Practical
NPO Activities Corresponding to the Social and Demographic Change
in the Suburban Community |
| The fundamental factors for cultivating well-being in a changing suburban community will be discussed through NPO “Egao” (‘Egao’ means ‘a smiling face’ in Japanese) which was established in a typical residential town in Japan. Some proactive residents who have lived in this town since 1965 established the NPO Egao after continuous participatory activities to improve their community. An old terrace house that used to be used by small neighborhood shops was converted into an NPO office. The main functions are the private day service center for the elderly, the child support center with a library, and the culture center. The characteristic points are; 1) Informal support for the elderly to compensate for the lack of institutional public services for the elderly who wish to live at home. NPO Egao supports the caregivers as well as the elderly through counseling, and offers opportunities for children or spouses to accompany their elderly family members. 2) A well-coordinated network with Takurosho (a community-based multi-functional facility for people with dementia) helps to provide effective care for the first stage of dementia. 3) Recently, there are increasing cases in which old parents who have lived alone in rural areas are invited to live in their child’s home, or nearby. However, many of these newcomers experience transfer-shock. In these cases, NPO Egao functions as a mediator to introduce them to new friends in the community. 4) The library provides lending services and a reading class for small children and lectures for parents. 5) NPO Egao is carrying out informal and flexible services that aim to accomplish community building instead of a conventional welfare service. Nowadays, social problems range from care for the elderly to family relations. The practical activities of NPO Egao and the findings from them present the potential for a community solution. |