Borderless Japan Adopted for Children and Families Agency Model Project

Borderless Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture; Representative CEO: Kazunari Taguchi) has been adopted for the “Model Project for Building After-School Care Functions for Elementary School Children” by the Children and Families Agency.

In this project, in cooperation with Chiisana Mori no Gakudo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Erika Tokura), which operates the private after-school childcare facility “Chiisana Mori no Gakudo” in Sakai City, Osaka, we aim to build a new after-school model of the “Community-Company Co-creation Type” where companies, communities, and private after-school childcare facilities collaborate to support children’s after-school hours throughout the region.

With the increase in dual-income households, the demand for after-school childcare continues to rise nationwide. However, in addition to waiting lists and insufficient facilities, issues regarding the “quality of after-school hours” are also spreading, such as “difficulty in providing sufficient engagement with each child due to large numbers” and “difficulty in creating after-school activities that cater to children’s interests and spontaneity.”

In this project, we will promote the creation of a system that watches over and nurtures children throughout the community, utilizing companies’ vacant spaces, human resources, and regional networks.

Application for Online Briefing for Companies

Background | Issues of “Quantity” and “Quality” in After-School Childcare

For elementary school children, after-school hours are a precious time to broaden their interactions with people and explore their interests in an environment different from school or home. However, currently, in the field of after-school childcare, in addition to waiting lists and a shortage of staff, issues of “quality” are also becoming serious, such as difficulty in engaging with each child due to large numbers.

Furthermore, in after-school childcare operations, there are many challenges in terms of sustainability, such as securing continuous human resources and operating funds.

Borderless Japan believes that creating places for children should not be a task solely for government or educational institutions, but rather requires a new community co-creation model where companies, communities, and private organizations bring their respective strengths to support each other.

In this project, based on the small-group operation that prioritizes engaging with each child and the after-school activities that leverage community connections, which Chiisana Mori no Gakudo has practiced, we will work on building a sustainable operating model through the participation of local companies.

Furthermore, we aim to create a system where the entire community supports children by discovering and nurturing potential caregivers existing in the community, such as former teachers, childcare workers, and parents with child-rearing experience.

Creating a New After-School Model with Companies and Communities

This project will promote the creation of mechanisms that allow local companies to get involved in creating places for children in various ways.

Utilization of vacant spaces and idle facilities Cooperation in local events and experiential activities Collaboration with childcare support measures for employees Utilization as welfare benefits Sponsorship and support as community contribution activities

We anticipate participation that leverages the unique characteristics of each company. In this model, we aim for approximately 5 local companies to participate per location, and companies, local communities, and private after-school childcare facilities will collaborate to promote the creation of a sustainable system that supports children throughout the region.

Additionally, the knowledge gained through this project will be organized as a “Community-Company Co-creation Type” after-school model that can be deployed nationwide, with the aim of horizontal expansion to other regions.

About Chiisana Mori no Gakudo

Chiisana Mori no Gakudo operates three small-group private after-school childcare centers in Sakai City, Osaka. They value “cherishing each child’s spontaneity and creating a place where everyone in the community watches over them,” and emphasize deep engagement with each individual, which is possible precisely because of their small-group system.

Utilizing the flexible perspective unique to private organizations, they prioritize collaboration with the community and operate a community co-creation model centered on children. Starting from children’s “likes” and interests, they create after-school activities that cater to their “I want to try” spirit through inquiry-based learning, diverse experiential activities, intergenerational exchange, and connections with the community. Currently, in addition to after-school childcare, they are also working on creating open community spaces such as free schools and children’s cafeterias.

Comments

Erika Tokura, Representative, Chiisana Mori no Gakudo

“After-school hours are a precious place where elementary school children spend a long time.

However, after-school childcare currently faces many challenges in terms of both quantity and quality.

I feel that it will become increasingly important for companies and local communities, not just the government, to work together to support children.

Through this model project, we hope to not only increase safe places for children but also create a model that provides new ways for companies to engage with the community and contribute to employees in the child-rearing generation.”

Kazunari Taguchi, Representative CEO, Borderless Japan

“At Borderless Japan, we believe that 'social issues are not something that only a few people solve, but something that society as a whole must face.' In creating places for children, we believe that a new community co-creation model is necessary, where companies and local communities bring their respective strengths, rather than leaving it solely to government and educational institutions.”