Rebuilding 10000 lives in Japan - youth leadership

Our mission is to empower the youth of Tohoku by supporting development of creativity skills.

About Youth Leadership Project:

Youth Leadership Project aims at offering workshop and experience to learn creative thinking, problem
solving and team building skills to young people in Tohoku area. The young people will be also offered the
opportunities to lead the social projects in the community and local schools, utilizing the skills they
learned, to become leaders in the local societies of Tohoku.

Summary of Activities:

We appreciate all your support and looking forward to continue our support for the youth in Tohoku.

Our mission is to empower individuals and local communities by supporting development of their creativity and
imagination whereby offering creative tools and supporting individuals and local communities in Tohoku area growing out of their difficult experience by  offering psychosocial support.

About Youth Leadership Project:

Youth Leadership Project aims at offering workshop and experience to learn creative thinking, problem

solving and team building skills to young people in Tohoku area. The young people will be also offered the

opportunities to lead the social projects in the community and local schools, utilizing the skills they

learned, to become leaders in the local societies of Tohoku.

Summary of Activities:

We appreciate all your support and looking forward to continue our work in Tohoku.

On July 13, JISP organized a leadership event with Benesse Corporations in Sendai for high school students in the Tohoku region.

The program targeted high school students interested in social entrepreneurship and opportunities of study abroad, and 10 Japanese students from across Japan who had been admitted to Ivy League schools were invited to Sendai to provide a one day creative thinking workshop. 25 high school students participated, and came from over 6 different towns and cities, including areas in Fukushima prefecture. Student groups that included the Ivy League students as well as high school participants spent the day designing ideas and presentations that expressed their opinions about the current situation in Tohoku. Each group had very unique presentations and spoke of a wide range of issues, such as the negative impressions of Tohoku worldwide regarding the radioactivity exposure, the importance of tourism for Tohoku's future, and importantly, the role and responsibility the youth have in shaping the future of Tohoku identity.

On July 14, a similar but smaller program was also run in Ishinomaki for youth who could not participate in the event in Sendai. 8 students participated, and the shorter and less structured event allowed high school students to talk about personal aspirations and goals with the volunteer students. An online group was formed after the workshop, where Tohoku high school students are able to connect with students who are studying abroad for advice and support.

Next month, together with ADRA Japan, JISP team will offer a photography workshop in Tokyo for 17 high-school students from Futaba high school in Fukushima prefecture. The students will meet with professional photographers working in Japan and abroad, learn about different techincs and power of visual materiels. The students will then conduct their own photo-shooting and present their work in the graduation ceremony of the high-school next spring.

JISP will continue enhancing its youth leadership trainning programs, and partner with other organizatino in order to rebuild the lives of Tohoku youth. Thank you for your long-term support.

Overview

During the past three month IsraAID continued to explore options for this year's program in close cooperation with its partners.

This year's activities will include two programs. The first, a joint program with Benesse Corporations, is geared towards developing creative and critical thinking as well as entrepreneurship skills among high-school students, as well as providing them with resources to pursue study outside of Tohoku, and their comfort zones. The program is scheduled for July and will be offered in Sendai for 30 high school students around the Tohoku area. The program will bring over 6 prospective students from Ivy League schools in the US, and will give the high school students an opportunity to learn about studying overseas and taking initiative in learning. In addition to the intellectual aspect of the program, our instructors  will emphasize group-building acitvities and cooperation among the students. One aim of this program is to raise awareness of the choices outside of Tohoku for high school students, and also to raise the interest of the Tohoku region amongst international college students and young global leaders of Japan.

The second program, "Fukushima Youth Leadership 2014", is offered in partnership with ADRA Japan. The program is geared towards the enhancement of social leadership, communication and resilience among high-school students from Fukushima and will introduce the students to necessary tools in order to become empowered leaders of their communities. The workshop will bring to Tokyo 20 students and 5 social entreprenuers and focus on both the social innovation aspect and personal resilience of the young leaders. The students will plan and put into practice their own social-entreprenuerships projects and present their work-progress in a follow-up event.

This year, IsraAID will reach out to as many as 55 young leaders from the Tohoku area, providing them with both practical skills and hope for their future, as well as a new sense of community.

Our next report will include a detailed acount of the programs outlined above and introduce you to the students. Thank you for your long-term support!

Overview

In 2014 IsraAID is building its plan for the new year following its 2013 activity.  

These activities include: intensive vocational trainings in partnership with Hilton Tokyo, group building activities for High school students in Watari, leadership training for High school students from Futaba- Machi, a town evacuated from Fukushima radiation zone, and a community event for in partnership with the staff of Hilton Tokyo.

The activities aim to provide the youth of Tohoku with practical skills for their future including communication skills, service skills, and presentation skills, and a new sense of community.

Summary of activities:

Watari leadership group: 

In January, 14 Watari High School students attended a week long training in Hilton Tokyo. The students all learned different aspects of the hotel, from cooking to speaking to customers, to marketing. The students all received a certificate of their training. 

IsraAID in partnership with the city of Watari and Watari High school conducted intensive leadership trainings on a monthly basis. 14 participants are attending these activities regularly, and the content include: Group building activities, Presentation skills, Communication skills and social responsibility.

Futaba Machi High school

The students of Futaba Machi High School will attend a week long training at the Hilton Tokyo in their upcoming Summer Vacation. The training is provided in join partnership with ADRA Japan.

The trainings provide invaluable skills for the students, bringing one student to decide his future career will be as a Chef. 

The student spoke at the IsraAID event in commemoration of three years since the Tsunami. Speaking at the event was a prime example of the valuable skills learned in the training, not only career wise but in the ability to communicate eloquently with an audience of over 150 people.