Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture × Diverse Learning Project: Public-Private Partnership for School Non-Attendance Support "Tomarigi Online" Launches
Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, and Diverse Learning Project have partnered to launch "Tomarigi Online," an online platform for school non-attendance support, which will be operated as a commissioned project by the Suwa City Board of Education starting this fiscal year. The aim is to facilitate communication among families of school non-attenders, supporters, and school officials, thereby reducing feelings of isolation.
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Last year, the Diverse Learning Project provided an online service to support families of children who do not attend school in Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, as a pilot project with grant funding. Starting this fiscal year, the same service will be delivered as a commissioned project by the Suwa City Board of Education.
This project, through the highly specialized online exchange platform "Tomarigi Online," aims to support communication among families of school non-attenders, the supporters who assist them, and school officials. By doing so, it seeks to strengthen regional support capabilities and collaborative power, ultimately improving the sense of isolation among families dealing with school non-attendance.
The number of children and students not attending school is increasing year by year nationwide, reaching over 350,000 for elementary and junior high school students, and exceeding 400,000 when high school students are included. In Nagano Prefecture, according to a survey for fiscal year 2024, elementary and junior high school students number 7,248, reaching almost 8,000 when high school students are included.
(From Nagano Prefectural Board of Education Secretariat, Mental Health Support Division, "Regarding the Status of School Non-Attendance in FY2024" https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/kyoiku/kyoiku/shido/documents/3r6futoko.pdf)
The period after Golden Week holidays is particularly prone to the manifestation of school non-attendance issues, and consultations sharply increase during this time.
The Diverse Learning Project has been operating the online platform "Tomarigi Online" to address the issue of school non-attendance.
Furthermore, the project has planned and collaborated on organizing school non-attendance parent support events hosted by various local governments, including the "Gathering for Parents" hosted by Nagano Prefecture to deepen understanding of children who do not or cannot attend school. It has also accumulated a track record of collaboration with local governments, such as providing accompanying support to free schools utilizing "Tomarigi Online" in Tottori Prefecture.
Based on these achievements, we aimed to build a new model of support by collaborating with local governments, delivering assistance through both regional power and online support.
In Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, advanced initiatives for school non-attendance support have long been underway. Last year, they promptly cooperated with our organization's "Demonstration project to support families of school non-attenders who cannot connect to support online."
(Scene from Suwa City Board of Education staff training (online) last year)
And now, ahead of the entire country, we have been able to realize the "Tomarigi Online" project through a public-private partnership with Suwa City.
"Tomarigi Online" is a paid membership online salon that provides a place for learning and connection where parents of school non-attenders and educational supporters nationwide can participate.
In addition to participating in live lectures and events by highly specialized instructors, approximately 100 archived lectures can be viewed at any time. Furthermore, numerous member-initiated projects (chat sessions, study groups, consultation sessions, etc.) are held, forming a community where participants can learn from and support each other.
Parents residing in Suwa City, as well as supporters residing or working in Suwa City, can participate free of charge with the support of the Suwa City Board of Education.
Through this project, we hope that parents raising children who do not attend school, and school officials such as teachers, school counselors, and school social workers, as well as supporters like free schools and educational support centers,
By learning together on the same training platform,
Children experiencing school non-attendance will be in an environment where they can receive support with peace of mind,
And grow up being watched over by the community.
Mr. Shinichi Miwa, Superintendent of Education, Suwa City:
"Based on the results of last year's demonstration project, we will continue to work together. 'Tomarigi Online' has a wealth of courses, making it easy to access necessary information. Also, online interaction and consultation provide a safe place for both children and adults to connect. In April, a newsletter that can be read with ease also began. We hope that parents and supporters will not bear their worries alone, and that gentle connections will spread."
For inquiries, please contact your affiliated school or the following:
●NPO Diverse Learning Project Contact: Takahashi, Ikoma research_j@tayounamanabi.com
●Suwa City Board of Education Secretariat, Education General Affairs Division, School Affairs Section kyoiku@city.suwa.lg.jp (0266)52-4141
【Media Coverage Last Year】
Shinano Mainichi Shimbun "School non-attendance families supported online: Suwa City and NPO collaborate on demonstration project" Published November 26, 2025
https://www.tayounamanabi.com/single-post/202511shinanomainichi-suwa
This project, through the highly specialized online exchange platform "Tomarigi Online," aims to support communication among families of school non-attenders, the supporters who assist them, and school officials. By doing so, it seeks to strengthen regional support capabilities and collaborative power, ultimately improving the sense of isolation among families dealing with school non-attendance.
The number of children and students not attending school is increasing year by year nationwide, reaching over 350,000 for elementary and junior high school students, and exceeding 400,000 when high school students are included. In Nagano Prefecture, according to a survey for fiscal year 2024, elementary and junior high school students number 7,248, reaching almost 8,000 when high school students are included.
(From Nagano Prefectural Board of Education Secretariat, Mental Health Support Division, "Regarding the Status of School Non-Attendance in FY2024" https://www.pref.nagano.lg.jp/kyoiku/kyoiku/shido/documents/3r6futoko.pdf)
The period after Golden Week holidays is particularly prone to the manifestation of school non-attendance issues, and consultations sharply increase during this time.
The Diverse Learning Project has been operating the online platform "Tomarigi Online" to address the issue of school non-attendance.
Furthermore, the project has planned and collaborated on organizing school non-attendance parent support events hosted by various local governments, including the "Gathering for Parents" hosted by Nagano Prefecture to deepen understanding of children who do not or cannot attend school. It has also accumulated a track record of collaboration with local governments, such as providing accompanying support to free schools utilizing "Tomarigi Online" in Tottori Prefecture.
Based on these achievements, we aimed to build a new model of support by collaborating with local governments, delivering assistance through both regional power and online support.
In Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, advanced initiatives for school non-attendance support have long been underway. Last year, they promptly cooperated with our organization's "Demonstration project to support families of school non-attenders who cannot connect to support online."
(Scene from Suwa City Board of Education staff training (online) last year)
And now, ahead of the entire country, we have been able to realize the "Tomarigi Online" project through a public-private partnership with Suwa City.
"Tomarigi Online" is a paid membership online salon that provides a place for learning and connection where parents of school non-attenders and educational supporters nationwide can participate.
In addition to participating in live lectures and events by highly specialized instructors, approximately 100 archived lectures can be viewed at any time. Furthermore, numerous member-initiated projects (chat sessions, study groups, consultation sessions, etc.) are held, forming a community where participants can learn from and support each other.
Parents residing in Suwa City, as well as supporters residing or working in Suwa City, can participate free of charge with the support of the Suwa City Board of Education.
Through this project, we hope that parents raising children who do not attend school, and school officials such as teachers, school counselors, and school social workers, as well as supporters like free schools and educational support centers,
By learning together on the same training platform,
Children experiencing school non-attendance will be in an environment where they can receive support with peace of mind,
And grow up being watched over by the community.
Mr. Shinichi Miwa, Superintendent of Education, Suwa City:
"Based on the results of last year's demonstration project, we will continue to work together. 'Tomarigi Online' has a wealth of courses, making it easy to access necessary information. Also, online interaction and consultation provide a safe place for both children and adults to connect. In April, a newsletter that can be read with ease also began. We hope that parents and supporters will not bear their worries alone, and that gentle connections will spread."
For inquiries, please contact your affiliated school or the following:
●NPO Diverse Learning Project Contact: Takahashi, Ikoma research_j@tayounamanabi.com
●Suwa City Board of Education Secretariat, Education General Affairs Division, School Affairs Section kyoiku@city.suwa.lg.jp (0266)52-4141
【Media Coverage Last Year】
Shinano Mainichi Shimbun "School non-attendance families supported online: Suwa City and NPO collaborate on demonstration project" Published November 26, 2025
https://www.tayounamanabi.com/single-post/202511shinanomainichi-suwa