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Hello everyone.

Hello.

in the area of the Jonancho Association.

such as dementia.

So of course I accepted.

I visited the school and with the sixth grade class

I talked about residents with dementia residents living on their own

and the map we had created.

The students listened closely to my presentation.

After my presentation

the students went home and talked with their mothers.

The students took notes on what they discussed with their mothers

then the notes were used in a survey which the school showed me.

It is wonderful to be presenting here in my own neighborhood.

Here are some of the mothers' comments

It would be too embarrassing to tell neighbors about dementia in the family.

It's one of the things that I feel are too personal to tell neighbours.

Answers like that were common.

The students asked some questions in response

How can we find these people?

If their families keep quiet how do we find them?

I had thought that for the kids

the issues on the community care map such as dementia and isolation

would be hard to comprehend.

I am very grateful.

But when I actually started speaking in class

the children listened to me very intently.

I was very impressed and touched by the way they were trying to learn.

Well I suppose

that it's the beauty of education that I was able to experience.

In the meantime at the end of class

some students showed an interest in helping the community.

There were six students

who formed a team called Jon 6.

They started volunteering to help the association.

What does a community association do?

All of the members of Jon 6 were girls.

How are these kids going to help? was my initial thought.

Then one day the Jon 6 team came to the association

and asked to help the elderly residents.

They wanted to cook and serve refreshments at one of our gatherings for the elderly.

Wait a minute these are sixth graders! Can they really do these things?

Deep down I had my doubts.

Yet a few days later all six members turned up.

They cooked a meal

they served it to the elderly who were at the gathering.

A community association is a residential organization in Japan.

They chatted with the elderly during the meal.

My first impression was that maybe the kids were doing this

just to make the elderly happy

or they find the activity itself interesting or amusing.

Their actual intention was though to contribute to the community

by serving refreshments and chatting with the elderly.

Later on the members of Jon 6 came to us once again.

They said We want to help. Let us know what we can do.

So recalling that our newsletter was about to be discontinued

I asked the kids if they wanted to work on it.

Residents manage the activities.

They said Leave it to us. We'll do it.

They began working immediately.

The students printed several issues of the newsletter.

It is still in print today

with no sign of discontinuing.

Because of the kids getting involved in the neighborhood association

diverse generations started taking part in our town festivals.

When the kids participate so do their parents.

Even the elderly who aren't usually very active join in

actively participating talking to the kids.

It is there

My hope is that these kids in the near future

will become an integral part of our community

to discuss our social problems and handle them together

that these kids

will lead future community associations.

I'm glad I've been able to sow the seeds for that.

However when we talk about getting help from the youth

we're talking about the young adults

who can take over the community association now.

Not the kids.

that people connect and build communities

When these young adults take over

I trust they will be responsible.

We must not insist that they continue to do things as we did.

We should let them manage the community in their own ways.

Even if the solutions we are using now are not going to be repeated

whatever challenges the community may face in the future

kids will play their part in helping to overcome them.

Thinking about the future for ourselves and kids

I want us to work towards a future

in which elderly people with cognitive and physical disabilities

through preserving traditions cultural activities and festivities.

live in completely supportive communities.

Let's pursue this.

Thank you very much.

When I first joined the association

Until last March I worked for the Jonancho Association in Anjo city.

I worked as the elementary school patrol.

This will be my 14th year.

That’s so long isn’t it? 14 years!

And then the students I used to watch over