セミナー・講演会開催報告
連続講座 貧困を考える 第一回開催
Lecture Series: Thought on Poverty
10月8日、特定非営利法人山友会の油井和徳さんを講師にお招きして、３回の連続講座「貧困を考える」の第一回を開催しました。当日は、２０名ほどの方がご参加くださいました。大学生、社会人、１０代から７０代までいろいろな層の方が集まり、意見を交換しあいました。
On October 8th, 20 people gathered at Wesley Center to hear the first talk in a series of three consecutive lectures, on the topic of “Poverty.” At this first lecture, the director, of Sanyukai, a non profit organization which works with the homeless, spoke on poverty, especially here in Japan.
「一方的に話を聞いて終わるのではなく、ともに考え、語りあう場を作りたい」という山友会の意向を最大限に反映させた形のワークショップ形式で行われた講座は、全員が積極的に発言、とても初めての方々の集まりとは思えない、熱い語り合いの場となりました。
It was interesting to have had teenagers as well as those in their 70s come to this talk on poverty. Perhaps because of the diversity of ages, Mr. Yui, the director of Sanyukai, was able to lead a stimulating discussion on the issues related to poverty and how it relates to us.
「貧困とは何ですか？」
「なぜ、貧困は生まれるのでしょう？」
「どうしたら貧困は解決できるでしょうか？」
という三つの問いかけを軸に、自分で考え、小グループで意見を交換し、さらに、全体での意見交換、レクチャーと、時間の経つのを忘れてしまうほど中身の濃い２時間を過ごしました。
Questions discussed were:
What is poverty?
How is poverty created?
How can we solve the issue of poverty?
Participants expressed their thoughts and opinions on these questions in small groups. Afterwards, we had a lively discussion with the whole group.
「貧困は、人ごとじゃないと改めて思いました。貧困を解決するには、家庭が大事だということも改めて実感しましたが、血縁だけではないコミュニティも重要だということを、今回のワークショップを通して認識しました」と２０代の参加者。
解決の入り口として「理解すること」と「共感すること」の重要性を説明してくださった油井講師。次回はその一つの方法としての「ボランティア」について考えます。
According to Mr. Yui, it is critical to “understand” the issue and to “share” what they feel as the first step of solving the issue. A young participant in her 20s realized the importance of connections not only with one’s family but also with communities.
今回聞き逃した方も、まだ遅くはありません。ぜひ、次回からのご参加をお待ちしています。お申し込みはこちらから。
In November, the next session at Wesley Center will be on “Volunteering” so please sign up now to reserve a spot.
For those who are not familiar with Sanyukai, it is a free clinic located in the Sanya area which is a depressed area in Tokyo. Besides the clinic, Sanyukai’s services include an outreach program which distributes food and clothing to the homeless in the area. Homeless members of society can also receive free consultations with professional doctors and nurses. Counseling and acupuncture are also provided when needed. Another aspect of Sanyukai is how it functions as a gathering place for the homeless in the area. Everyday, a large group of people can be found in front of the building, joking and socializing. Most of the homeless people in the area are middle aged or elderly men who are out of work and have no real family. Sanyukai functions as a place where homeless members of society feel welcome and can relax with each other and the volunteer staff.