The Base of Community Welfare

Postscript

Yoshiharu Shimizu
Member of Steering Committee of Parents’ Home Living Room

I think that the Chiiki no Chanoma has the potential of being a turning point of the welfare system of Japan. We tend to think that “fukushi” (welfare) is something that the government provides its citizens. The original meaning of “fukushi” (welfare) is “happiness.” When I see people together in the Chiiki no Chanoma becoming happy from the power to live and enjoy life, I could not help being convinced that this is how welfare should be – people in community should be an active part of it. If this Chiiki no Chanoma would spread from Niigata City to the rest of Japan, a new type of community welfare system, in which the residents take an active role by helping one another, would emerge.

In closing, let me mention that behind Ms. Kawada’s great achievement were Ms. Toshiko Nozaki and other staff members with various expertise who have always been supportive of Ms. Kawada, not to mention her husband who extended his love and generosity.

Ms. Keiko Kawada
Social Welfare Officer Appointment Qualification and Care Worker

Born in 1944, in the city of Shibata, Niigata Prefecture.

In 1989, Ms. Kawada left her job and returned to Niigata from Osaka prefecture, in order to care a husband’s parent who is dementia. She herself goes to an outpatient prognosis for cancer and as she is the concerned person, she has been telling people, “I concern my life as much as I care my husband’s parents. I also care lives of people who are taking cared. I want to create such a supporting system.” As she is one of stakeholder as well as practitioner, she has been always creating a system which many people support each other. Also, she continues to be active as an advisor of making a support system, based on her experiences and practices.

Mr. Yoshiharu Shimizu

Born in 1949, in the city of Niigata.

When he was 26 years old, due to his father’s sudden death, he became the CEO of Hakushindo (printing and bookbinding corporation) and there he started new business such as education, design, art and publication. When he was 38 years old, he withdrew the management position and became an advisor of the company. He has been involved in the human resource development of private corporation and entrepreneur as well as coordinator of urban development, facilitator and coordinator of school education. Now there are many people who are trained and they are contributing in community. He has written following books; “Reform Happened in the Areas with Weakness, Small-size and Remoteness”, “Creating a Group Program”, “Creating a Management Program”, “Creating a Space of Vision”, “Tsurezuregusa-styled Business Management” etc.