The Present Situation and Function of
Voluntary Activity Support Organizationsin Japan

Lirong Chi
Doshisha University
The 1st Grade of the Doctoral Course1Outline
BackgroundObjective and Research Questions
MethodResults
・ of the previous study
・ of the interview survey
Conclusion

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Background3

BackgroundThe centralized governmental system and the market have their limits
A new solution is in need of exploration through the construction of a society ofreconciliation and civic virtue, with various participation by the citizens. (Zeng2014)

Voluntary activity support organization∙ Make dialogs between the government, market and the community sector.
∙ Provide social services and coordinate social resources.
∙ Promote more citizens to participate into the society.
∙ Strengthen the country’s “soft power” and steady its sustainable growth.
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Background
In July 2016, the Chinese government advanced a proposal which aims
to promote and support Voluntary Service Organizations.

However
The organizations are not functioning properly

Coordination5

Objective and RQ
My objective is to gain understanding of methods of coordination fromsupport organizations in Japan which are doing many advanced practice.

Research Questions
1. What is the present situation of the voluntary activity support organizations in Japan?
2. How does the support organization function in coordination?
3. What can we learn from the voluntary activity support organizations in Japan?

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Methodology
・Literature Review
To grasp the present situation of the organizations supporting voluntary
activity in Japan and analyze the function of “coordination”

・Qualitative Research
To analyze the qualitative data obtained through interviews with people in themanagement level of Japanese voluntary activity support organizations.

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Present Situation
Voluntary activity support organizationVolunteerAction CenterNPO
Support Center

ボランティア･市民活動センター

ＮＰＯ支援センター

・community development・citizens’ independent
participationa new social system to solve
social issues

8Present Situation― the comparison of the two systems

Volunteer Action Center
MainContent
Form
Financial
Resources
Features

NPO Support Centerestablished by government
private management
state

voluntary activity
organization management
privately establishedprivate management
private funds

locality, publicness

private, pioneersocial welfare

9The Function of Coordination -from previous study
Kajin(2013 : 120)

Li(2002 : 214)Kan(2005)

Tsutsui(2015 : 95)coordination is the support to connect the people who want to participate involunteer activity and the people (or organization) who is in need of a volunteer, andto produce “the new public” in the community and the society.
based on the value of creation of one’s own accord, coordination is the redistributionof resources, such as money, information, talent and connection by various methods.
the importance of bringing out the spontaneity of citizens including volunteers in thefunctioning of coordination.
five aspects : to promote people to participate in the activities, to produce theconnection between one and another, to combine the objects and services, to adjust
the role of the person inside the organization, and to achieve the cooperation
between different organizations.

Japan National acceptation, recruitment and development, connection, network making, information
Council ofmanagement, activity improvement (2016).
Social Welfare

10The Function of Coordination
Four Sub-functions:① To secure and promote wide participation② To provide opportunities of raising public awareness and enhancing
volunteer learning③ To combine social resources appropriately④ To achieve an adjustment inside the organization and cooperation
outside the organization

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Overview of the Interview Research
Place：Osaka,Japan
Period：April to July 2015
Interviewee：4 people(2/1/1) in themanagement level at 3 supportorganizations
Osaka City Volunteer Action Center,
Joto Ward Volunteer bureau,
Osaka Voluntary Action Center
Duration：1-1.5 hours each
Method：semi-structured interview
Analytical method：
Verbatim report → code → categorize→
modelling → to story

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Introduction of the interview objects
Volunteer Action Center
Osaka City Volunteer
Action Center

NPO Support Center

Osaka Voluntary Action Center

Joto WardVolunteer Bureau

13Results of the interview survey 1① To secure and promote wide participation
Awaking the will toparticipation

 Provide support for making places in which residents
could easily participate
 Enhance dissemination of information and publicrelations
 Develop new programs

Device making foreasy participation

 Accessibility
 Volunteer insurance Information provision tool
 Volunteer activity experience system

Support for long-term
participation

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Results of the interview survey 2② To provide opportunities of raising public awareness andenhancing volunteer learning A place for learning

Making places A place for communication
 A place for cooperation

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Results of the interview survey 3③ To combine social resources appropriately
 Understand the characteristics of the citizens

Information collection
Grasping the needs

 Catch the information from facilities, NPO, and thecommunity Correspond to a change of needs

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Results of the interview survey 4④To achieve an adjustment inside the organization andcooperation outside the organization

Adjustment of therole Full-time position VS holding two posts concurrently
 Staff composition

 Wide networking
Cooperation with the  Maintenance of an appropriate relation with theorganizations fromgovernment and enterprisedifferent fields and  The cooperation through internet utilizing
 Cooperation with various organizations
sectors

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ConclusionImprovement of the organizations’ foundation
To enhance the staffs’ skills
Creating a place for function
Wider networking and cooperation with various organizations

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Thank you very muchfor your kind attention!

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