes, it was decided to launch in parallel with the parenting class a program entitled Interaction with Babies Program, which is a volunteer childcare service run by lower secondary and high school students.
Many babies tend to cry when first separated from their parents, and the participating lower secondary and highschool students were uneasy at first, not knowing how they should deal with the babies. However, by creating games to play and talking tenderly to babies who continued to cry, the students were successful in bringing smiles to the babies’ faces.
By allowing lower secondary and high school students to experience childcare in this way, the students are given good opportunities to understand the importance of life and think about the family, as well as to think about childcare as a potential future job.
A participating high school student wrote the following comments: “I wish to become a child care worker in the future and this program was truly a valuable learning experience. I really enjoyed it. There were many babies who cried at being separated from their mothers and at first I did not know what to do, but together with my friends we were able to get the babies to stop crying. It was a great relief when they did stop crying. I would like to secure more experiences like this for future use. Today has been a really great experience for me. Thank you very much.”
