We are pleased to announce that we held a kick-off meeting for the Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project in Tokyo on July 6, 2024. In this meeting, we discussed the direction of our future activities and projects, and decided on the name of our organization - GifTs (Glocal Innovator & Future Talent society). So far, our community revitalization project has been implemented in Karuizawa from the 1st season (March 2023) through to the 2nd season (March 2024).
We are also pleased to announce that GifTs has started its activities in preparation for the Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project 3rd season scheduled for March 2025. In the future, GifTs will not limit its activities to Karuizawa, but will also engage in a wide range of social contribution activities, such as presenting its research on social issues at international conferences, in cooperation with students and working professionals involved in the operation of GifTs.
Takehiro Ishida（Founder / Chief Executive Officer of GifTs）
Tomoya Okado（Headmaster / Juku-cho of GifTs)
■About GifTs
GifTs is an organization whose goal is to contribute to local communities by solving regional issues and developing new talents among participants. In addition, GifTs aims to develop global talent by adding global perspectives into the solution of regional issues, as the English name "Glocal" (created words from "Global" and "Local") and "Future Talent" indicate. Furthermore, we try to create an environment where students and working professionals can grow together by building a fair and flat relationship. Since the 1st season in 2023, we have conducted the Karuizawa Community Revitalization Internship Program with the aim of developing talents who can deep dive into the community and work on problem-solving. (Click here to read the article about past Karuizawa Community Revitalization Internships. ) From now on, the 3rd program in Karuizawa is scheduled by GifTs in March 2025 under the continued support as an official sponsor from the Health care Innovation Association ("HIA"), of which Tomoya Okado (GifTs Headmaster/Juku-cho) serves as co-chairman. Also we plan to conduct a variety of activities, including presentations of research results on social issues at international conferences.
＜GifTs Operating Structure＞
■About kick-off meeting
On July 6, 2024, a kick-off meeting was held in Tokyo. It was organized by Nanaha Ito (Chuo University, 3rd year), a student leader of External Relation(ER) and Recruiting Team, and Mirai Sakaki (Chuo University, 3rd year), a student leader of Digital and Public Relation(PR) Team. Both students participated in 2nd season, and they also served as the event's moderators.
Nanaha Ito (Chuo University, 3rd year)：a student leader of ER and Recruiting Team
Mirai Sakaki (Chuo University, 3rd year)：a student leader of Digital and PR team
＜kick-off meeting program＞
At the opening, the GifTs logo and its character were introduced. (see introduction of GifTs logo and characters below). These were designed by Cocona Yonekawa (Chuo University, 3rd year), a student leader of Digital PR team along with Mirai Sakaki. Then, Naoki Kozai, the professional head of Digital PR Team, introduced the draft GifTs website which is planned to be released. After that, original business cards designed by the Digital PR Team were distributed to the participated members. The business cards include the names of the operating team members and their roles in GifTs, and English versions were created for members who plan to travel abroad)
Cocona Yonekawa (Chuo University, 3rd year)：a student leader of Digital PR team
＜the GifTs logo＞
Focused on the word "if" (if - then), we put the intention to "turn a future in the imagination into a future that happens as reality" into the GifTs logo.
The "G" shows a fruit horizontally, the "if" represents a person, and the "S" exhibits a leaf. The logo as a whole expresses the connection between people and the cycle of nature.
＜the GifTs character＞
The character represents the uncertainty and lack of confidence of students, which will grow up through GifTs-oriented projects.
Naoki Kozai：the professional head of Digital PR Team
Afterwards, the participants were divided into four teams, and then shared their thoughts on the GifTs and the ideal community in the future. Some members said, "I want to belong to GifTs continuously because I can trust members of this community and they strongly support my growth. Also, I want to tell the potential 3rd season participants the merits of participating in the GifTs program ". Another member said, "It is ideal for the GifTs to respect those who have diverse backgrounds such as students or working professionals, and to develop the skills or talents of each member".
Next, Shiori Okawa, who is the professional head of External Relation(ER) and Recruiting Team, explained the role of her team and its policy for recruiting.
Shiori Okawa：the Professional head of External Relation and Recruiting Team
After explaining the overall picture of the 3rd season, we discussed the personas of students, members of society, and collaborators that we would like to involve in these activities initiated by GifTs.
Tomoya Okado (Headmaster / Juku-cho of GifTs) who is Co-Chairman of Healthcare Innovation Association (official sponsor of GifTs), explained why GifTs is important to him, and talked about the episode of "unlearning" (forgetting past successful experiences, and learning a new way of thinking) through GifTs activities by taking the story with his daughter.
In the closing session, several participants shared their impressions for this kick off meeting, and we took a photo (top of this page) to conclude the first GifTs kick-off meeting.
■Comments from a kick-off meeting student
In the questionnaire after the kick-off meeting, many of the participated students responded positively, such as "It was good that the members were able to share the vision of what GifTs is aiming for and their current awareness" and "Participating in this meeting, I talked about various topics, and I was encouraged and inspired by everyone's attitude. I feel even more motivated to work hard at both my studies and my activities with the GifTs."
Yuki Yamashita (Yokohama National University, 4th year) supported the planning and operation of the kick-off meeting from a senior position. He also serves as a student leader of ER and Recruiting Team with Nanaha Ito. He said, "Through the meeting on July 6, we were able to come together as GifTs members and to discuss the direction of the program for the 3rd season. It was also a great opportunity for me to deepen my understanding of GifTs and become more aware of myself as an operating member. As for the future, I will work as a member of the ER and Recruiting team to boost the attractiveness of the GifTs program to as many people as possible. I will also work hard to make the 3rd season successful by inviting diverse people to participate. We hope to gain a lot of experience in the activities after the 3rd season so that the GifTs can become a socially influential organization which owns global perspectives and communicates the ideal way of revitalizing local communities to the world. "
Yuki Yamashita (Yokohama National University, 4th year)：a student leader of External Relation and Recruiting Team
■Future outlook
GifTs (Glocal Innovator & Future Talent society) values an environment where students and working professionals can grow together by building fair and flat relationships. In order to continuously create such development opportunities, GifTs operating members are working together to implement the 3rd season of the Karuizawa Community Revitalization Project in March 2025. We plan to begin to accept applications for the 3rd season after the end of October 2024.
For those interested in GifTs and the 3rd season, as well as companies or university representatives wishing to offer support, please contact us at the email address below.
karuizawa.internship@gmail.com
Editor：Satoshi Yamaguchi (English), Mirai Sakaki (Japanese)
Contact
Healthcare Innovation Association
info@hc-innovation-association.org
