Japan is a place of great interest for many. The entwined mesh of popular and traditional culture make it an attractive place for visitors from all over the world.
Once considered the greatest challenger to the United States’ economic supremacy in the 1980s, Japan has undergone a myriad of turmoils and while the country itself remains relatively unchanged, there is a sense of stagnation on where the country is going.
There is a feeling in the Japanese business community (and perhaps Japan as a whole) that domestic companies are losing their competitive edge in the international market, with many suggesting the need for an injection of youth and new ideas.
For years, Japanese companies have focused on their domestic market with the international market being somewhat of an afterthought in many cases, but the times are changing and there is an increased need for globally aware employees to join the ranks of these companies to broaden visions and inspire new horizons.
Our parent company ISA has jumped on this new need and has become a driving force behind the creation of a globalised work force for Japan. ISA’s president Masaru Kurahashi has long since had a vision of seeing more Japanese students engage with the world around them, bucking trends to engage qualities like entrepreneurship and following one’s dreams.
It is through the empowerment program that ISA proposes to help build a new generation of internationally-minded students to engage with the global village.
That’s where you come in. The Australian student. University-level knowledge is an important resource. Being exposed to a different way of thinking helps us gain perspective and that’s what we want you to do for us.
We want students attending Australian universities to share their way of thinking and their experiences with high school level Japanese students in an effort to kickstart actions like goal setting and starting to identify what it really is that they want to do with themselves. Hopefully, this then will connect to an increased desire from those students to go overseas to perhaps do their tertiary studies or at the very least be more aware of their surroundings.
You will be placed in a Japanese town or city where you can soak in the experience of living and working (or in this case volunteering) in a foreign country. Your flights are paid, your accommodation set, all we want in return is that you give those kids a great experience and get them to start thinking a bit more critically.
After your time is up, you are more than welcome to trip around Japan, at your own expense, and see what this beautiful country has to offer. It is certainly something we recommend if you can do it. This is a great experience for both you as a group mentor and for the students.
You can experience a different culture, teach a little bit and perhaps inspire even just one Japanese high school student to go off and follow their dreams.