Afghanistan project : Kenichi TAKEMURA (Retiree)
What was your main work at JVC?
- Publication of the latest news and information on Afghanistan on the JVC website as follows.
- “Afghan Watch”
- A collection of the latest news on Afghanistan, which are picked up from various sources on the web.
- “Salam from Afghanistan”
- Interviews with the local staff of the JVC Jalalabad office.
- “Villagers”
- Interviews with the local people in the villages, where JVC is working.
- Attendant to the JVC Afghan staff, who visit Tokyo office to participate in meetings. On weekend, we accompany them for sightseeing.
- Planning and execution of charity events together with the members of the volunteer team.
How did you work daily with the JVC staff?
Every day, my staff mentor gave me the day’s work, some of which were urgent and others were not. This helped me prioritize my work, and use time efficiently. A few months after starting the internship, I could manage to do regular work without asking my staff mentor. Since my work was mainly to prepare manuscripts for the webpage, I worked with PC all day.
What was your experience as a JVC intern?
I spent good time with young and talented interns and active staff. I enjoyed talking with them and many other people visiting the office, like JVC local staff, daytime volunteers, guests, and members of the volunteer team. I attended the regular office meetings, through which I learned a lot about the way the NGO operated and various aspects of each project. For me, it was most valuable to meet people having various expertise from broad range of generation.
Laos project : Nonoko KATO (Student, 4th year)
What was your main work at JVC?
There was no specific field of work in the Laos project. I did work on accounting, documentation, publication, and so on. I also supported the activity of the volunteer team, such as collecting discarded postcards that were not posted, updating blog pages, and selling the handcrafts of Laos in charity events.
How did you work daily with the JVC staff?
Every day, my staff mentor gave me the day’s work. If I have questions or difficulty in managing PC, I asked him or other interns who have knowledge and experience on respective subject. Except the daily work at the office, there were opportunities to attend meetings organized by other organizations, in which the JVC staff gave lectures. I learned many things about Laos and community development in general.
What was your experience as a JVC intern?
I found that the activity of an NGO is the result of cooperation and mutual trust of staff and supporting people. The JVC staff earnestly communicates with local people in the project area and supporters of the project. I could find strong connection between the JVC and supporters, for instance, when I talked to the people who bought handcrafts in charity events. Short messages attached to the parcel of discarded postcards encouraged me very much. Before coming to JVC, I had imagined that volunteer work might be nothing but self-satisfaction. However, after doing the internship, I could get a real image of a NGO through encounters with many people.
Public relations : Yuka WATANABE (Student, 3rd year)
What was your main work at JVC?
I have worked for public relations as well as for the management of JVC members and supporters. About public relations I have helped the preparation of events and managed inventory of books published by JVC, as well as contents posted in press articles. I also updated the JVC e-mail newsletters and wrote the JVC staff blogs (articles about interviews to JVC staff). About the management of JVC members and supporters, I have helped to manage the membership fee and donation received from the members and supporters. I also prepared receipts, made the front cover of “Another Trial and Error” the appendix of newsletter, and sent documents to those who are interested in becoming new members.
How did you work daily with the JVC staff?
I worked twice a week; in one day I worked for publications and in the other day for the management of JVC members and supporters. I decided my working time and tasks by consulting with my staff mentor. I could work very flexibly at the JVC, taking classes and seminars in the university, too. Though I had never experienced internship before, my staff mentor kindly helped me to understand all the tasks. I could work comfortably as I regularly talked about my tasks with her. If I suggest what I want to do, she positively supported me. As a result, I could launch the mail order system of JVC books, and could start “Staff Blog in Tokyo” on the JVC website.
What was your experience as a JVC intern?
I think it is a precious opportunity to engage in international cooperation for a year period. I worked as a JVC intern even though I didn’t have any knowledge about international cooperation. But I could interview so much with the staff, who engaged in it after many different courses. I learned more about the NGO field by being deeply involved. For those who want to work in NGO, this is the appropriate environment to learn. I got stimulated by meeting so many people to the extent that my way of thinking has changed. I can see more clearly about what I want to be in the future after my internship.
Accounting : Hidemaru OHKOCHI (worker)
What was your main work at JVC?
The main job of mine was monthly tasks about accounting slip, checking of accounting of the offices abroad, counting of printing cost, managing inventory of product sales, counting of postal checking fee/calendar project/concert project, etc. Additionally I often engaged in tasks outside of accounting, for instance, checking of figures about accounting and semi-annual accounting documents, disposal of documents, and supporting the calendar project or the Iraq project.
How did you work daily with the JVC staff?
I worked on tasks by checking priority with my staff mentor as the activity was scheduled every time. When the knowledge of accounting was needed, I could rely on help and the teachings of my staff mentor. When I worked on new tasks, we often cooperated by trial and error together. I could work by getting involved with the whole activities of JVC. My staff mentor gave me opportunities to explain about accounting in the office meeting every Tuesday morning. I also supported other projects.
What was your experience as a JVC intern?
I could see JVC tasks in wide perspective, because I regularly see figures about every project on a daily basis. I had many opportunities to get involved with other projects. I have learned so much although I knew little about each project. As the accounting intern, I could learn professional work, and could pass the official test of bookkeeping.
Palestine project : Eri KAMOSHITA (Student, 4th year)
What was your main work at JVC?
I have worked on many different tasks. I helped to manage inventory of handmade embroidery products made by women in Palestinian refugee camps. I supported the management of some events. I helped to make the summaries of reports about the local situations and to make the reports to donors. I tried to focus on thinking about the meaning of each task. And at the same time I have been conscious of how it would be useful in my future, for instance to increase my PC skills.
How did you work daily with the JVC staff?
First, at the beginning of the year we decided on a one-year goal. And we also decided on the monthly small goal so that we could achieve it. I talked with my staff mentor in the interview at the beginning of the month, where we reviewed the previous month and checked the small goal of that month. I could make my own internship guideline by deciding on goals and reviewing each month. That made it possible to focus on the first goal in many different activities. I cooperated with my staff mentor sharing each other’s opinion every time.
What was your experience as a JVC intern?
I think what’s so attractive about JVC projects is that we can think about many problems in the world through many different approaches, get the real information and figure out the solutions together. As well as Palestine projects which was my work, I had many opportunities to think about what was going on, how we got involved, and how we were going to get involved in Iraq, Cambodia, or South Africa. I realized many things through this year. I was surprised to know that my daily life was related to the problems in the world and I re-thought things in my daily life. I realized that we could support people by small things. I think that in the future I want to take the next action by spreading my realization to people around me.
Public relations : Haruka SHIMIZU (Student, 3rd year)
What was your main work at JVC?
I have worked on updating blog articles and events information on the JVC website based on the manuscripts sent from staff and interns. When I update, I tried to do many kinds of things about formatting and arranging photos. I tried with great effort to create a homepage so that it would be easy to understand and interesting for readers. And by using an image editor I have helped to place a banner on the top of the website page.
How did you work daily with the JVC staff?
I have proceeded on tasks by checking priority with my staff mentor after arriving at the office. I didn’t have enough knowledge of creating a homepage and using the image editor. My staff mentor explained everything in detail to me so I could practice. I could think about good ways individually as well as fulfilling the requests. I had a regular interview with my staff mentor, who supported me to spend a fulfilling internship life. In the interview we reviewed my daily activities and talked about future directions.
What was your experience as a JVC intern?
Through my one-year internship, I realized that JVC is supported by and constitutes of an enormous number of people. I learned that there are many ways of international cooperation, which are not restricted to the volunteer work in the field. I also learned that there are many people who put these working methods into practice. Along with my staff mentor, the other interns came from wide range of age and had various experiences. In such environment, I could spend stimulating days with them. After finishing internship period, I won’t forget to thank people around me. I will be involved with JVC activities and international cooperation in the best way I can.
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