July 9, 2009 Cocoron (Local visit: day 5)
Training Report - Decent work course
In the morning five participants visited Prefectual Kennan (Southern part) Health and Welfare Office to learn about the welfare and health services provided by the Prefectual government.
Then they moved to “Nagomi-no-ie (House of Comfort),” a Community Activity Support Center. 20 members welcomed five participants with big smiles. They engaged in subcontract job, Yamato home-delivery service, food processing work. It is located in front of Prefectual Kennan Health and Welfare Office. Five participants became very interested in the setting of this support center, which is quite applicable in their countries.
Before lunch they stopped by “Challenge shop Nikoniko-ya (smile a sweet smile),” where fresh vegetable, products and food items from neighboring shops including Cocoro-ya and Nagomi-no-ie are sold. Cocoron sent staff there to support selling items. People living in the neighborhood come not only for buying things but also for chitchatting. Participants nibbled here and there and became so hungry and they rushed to “Cocoro-ya” for lunch.
Healthy lunch boxes were prepared for participants. While eating, Managing Director of Cocoron explained why and how she overcame difficulties and started Cocoroya in Izumizaki village. After establishing Cocoron, the next step was to build a sheltered workshop, but condition is hard and no fund. Izumizaki village has a population of 6,700. Its main industry is agriculture. Cocoron thinks about anything connected to agriculture. Cocoron opened the Cafe and Shop ccalled Cocoroya to sell products what farmers produce. Lunch and sweets with products sold are served. Cocoroya became popular as it was introduced in a newspaper and TV. Cocoroya also goes selling by a car at a housing complex. The revenue from selling is increasing. Cccoroya is existing as part of a commonplace for community.
After lunch they went to Cocoron to take Japanese calligraphy lesson together with the members of Cocoron. Cocoron organizes the Japanese calligraphy lesson in order to learn how to concentrate or how to settle down. A writing master comes to Cocoron once a month as a volunteer. Participants from China and Malaysia know how to write Chinese character but it was a first experience for others. They all enjoyed and could create friendship between members and participants.
After the feedback session, they observed a group home as the last program of the day. It was newly built for members to promote their self-independence. It takes only two minutes from Cocoron, so members can go and back from Cocoron whenever they want to. They have an individual room to keep their privacy; however they eat breakfast and dinner together.
