Information Center
Information Center is an Environmental Education NGO.
contact
ADDRESS 302, 2-18-20 Minami-aoyama Minato-ku Tokyo, Japan
TEL + 8 1 3 6 4 1 3 0 8 7 7
FAX + 8 1 3 6 4 1 3 0 8 8 8
E-mail i n f o c o n t a c t @ r y u f o . c o m
Mission Statement
Information Center's Mission
1.Create communities that are self-supporting and cyclical
2.Realize the sustainability of the world
3.Form non-fixed relationships between “the weak” and “the strong”
4.Build societies that have a solid ethical base by supporting individuals' ethics and ethical activities.
To Accomplish Our Mission, We
*Organize eco-tours for community growth.
*Support new communities with consultation
*Hold workshops encouraging active participation for the cultivation of local urban communities.
*Encourage children's participation in their communities through activities.
*Provide places for children who canﾕt go to school to live.
*Provide activities which foster independence for so called disabled people.
*Offer environmental education to abused children
*Implement the “Community Horse Project”.
*Do collaborative projects within Asia
*Provide environments that nurture people who do activities for the future.
*Support other NPO activities
*Promote and do activities that will preserve ecological sustainability.
*Create new modes of communication.
Concept
We always keep in mind to ﾒso act as to treat humanity, whether in thine own person or in that of any other, in every case as an end withal, never as means only.
We do not explicitly guide people nor do activities to enlighten.
We expect and trust that the members of our NPO will use their inner strength and confidence to grow.
Our various activities, which are unlimited and not fixed, have underlying tight connections.
These activities will not be provided for the involved people, including the staff, to passively participate in, rather learners must seek the activities out, unhesitatingly.
Scope of Activities
Information Center has seven locations.
* Ryukyu Information Center
* Gunma Information Center
* Yamagata Information Center
* Hokkaido Information Center
* Saitama Information Center
* Tokyo Information Center
* Miyako Information Center
Community Horse Project
The "Community Horse Project" is one of the activities Information Center does to accomplish its community development mission.
By having a horse in the community the idea of ﾒLifeﾓ becomes something tangible and central to the community. The aim of the project is to make ﾒLifeﾓ the foundation of the community and in doing so build new community ties.
The place where The Community Horse lives is the community stable which welcomes all members of the community.
The Community Horse activities aim to create connections, so the scope of the activities is wide.
We aim to offer sports riding, riding for the elderly, riding for the disabled, riding for people with emotional scars and riding for small children, among others.
Currently, The Community Horse Project is living in four locations.
Establishment of the Education Center
In Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Reviving Traditional Culture
Through Environmental Education in Central Kalimantan
Introduction
In 1997 huge wildfires swept through Kalimantan, Indonesia on the island of Borneo, destroying forests and greatly disrupting the lives of the indigenous peoples living in the forests, the Dayak.
To restore both the tropical forest and the traditional way of life, this project aims to develop a social system that will promote sustainable development of both human and natural resources.
The aim of this project is to restore the tropical forest and the traditional way of life that depends on a healthy tropical forest by developing a social system that will support the long-term development of human and natural resources.
Concept
"Create a Society that Nurtures Independence"
Making the Concept a Reality
Establishing The Education Center
In order begin to「Create a Society that Nurtures Independence」an organization is necessary.
The focus of the organization will be education and the environment and it is hoped that strong ties will be developed between the organization and the local community.
The above-mentioned organization will be The Education Center we develop.
As the primary focus of The Education Center is environmental education, education will be offered to people in the local communities.
In addition, since the role of The Education Center is community development, a variety of activities will be offered.
Activities will include:
*Offering environmental education to people of all ages
*Researching and presenting information about traditional culture
*Coordinating eco-tours in Kalimantan
*Generating economic development through tourism
*Promoting a revival in the making of handicrafts with traditional materials and techniques
*Supporting Indonesian NPOs
Plan of Action
In 2000 the first eco-tour was conducted.
During this tour a collaborative relationship with Palangkaraya University was formed, on-site investigation was done, and a future course was determined.
In 2001, due to the acts of terrorism in New York, the eco-tour was cancelled.Preparations were made for the recruitment and selection of an intern.
In 2002 an intern from Kalimantan was accepted and invited to Japan to learn the fundamentals of environmental education and to broaden the network in Japan
In 2003, eco-tours were held in April and November. And we participated an international conferance and had a discusion about an prereevation of new style.
In 2007, we had a concrete research in Kalimantan to make a start the Kalimantan Eivironmental Education Center (K.E.E.C).
Four steps need to be taken to establish The Education Center.
Step One Staff Training
For human resource development, interns from Palangkaraya University in Central Kalimantan will be recruited.
Each internship will last one year.
Program
Japanese Language Acquisition
For smooth communication between Indonesians and Japanese, Japanese will be taught to the interns.
English Language Acquisition
Since English is indispensable for academic research and communication with people from foreign countries, English will be taught to the interns.
Environmental Education Survey
The basic theories of environmental education and the history of environmental education will be taught to interns.
Also, through actual experiments and experiences successful environmental education methods will be taught.
Principles of eco-tourism will also be included in this survey course.
NPO Management
The management style of The Education Center will be an NPO management style.
For the smooth operations of The Education Center, the importance of effective management will be stressed and managerial skills will be taught.
System
The NPO Information Center will recruit interns from Palangkaraya University.
Interns: Annually, there will be two student-interns from Palangkaraya University.
Therefore over a period of three years, six interns will have participated in the internship
*Internship: one year
*The intern application and selection process will be conducted by the NPO Information Center.
*The application and selection process will begin January 2004 and end December 2006
Step Two Research of Traditional Culture by Palangkaraya University
Japanese research groups will come to Palangkaraya to do research. They will work with people in Central Kalimantan to collect information on traditional culture in Central Kalimantan.
Program
*Research traditional uses of the forest
*Research traditional art and folk crafts.
*Research traditional methods of food acquisition
*Establish a human network for collaborative research projects
System
A full time staff member from Information Center will be based in Palangkaraya. This member will continue to broaden and strengthen The Education Centerﾕs network and at the same time conduct systematic investigations with Japanese research groups on a regular basis.
Full-time Staff
*Recruitment: Annually for 3 years
*Contract Period: 1 year
*Staff: 1 person
Part-time Research Group
*Recruitment: Annually for 3 years
*Staff: 5 people
*Contract Period: 1 year (1 research trip to Kalimantan)
Period of Operation January 2003- December 2005
Step 3 Preparing to Establish The Education Center and Conducting Eco-tours
Primarily, the interns who interned in Japan will be responsible for managing The Education Center while preparations to establish The Education Center are being undertaken and eco-tours are conducted.The small organization, The Education Center, will be founded in Kalimantan.The Education Centerﾕs staff will include people who have developed a relationship with Palangkaraya University.
The Education Center will coordinate eco-tours.In the beginning 、the tours will be geared toward Japanese tourists, however after some experience with Japanese tourists we will start recruiting globally for participants.The profit from these eco-tours will be used to support the establishment and operation of The Education Center.
Program
*The Preliminary Education Center will be formed.
*Conduct 2-4 eco-tours annually (40-80 participants)
*Offer environmental education courses to local people
*Create projects that combine labor and learning.
*Train staff
*Public Relaions
System
Finalize staff selection for the building of The Education Center and develop concrete plans for the construction of The Education Center.
*The Education Centerﾕs office staff: 3 people
*Period of Operation January 2005- December 2006
Step 4 Establishing The Education Center facility and incorporating The Education Center as an NPO.
Search for grants and donors for building The Education Center facility. In addition, as an incorporated NPO, The Education Centerﾕs place in Indonesian society should be maintained.
Program
*The Preliminary Education Center will incorporate The Education Center as an NPO.
*The Education Center will coordinate a number of eco-tours.
*A full-time environmental education program will be offered.
*Local culture will be researched.
*The Education Center facility will be built.
System
*The Education Center staff: 4 people
*Period of Operation: January 2006- December 2006
In 2007, The Education Center will fully open.