NEWS

The Japan Service-Learning Program (JSL) was Held

Update: December 23, 2024

The Japan Service-Learning Program (JSL) was held two weeks from December 3 to December 18. This year, two students each from Lady Doak College in India and Silliman University in the Philippines came to Japan. They carried out activities in and around Mitaka City and on ICU campus, focusing on "service activities at local educational sites" and "participation in environmental projects based on the ICU campus."

In the educational activities, they supported English classes at Higashi Elementary School (Koganei City) and Koka Gakuen Elementary School (Chofu City). At Free School Cosmo (Mitaka City), they had discussions with high school students and joined international exchanges with elementary and junior high school students. Additionally, they supported events at Higashi Elementary School organized by the local group ChiQjin in Koganei City and experienced home visits.
The participants shared their thoughts: "It was a great opportunity to learn about the Japanese school system." "I was happy to support the children's learning." "The home visit was an unforgettable memory as I was warmly welcomed like a family member."

　

In the environmental project activities, they participated in an orchard seedling planting event organized by the ICU Natural Symbiosis Site Office and activities by the student group ICU Compost. For most participants, these activities were first-time experiences. An Indian student remarked, "I would love to implement environmentally conscious composting activities at my own university."
The students also had the opportunity to attend Sunday service at the ICU church and participate in the international relations class taught by Prof. Kana Takamatsu.

　

During the activities, ICU students with service-learning experience, especially those who had participated in programs at Lady Doak College and Silliman University, supported the participants. This support fostered deeper bonds and enhanced interactions among the students.

At the final presentation, representatives from Free School Cosmo and Chi-Q-jin, who supported this program, also gathered. The participants reported on what they had learned through their activities. It was impressive to see the students confidently state, "Through this program, we have learned a lot from valuable experiences. We want to develop this knowledge further when we return to our home countries."