Many supporters from Japan and Australia, thank you for your patience.
Seven years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Rainbow Project has changed significantly from a”recreation program”to a”global youth development program.”
Participants will take on the challenge of”reconstruction issues”in order to become a”global leader for young people in the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.”
We will also select and work on internships, volunteers, and the Edinburgh International Awards (DOE) Challenge, which are unique to overseas markets.
Mizuki Amao (from Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, 2nd year university student)
After rigorous selection and a lot of preparatory tasks, the first participant was Mizuki Amao, a college student.
This is my first experience traveling abroad alone, but I have safely arrived from the airport to the meeting place in northern Sydney.
We will continue to tackle various issues from now on, and we appreciate your support.
| Purpose of staying in Sydney | Find a more efficient way to send”Samurai Festival”in Soma District, Fukushima Prefecture |
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| Challenges
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Australian Public Broadcasting SBS Japanese Radio Interview
“Let’s cultivate future leaders in Tohoku Rainbow Project”
An interview with Mizuki and Yukiko Hirano, the representative of Sydney, was broadcast from 22:00 on Tuesday, August 14th.
The interviewer is Mr. Usami, the director of the movie Riceballs . Enjoy on internet radio.
Meeting with Sydney staff
After arriving in Sydney, I started preparing for various activities without a break.
We had a meeting with the Sydney staff and a meeting for future activities.
Volunteer: Japanese Language Supplementary School
Many Japanese children living overseas learn Japanese culture using official textbooks on Saturday mornings when the local school is closed, and also learn Japanese culture through events.
Surrounded by the smiles of cute children, I met wonderful senior Japanese teachers and seemed to feel the joy and joy of teaching Japanese.
I hope this experience will be a source of food for Mizuki-chan’s future.
Efforts for reconstruction issues: Meeting Australians working for a travel agency
She works for a travel agency in Sydney, just before her business trip to Fukushima prefecture. It was a wonderful encounter to introduce the activities of Samurai Festival.
Amy promised to meet again after returning from her business trip to Japan.
Efforts for reconstruction issues: Visited JNTO (Japan Tourism Bureau)
I visited JNTO (Japan Tourism Bureau) as”Efforts for reconstruction issues: Research at travel agencies and universities”.
Mizuki has a passion for Soma Samurai Festival to attract many tourists from home and abroad. I was able to hear a valuable story.
Efforts for reconstruction issues: Research at travel agencies / universities
A student from the University of Sydney helped with a net survey about the Soma Samurai Festival.
I was able to see the results and reactions of the student questionnaires, which was helpful
Internship: CLAIR Sydney (Council of Local Authorities for International Relations Sydney Office)
One of the issues to be tackled during my stay in Sydney,”Internship,”was taken care of by a JET Program cooperating organization called ALT (Assistant Language Teacher), which is familiar to schools all over Japan and dispatches foreign English education assistants. ..
For an internship at CLAIR, you must submit a resume, a letter of recommendation from the university, an overseas insurance card including the specified contract details, a cover letter, and pass the selection by interview.
In addition, even after passing the selection, a total of 50 hours or more of internship is required to issue an internship certificate.
Document preparation before departure was unexpectedly difficult. Participation in overseas internships through the university was unprecedented, and the university headquarters did not issue a letter of recommendation.
Therefore, I asked the professor who was indebted to Mizuki-chan to write a letter of recommendation just before departure.
Immediately after arriving in Sydney, I attended the interview, but it will take a few days for the selection results to come out, and will I be able to achieve 50 hours while doing other tasks for a limited period of time? I was also worried.
The content of the internship was an aid to office work.
There was also the task of presenting the findings and discussions on tourism in Australia and Fukushima, and we prepared for the internship.
And on the last day, I gave a presentation and received an internship certificate.
Volunteer: Nippon Club Sydney MeetUp
As a volunteer activity, 30-40 people who are interested in Japanese language and culture participated in the MeetUp of Nippon Club Sydney as an organizer.
We will also work on reconstruction issues such as armor workshops in this activity so that it will lead to PR (tourism attraction) in Fukushima.
2 weeks later
Of course, the explanation is in English!
4 weeks later
We are familiar with the Nippon Club Sydney MeetUp and are actively calling for participation in armor workshops.
final
The last day of the Nippon Club Sydney Meet Up. We held an armor workshop.
Mizuki-chan, I’m confident and happy to see if I can afford it.
It seems to be a different person from the expression of tension when participating in MeetUp for the first time.
It was difficult to explain in English, but we all made it using the armor production manual prepared in advance. It takes more than half a day to produce from the beginning, but I devised so that if you connect the parts you made, you can make one armor. I took a commemorative photo with the completed armor.
The participants of the workshop were very interested in the samurai festival, so it was very nice to be able to do the armor workshop.
Fleeting holiday
From Australia, I visit various places every day and do my best to find hints for coming to Samurai Festival in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture.
At the same time, we are also distributing a promotional leaflet for the screening event”Ichiyo Raifu Life Goes On”this weekend.
https://www.facebook.com/events/243985626181348/
I came to the opera house for a short break!
Assistance for the event: Tea ceremony point
tea ceremony practice
With the help of the
Helping with matcha in the kitchen of the 5th anniversary event of the pure Japanese-style inn”Gojuan”in Balmain.
And today, I practiced the point.
This Japanese-style room looks like Japan, but it’s Sydney!
Title
Even in Sydney, it was worth practicing while I was busy. He showed us a wonderful point.
tea ceremony .. a little tranquility moment
Posted by Matsuri in Sydney Friday, September 7, 2018
Demonstration at Sydney Japanese School
Since I came to Sydney, I have been blessed with many opportunities to experience the tea ceremony, such as practicing the tea ceremony, behind the 5th anniversary event of Ryokan Gojuan, and the Willoughby Japan Festival.
Assistance for the event: Screening of the documentary film”Life Goes On”
Mizuki-chan helped me as a staff member at the screening of the documentary film”Life Goes On”for people living in the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Currently, the Sydney staff includes young people from Tohoku, and new exchanges have begun in Sydney.
Armor Workshop
To revitalize the Soma Hamadori area in Fukushima Prefecture, the”Samurai Festival”, which is planned and operated by local high school students and young people, has been held every year since four years ago. Mizuki-chan is still active as an executive committee member since she was a university student in Tokyo since high school.
https://www.facebook.com/samuraifes/
In the Global Youth Development Program, in order to attract tourists to”Samurai Fes”from home and abroad, we are engaged in research at armor workshops, travel agencies and universities as”reconstruction issues”.
Matsuri Japan Festival in Willoughby 2018
We conducted an armor workshop (wearing armor and taking pictures), promoting samurai festivals, and conducting questionnaires.
The armor workshop was more popular than expected, as Mizuki was surprised.
A friend I met at the Nippon Club Sydney Meetup, which I participate in as a weekly volunteer, not only participated, but also came to help me.
Message from Mizuki who is from Soma city, and staying in Sydney with”Global Youth Development Program”organized by JCS Rainbow Project. She has a big mission to promote Soma’s heritage –Samurai Festival!
Please come and say hello to check the”Japanese Armor Presentation”-from 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm!
Posted by Matsuri in Sydney Thursday, September 6, 2018
Evensi Advertisement SBS Japanese broadcast article
Activities after returning to Japan
In the Global Youth Development Program, it is essential to”practice regional reconstruction issues with the same theme in both Japan and Sydney.”
Mizuki spent her college summer vacation in Sydney. In Sydney, I tackled various issues, but while I was busy with the start of university, I also started activities in Japan.
Soma Samurai Festival Kickoff
https://www.facebook.com/samuraifes/
Haruna Takagi (from Fukushima prefecture, graduated from university childcare department)
After rigorous selection and a lot of preparatory tasks, Haruna Takagi, who just graduated from the university’s childcare department this spring, became the second participant in the”Global Youth Development Program”.
For my first stay abroad for more than a month, I was nervous and anxious while preparing for departure, but I enjoyed sightseeing at the airport and left Japan with full energy.
We will continue to tackle various issues from now on, and we appreciate your support.
| Purpose of staying in Sydney | ・ Get to know the status of early childhood education in Fukushima ・ Let more people know about Akebono Brake Industry System ・ Through volunteers, etc., absorb more and more good places of education and way of life in Australia |
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Participant interaction
We had a face-to-face exchange meeting with the first participant, Mizuki-chan, at Manly Beach.
Working with Children Check acquisition
In NSW, Australia, it is mandatory to obtain a Working with Children Check in advance when dealing with infants and children, so I immediately applied for it.
In addition, we will work with the staff to prepare for the start-up of various lifestyles until the site visit begins.
Meeting with Sydney staff
Competency enhancement
Improvement of ICT literacy
Increasing ICT literacy is also part of a global youth development program that is personalized and designed.
mind map
The Global Youth Development Program prepares activity goals and weekly activity plans in Sydney using mind maps before departure.
During my stay in Sydney, every weekend I will submit an activity report and a revised activity plan for the next week. If necessary, the staff will also interview and follow you.
In addition, these activity plans and activity reports will be mailed to Japanese families to inform them of the situation.
After getting tired of writing an unfamiliar report, I was able to take a walk with Mizuki-chan and refresh myself. I also took a closer look at Aboriginal art for the first time and found that Australian culture and history are very fascinating.
Homestay
During my stay in Sydney, I was busy working on the challenges and didn’t have time to go to the zoo. For Haruna-san, who said she wanted to see Australian animals, her homestay mother presented her with a wombat stuffed animal and a famous picture book.
Volunteer: Nippon Club Sydney MeetUp
first time
30-40 people who are interested in Japanese language and culture participated in the MeetUp of Nippon Club Sydney as a trial, and did their best to speak in English. From the next time, I will participate as an organizer.
I felt the liveliness of Sydney on my skin and it was very exciting. Next time, I will join the organizer, so I would like to use English next week from this week.
second time
At Nippon Club Sydney’s MeetUp, I was able to use English more actively than last time.
a few weeks later
last day
Finally, the management staff took a commemorative photo.
Efforts to Reconstruction Challenges: Knowing Sydney Education
Japanese supplementary school
I was only planning to visit the Japanese language supplementary school, but since I brought a book from Japan, I decided to read it aloud.
Montessori Garden
Montessori Garden: We visited the Open Day of Cameragal Montessori School Neutral Bay Preprimary.
I couldn’t enter the nursery room, but I started making connections with my parents and teachers.
It was a charming garden with well-equipped facilities and a spacious garden.
Temporary childcare at a sports club
We had a tour of temporary childcare and a fitness experience at the sports club Fitness First. It was a valuable experience as one of Australia’s childcare styles.
Universal Kids
I visited Universal Kids .
Naoko Uchino of Universal Kids is an experienced person who is constantly striving and advancing, and the story was very educational.
I was thrilled with a wide range of deep content, such as about the better growth of children, about Reggio Emilia, and about the field of information equipment.
The children were of different ages and enjoyed learning Japanese together.
I played by hand and read aloud picture books.
Kinomi Kindergarten
I volunteered for a day at a nut kindergarten.
It has been reported that teachers who are fluent in both Japanese and English are caring for children with various backgrounds in a warm atmosphere. I was impressed by the teamwork of the teachers, the childcare skills of each person, and the high level of passion.
I thought that the teachers at the nut kindergarten who can create such an environment are really wonderful, even though there is a lot of work such as various events.
Above all, the children were playing lively, and it seemed that they were learning naturally every day.
Family day care
I visited Family Day Care.
I was most impressed by the fact that children of different ages are being cared for in a very homely environment and that they put a lot of effort into supporting their parents.
Mix clay and glitter for children to use their minions! !!
Preparing for the local garden
We plan to make use of the learning of early childhood education and convey the culture unique to Japanese people.
Creative Acorn Early Learning Center
The activity introduced simple Japanese using a puppet brought from Japan.
I felt that my English ability was insufficient, so I would like to prepare well so that I can communicate with the teachers at the places I visit as much as possible.
An interview sheet written in English prepared in advance is a communication tool.
Creative Acorn Early Learning Center Second Volunteer
The teachers helped me prepare the tables and plates, so I enjoyed making sushi.
The number of children was small, but I was happy because one boy ate very well.
Kelly ’s Place Children ’s Center
http://www.kellysplace.com.au/
From this age, it has become clear that the children have their own opinions, thoughts, and assertions, and that the teacher respects them. For example, if you have something to say, raise your hand and say something, or introduce (talk) while showing the picture to everyone like a presentation. I thought it was wonderful that I had the ability to make presentations from a young age.
Albert Hall Preschool
https://www.alberthallpreschool.com/
The storytelling of the picture book”Mottainai Grandma”made me happy that the children liked the pronunciation of”Mottainai”.
I thought it would be nice to get to know the culture and customs through picture books.
Origami and newspapers were more popular for making helmets. Children enjoyed drawing the windows of the house and the face of the cat with a pen freely on the completed origami house and the cat.
Musical Between
Visited Musical Between by music therapist Nago Izumi.
http://www.musicalbetween.com/
Musical Between –Inclusive Music Center
I thought that the power of music, which can move the hearts of people with disabilities, the elderly, and children, is infinite. And since Mr. Nago responds to the inspiration of each client and creates a world of free sound together while sympathizing with each other, Mr. Nago’s rich musicality and The kind heart of welfare has been transmitted.
Certificate of Appreciation
I am very grateful to everyone at each facility for accepting and warmly welcoming Ms. Takagi, who is still unfamiliar here, and for contributing to the youth development program of the Rainbow Project.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Efforts for reconstruction issues: Holding an exchange meeting with people involved in early childhood education
First of all, I announced it on the leaflet.
ICN Australia Study Abroad Information Center
☆ ICN Australia Study Abroad Information Center
ICN Australia Study Abroad Information Center is a very reliable study abroad agent in Sydney.
Since we have a track record of introducing international students to schools where nursery teachers are studying and have a connection with the school, we have decided to publicize the”Early Childhood Education Personnel Exchange Meeting”.
Thanks for your cooperation!
facebook event page
We used the facebook event page to guide the”Exchange Meeting with Early Childhood Education”.
Details were posted in the discussion post.
In particular, regarding the location, we have sent out directions so that many people can come.
on the day of the exchange meeting
Early Childhood Education Exchange Meeting @ Sydney
We expected 10 to 15 people, but as many as 33 people involved in early childhood education in Sydney gathered, and the staff was a surprisingly successful event. Thank you to all the people involved in early childhood education.
It was Haruna’s first event planning and first speech, but she prepared carefully and gave a dignified speech.
We were able to exchange various opinions and it was a wonderful meeting.
Many people told me that there was no such meeting before, and when was the next time? ☺️
While the teachers are busy, it seems difficult to provide such an opportunity, and I think it has created a new movement.
Thank you very much for your warm support and support for Haruna-san.
Exchange dinner
A dinner party with Mr. E, who is also working in the field while learning childcare in Sydney.
We will continue to exchange information in the future.
We were able to hear about how to become a childcare teacher in Sydney, the importance of caring for multiculturalism, and questions about working styles in Japan.
Various experiences
art exhibition
I went to see the art exhibition of Mr. Masayo Colley, a supporter of the Rainbow Project.
https://www.gallery307artschool.com.au/gallery307
Please donate a part of the proceeds to the Rainbow Project.
The owner of the gallery will take us to an art class for children and a nursery school for children with disabilities.
When I take action, I have more and more experiences of unexpected expansion and connection in various places.
yoga
While busy, refresh yourself with walking and yoga to Balmoral Beach.
Fukushima-kai
I went to the city to participate in the Fukushima-kai social gathering. I was overwhelmed by the various buildings and was able to feel the liveliness on my skin.
I managed to get to the venue, though I was at a loss. It has become fun to go to new places while asking people.
At the social gathering, we heard various stories from everyone who has a connection with Fukushima.
I want to continue to cherish this connection in the future.
ferry
I got on the ferry for the first time. In Sydney, ferries, along with trains and buses, are routine public transport.
I was also able to see the long-sought opera house.
Garden Festival
Today is an off day. I went to the Garden Festival in the Blue Mountains, which I was looking forward to.
It was an opportunity to spend time and refresh in the nature of Sydney.
Activities after returning to Japan
welcome back.
Haruna-chan, who I met for the first time in seven weeks, has grown into a reliable and wonderful woman who speaks openly about childcare, unlike her anxious appearance before departure.
In the future, based on this experience, we will carry out activities in Japan.
Thank you for your continued support.
