Unleash the Potential of Young Changemakers

Thank you for your continued support for Ashoka Japan Youth Venture program! We are excited to share highlights from the Youth Venture Mid-term Report Event held on October 6.

Youth Venture Mid-term Report Event - October 6 (Sunday)

The event took place at EIJI PRESS Lab, a space provided by Eiji Publishing, which fosters connections and new ideas through books. The event featured mid-term presentations from three Youth Venture participants who had been selected six months ago, along with a final presentation from a participant completing their one-year term. Each shared their growth, challenges, and insights from their journey.

The mid-term updates highlighted:

1. A participant who spent their summer traveling to various fishing communities across Japan, meeting people and learning from their experiences.
2. Another shared their ongoing journey of self-discovery, reflecting on their struggles and progress in finding what they truly wanted to do.
3. One participant discussed their efforts to promote AED awareness and how they have been working to achieve this goal through diverse approaches.
4. The final presentation posed the question of what true diversity means, with the participant aiming to understand it through their own perspectives, rather than those shaped by societal norms.

The discussions were lively and engaged, with participants actively asking questions and offering thoughtful comments. Rather than judging the work, attendees took a collaborative approach, working together to address the social issues being tackled by the Youth Ventures.

Event Highlights

In the latter part of the event, three former Youth Ventures shared updates on their professional careers:

1. A former Youth Venture became a journalist and uncovered a major environmental issue, which led to a significant public revelation. Their investigation earned prestigious awards for investigative journalism.
2. Another former participant, after training at farms in Japan, is now working in education, applying their experiences to teach empathy through interactions with horses.
3. A third shared their journey from starting a project to help high school students understand that they can choose their own path in life, to now running a successful social enterprise in a rural area, supporting local youth with limited resources.

The event was a meaningful exchange of ideas, and we are grateful to all those who contributed to making it a success. We look forward to continuing our support for the Youth Ventures as they make a positive impact in the society.