3.  Who operates  Kyodogakusha

 Many peaople due to various physical,psycal,psychological and 
enviromental reasons face difficulties in keeping normal
social or family relationships in present day Japan.
We ,howeber think that everybody can make a better living place
for himself or herself if he or she cooperates with others,
making full use of his or her abilities and characterlistics,
even though it may be difficult to continue schooling or to
find an occupation.

   Regardless of academic background those who agree with
this idea or those who wish to live such a life can be a
member of Kyodogakusha.
  In the case of those who are heavily handicapped or
have some difficulties in engageing in normal life, the
eligible age fange is 12 ro 20 years old.   The children
not yet having finishe compulsory education can go to
school from Kyodogakusha.  If a child is not able to go to
school, we are entrusted with that child's education with
the permission of the school to which he or she belongs.
 There is no rule as to the period of staying at a
Kyodogakusha house.

   Those who want to see immediate educational effects or
results are not suitable for participating in this group
because we believe that it takes time for humans to grow
both physically and mentally and to make a cooperative
living group. We do not consider it a primary goal of welfare 
work like ours to send out handicapped people into the
society just for the reason of having them earn some money.

   Our aim is to develop an equal society where everybody
whose abilities ad personalities differ can share their
life regardless of the degree of handicappe or incompleteness,
and,in this way,to gradually permeate our ideas into the 
surrounding society.  We wish that people who live at Kyodogakusha
can also be good members of the society.   We ,of course
do not hesitate to recommend members to go to
advanced schools or to obtain a job whenever we think it
is appropriate.

 Kyodogakusha does not intend to be a shelter separated
from the ordinary society. As long as we are givien life, We
have responsibilities to utilize our lives.   We do not deny
that there are those who tend to recede into their own
weakness,and we encourage them to struggle first with them
selves. The member of Kyodogakusha thus are expected to
work together and to learn together and to try to make the
place like a real home.

 As to the number of members, we think that the maximum
number is thirty in each place due to the fact that we build
our own lodgings by ourselves.  Thirty is also the limit to
maintain intense and close relationship. It might be possible
to organize a new group in a new place when the members
become independent and mature.




 
   4.　Why do we seek cooperative living?  (ENGLISH)
  KYODOGAKUSHA TOP Page  (JAPANESE)