[Elementary, Junior High, High School Students: Inquiry-Based Summer Camp] Change Society! Change Yourself! 4 Days to Think About Domestic and International Social Issues. "Take Action Camp" A Treasure-Filled Summer Vacation *Scholarship Students Also Wanted (Partial/Full Fee Assistance Program)
Certified NPO Free The Children Japan will hold the "Take Action Camp Japan 2026 Summer" from August 17-20, 2026, for elementary school 5th graders to high school 3rd graders nationwide. This practical program helps participants learn about domestic and international social issues, develop proactiveness and communication skills, and scholarships are also available.
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Certified NPO Free The Children Japan (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Sanae Nakajima) will hold the summer camp "Take Action Camp Japan 2026 Summer" for elementary school 5th graders to high school 3rd graders nationwide from August 17-20, 2026, at the National Central Youth Exchange House (Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture).
Since its inception in 2000, this camp has been a practical program attended by over 1,200 people. Through four days, participants learn about domestic and international social issues and identify problems they wish to solve. They plan actions while confronting themselves, developing the ability to disseminate information and express opinions. Through collaboration with peers from across the country, they cultivate proactiveness, execution skills, and communication skills required in future society. In 2024, this initiative received the Hakuhodo Award.
Details and Application: https://ftcj.org/we-movement/takeactioncamp-home
What is "Take Action Camp"?
Take Action Camp is a social issues x leadership education program for elementary, junior high, and high school students developed in North America. In Japan, Certified NPO Free The Children Japan has been implementing it since 2000, and many young people have found "opportunities to act" through it.
While covering a wide range of themes such as environment, poverty, war and peace, gender, discrimination, and SDGs, participants grasp issues as their own through workshops and team activities and consider actions for resolution.
Participants shape their "first step they can take" starting from their interests and feelings of discomfort. That experience becomes a first step in confronting themselves and getting involved in society.
Recommended for people who:
- Are interested in social issues but don't know what to do
- Want to take a step into volunteering or taking action
- Want to meet like-minded peers
- Enjoy listening to others and engaging in dialogue
Introduction to Program Content: Past Camp Reports
https://ftcj.org/archives/41747
Introductory Video
Program
Learn
Overlooking from local communities to the world, participants learn about social issues such as environment, poverty, and gender. Not just lectures, but through workshops and group work, they form their own opinions and deepen their thoughts with peers.
Through the program cultivated over many years by Free The Children Japan, participants develop the ability to connect learning and thinking to action, rather than just passively acquiring knowledge.
Interact
Participants engage in activities in small groups of 8-10 people with elementary, junior high, and high school students from across the country. They engage in in-depth dialogue with peers of similar ages and also participate in cross-grade exchanges and team activities.
University student facilitators, trained for the program, accompany the groups for all four days. In an atmosphere where everyone can express their thoughts with confidence, they articulate their ideas and deepen them with their peers.
Take Action!
Free The Children was founded by a 12-year-old boy, Craig Kielburger. His actions have influenced children worldwide and are even featured in Japanese textbooks. This has inspired many young people to take action on social issues such as poverty and the environment.
Take Action Camp is a program for children to take their first step as "agents of change in the world." It doesn't just end with learning about social problems; by continuously thinking "what can I do," they discover their own actions.
Camp Staff Introduction
In addition to the staff below, university student interns who have received facilitation training for each group will accompany the children, supporting them throughout the entire period!
Participant Voices
6th Grader (Elementary School)
Through sharing time with friends of various ages, genders, and nationalities, and engaging in volunteer activities and discussions, I felt I could take a step towards global action by utilizing my strengths.
1st Grader (Junior High School)
At school, everyone often hesitates to speak during discussions, creating an atmosphere where it's hard to present. But at the camp, everyone expressed their opinions confidently, so it was great to have many opportunities to present my thoughts and ideas in front of others.
1st Grader (High School)
Participating in this camp helped me find what I want to do, and I'm living every day filled with hope! Also, I realized that I, who is usually passive and never speaks up, was actively speaking up, and I was happy to discover this side of myself, making me want to actively take action from now on.
3rd Grader (High School)
Before participating in the camp, I wondered what it would be like with such a wide age range, but everyone was free and equal regardless of age.
Since its inception in 2000, this camp has been a practical program attended by over 1,200 people. Through four days, participants learn about domestic and international social issues and identify problems they wish to solve. They plan actions while confronting themselves, developing the ability to disseminate information and express opinions. Through collaboration with peers from across the country, they cultivate proactiveness, execution skills, and communication skills required in future society. In 2024, this initiative received the Hakuhodo Award.
Details and Application: https://ftcj.org/we-movement/takeactioncamp-home
What is "Take Action Camp"?
Take Action Camp is a social issues x leadership education program for elementary, junior high, and high school students developed in North America. In Japan, Certified NPO Free The Children Japan has been implementing it since 2000, and many young people have found "opportunities to act" through it.
While covering a wide range of themes such as environment, poverty, war and peace, gender, discrimination, and SDGs, participants grasp issues as their own through workshops and team activities and consider actions for resolution.
Participants shape their "first step they can take" starting from their interests and feelings of discomfort. That experience becomes a first step in confronting themselves and getting involved in society.
Recommended for people who:
- Are interested in social issues but don't know what to do
- Want to take a step into volunteering or taking action
- Want to meet like-minded peers
- Enjoy listening to others and engaging in dialogue
Introduction to Program Content: Past Camp Reports
https://ftcj.org/archives/41747
Introductory Video
Program
Learn
Overlooking from local communities to the world, participants learn about social issues such as environment, poverty, and gender. Not just lectures, but through workshops and group work, they form their own opinions and deepen their thoughts with peers.
Through the program cultivated over many years by Free The Children Japan, participants develop the ability to connect learning and thinking to action, rather than just passively acquiring knowledge.
Interact
Participants engage in activities in small groups of 8-10 people with elementary, junior high, and high school students from across the country. They engage in in-depth dialogue with peers of similar ages and also participate in cross-grade exchanges and team activities.
University student facilitators, trained for the program, accompany the groups for all four days. In an atmosphere where everyone can express their thoughts with confidence, they articulate their ideas and deepen them with their peers.
Take Action!
Free The Children was founded by a 12-year-old boy, Craig Kielburger. His actions have influenced children worldwide and are even featured in Japanese textbooks. This has inspired many young people to take action on social issues such as poverty and the environment.
Take Action Camp is a program for children to take their first step as "agents of change in the world." It doesn't just end with learning about social problems; by continuously thinking "what can I do," they discover their own actions.
Camp Staff Introduction
In addition to the staff below, university student interns who have received facilitation training for each group will accompany the children, supporting them throughout the entire period!
Participant Voices
6th Grader (Elementary School)
Through sharing time with friends of various ages, genders, and nationalities, and engaging in volunteer activities and discussions, I felt I could take a step towards global action by utilizing my strengths.
1st Grader (Junior High School)
At school, everyone often hesitates to speak during discussions, creating an atmosphere where it's hard to present. But at the camp, everyone expressed their opinions confidently, so it was great to have many opportunities to present my thoughts and ideas in front of others.
1st Grader (High School)
Participating in this camp helped me find what I want to do, and I'm living every day filled with hope! Also, I realized that I, who is usually passive and never speaks up, was actively speaking up, and I was happy to discover this side of myself, making me want to actively take action from now on.
3rd Grader (High School)
Before participating in the camp, I wondered what it would be like with such a wide age range, but everyone was free and equal regardless of age.