Regional Club Development: Don't Let After-School Spaces Disappear
Even with a declining birthrate, we won't let children give up on what they 'want to do.' The challenge of Shiso Club
Introduction: Don't let after-school spaces disappear
"Teacher, will there be club activities tomorrow?"
The faces of junior high school students running up to me, drenched in sweat, after school.
But now, that 'taken-for-granted' after-school scene is quietly, yet surely, disappearing.
A declining birthrate. A shortage of specialized instructors. And reforms to the way school teachers work.
At this rate, the very option of 'club activities' will vanish for junior high students in Shiso City. Feeling this, I and my colleagues began working toward the establishment of the general incorporated association 'Shiso Club.'
We are currently taking on a crowdfunding challenge to support the first step of this journey.
What is happening: The reason club activities are disappearing
This is happening not only in Shiso City but in regional cities across the country.
Not enough members: There are more and more clubs that cannot secure enough people to form a team at a single junior high school.
No specialized instructors: Even if a teacher is an expert in their subject, it does not mean they have experience in that specific club's sport.
Teachers' burdens have exceeded their limits: Giving up weekends, morning practice, accompanying students to tournaments... A system that relies on the goodwill of teachers cannot last much longer.
In response to this situation, the government has established a policy to promote 'regional development,' moving club activities from schools to the community by the end of fiscal year 2028. In April 2026, the law concerning teachers' work styles (the Special Act on Educational Personnel) will also be amended, providing a tailwind for movements to create support systems outside of schools.
In other words—We cannot protect the after-school lives of children in Shiso City by waiting for 'someone else to do something about it'. We have reached that point in time.
That is why a corporation was necessary: The Shiso Club system
You might think, 'Well, why not just create a regional club?' However, creating a single, one-off club will not solve this problem.
Who will manage the money?
What about insurance and safety management?
Who will handle payments to instructors and tax processing?
Even if one club succeeds, will the next club have to repeat the same struggles from scratch?
If we try to solve these issues individually for each club, every club will eventually run out of steam.
That is why what we are aiming for is...
Not to operate clubs directly, but to form an 'intermediary support organization' that supports multiple clubs from behind the scenes.
Shiso Club will take on these three roles.
Fund management: Serving as a repository for membership fees and subsidies, and managing them transparently.
Asset management: By having the corporation hold member lists, insurance contracts, and safety manuals, we create a system where activities do not stop even if the person in charge changes.
Safety management: Not leaving accident response and the quality of instruction to the goodwill of individual clubs.
We will sign contracts with instructors in the form of business outsourcing. This is also a mechanism to ensure that 'instructors can focus on the instruction itself without having to worry about anyone else.'
Our first partner will be the 'Satsuki Running Club,' which has been beloved by local children. We plan to build our track record one step at a time from here.
How the money will be used: We want to value transparency
The goal of this crowdfunding campaign is 380,000 yen. We will use it for the initial costs of establishing the corporation (fees for requesting a judicial scrivener, registration fees, etc.).
This is our third time crowdfunding on READYFOR. The previous two times, as part of the activities of Daisy Shiso, we were able to achieve our goals with 134% and 135% support. This time, too, we will proceed while fulfilling our accountability carefully, backed by that track record.
The landscape ahead
What Shiso Club is aiming for is not simply 'keeping one club in existence.'
A hybrid system where children can gather at each junior high school on weekdays and throughout the entire region on holidays
A regional circle where people of all generations can exercise together, eventually involving not just junior high students, but also high school students, working adults, and the senior generation.
A sustainable model unique to mountainous areas that stands alongside advanced examples from across the country, such as 'Sports Club 840' in Hashima City, Gifu Prefecture.
A model that aims to serve as a role for after-school student spaces like in Kumamoto City, and as a foundation for engaging in sports and cultural arts activities throughout one's life.
Precisely because it is a geographically expansive region like Shiso City, we are committed to a design that 'minimizes the burden of travel while not reducing the number of options.'
Finally—to ensure children don't have to give up on what they 'want to do'
The reason I am committed to this activity is simple.
If there is the right environment and an opportunity to take on challenges for oneself, a child's potential truly expands infinitely. I have seen this in the field of club activities.
Because of the declining birthrate, it can't be helped. Because teachers are busy, it can't be helped.
I don't want to make children give up on their after-school spaces by saying things like that.
I would be happy if you could lend even a little bit of your strength to this challenge. Beyond your support, sharing this article also becomes a great help.
▼ Click here for the crowdfunding: https://readyfor.jp/projects/172840
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