Gifu University hosted the "First Training Session for Coordinators of School and Community Collaboration 2023" on Thursday, June 29, 2023. The session is part of the programs undertaken by the Gifu Center for collaborative activities between communities and schools (GIFU CCCS).

GIFU CCCS was jointly established by Gifu Prefecture and Gifu University in order to support and promote school and community collaboration for sound growth of children and revitalization of the community. The following are the three specific purposes that are aimed by the center:

1. Develop and secure human resources (through collaboration with municipalities and social, education groups, the center provides training opportunities for coordinators of school and community collaboration, educate and secure student volunteers)

2. Conduct survey and research (through collaboration with municipalities and social, education groups, the center carries out survey and research programs to study actual cases of school and community collaboration, pioneering, exemplary cases found in education at home, and makes a presentation)

3. Promotion (the center provides continued support for municipal governments by hosting open lectures or letting its staff attend relevant workshops)

The first training session focused on 1. Development and secure human resources.

A total of four training sessions are scheduled for 2023, and the first session conducted on line on June 29 was attended by 86 people. The participants are already assuming important roles in administration for social education, public facilities, schools and community in many parts of Gifu Prefecture while bearing their own agenda in mind.

The first session started with an overview and purposes of the training given by Director MASUKAWA Koichi of the Center for Collaborative Study with Community, Gifu University. It was followed by a lecture by Dr. HIROSE Takahito (board member of Tochigi citizen collaboration research meeting, and former designated assistant professor of Utsunomiya University, Tochigi Prefecture). He spoke about his interpretations of school and community collaboration and the community school system(a venue for collaboration among citizens, parents and coordinators), as well as the roles and the possibilities of coordinators.

After his lecture, opinion exchange in groups and the Q & A session continued. Dr. Hirose underscored the importance of deep understanding of our own community, and to this end, he advised the participants to listen to the history of the community from senior citizens, rather than learn from examples from other regions. He also mentioned how to motivate the members of the community school.

The next training session is scheduled for August 2023. We are looking forward to the participants' active roles in schools and the community for years to come.