New Project: Launching a Crowdfunding Campaign for Downtown Outreach in Kurume City! The Passion Behind Our New Venture
Hello everyone.
This is Fujino from I'm.
I'm writing this note from the Shinkansen again today.
One of my pleasures is listening to music while traveling. I'm listening to music right now, and since I'm heading to the Kansai region, I'm listening to Kansai-style music.
This time, I would like to write about the crowdfunding campaign that started on December 20th, titled 'I want to expand the downtown outreach we've been doing in Kego Park to Kurume City!', and share my thoughts on why we are expanding to Kurume City at this particular time.
The state of Kego Park three years ago when we started our support activities there
Three and a half years ago, in July 2022, we began our support activities in Kego Park.
I believe I'm was the first organization to start support activities for the 'Kego area' youth. Since there are public facilities like community centers in Kego Park, there have been NPOs and volunteer groups active there, but I believe I'm was the first to specifically target the group of children and young people known as the 'Kego area' youth.
As for what the Kego area was like back then, despite the children and young people being in difficult situations, there were no support organizations involved at all. Furthermore, even though the police station and city hall were right there, there was no public support for the Kego area three and a half years ago.
From there, I'm gradually received media coverage and raised awareness about our activities, which led to an increase in support organizations targeting the 'Kego area,' and public support also began to be provided.
As a result, this has led to an increase in options for the children and young people, which I think is a positive development.
Support in Kego Park has become more robust. On the other hand...
On the other hand, there are still children and young people being left behind.
There are children and young people who find it difficult to be in the Kego area community due to their physical environment, their surroundings, or other factors.
We have been searching for a place where we could utilize the 'downtown outreach' knowledge we have cultivated, and we began our research around spring. That place is Kurume City.
When we conducted research in Kurume City, we found that children and young people in difficult situations were gathering there. At the same time, we also realized that support organizations did not seem to be involved there.
And, I have the impression that there is absolutely no support, especially for young men.
This is almost the same state as when I'm started support activities in Kego Park three and a half years ago.
The strengths of I'm's outreach
In Kego Park, when adults who look like they might be from a support organization approach the children and young people, they know who we are. However, the kids at Nishitetsu Kurume Station don't know we are a support organization, and once they realize we are, they become even more guarded.
The more guarded they are, the higher the risks they face, and since they won't go to a consultation center on their own, these are children and young people who can only be reached through outreach.
And, I'm is skilled at building rapport with children who have that kind of guardedness.
Personally, I find the process of breaking down the defenses of guarded children, and the moment when that guardedness melts away, to be the greatest appeal of this activity, so I find it incredibly rewarding.
I believe that downtown outreach in the Kurume City area is a region where I'm can truly demonstrate its strengths.
We have been running a crowdfunding campaign since December 20th.
The donations collected through that crowdfunding will also be used for our activities in Kurume, so we would be grateful for your support.
The crowdfunding URL ishere
