The Accomplishments and Issues of Volunteer Work Discovered Through Managing Disaster Volunteer Centers During the Great Earthquake of Eastern Japan Manabu Sako Chairman of National Volunteer and Civil Service Promotion Center Manager of Regional Welfare Department of Japan, National Council of Social Welfare (Social Welfare Service Corporation)

-The number of centers in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures reached its highest at 107 -There were 196 centers in areas outside of effected Prefectures as well The number inside of ( ) is the amount of ongoing centers Miyagi Pref: 39 Centers (13) Fukushima Pref: 38 Centers (29) Iwate Pref: 27 Centers (25) Map: Positioning of Disaster VCs in 3 Tohoku Pref. (Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima) Ref: Great Earthquake of Eastern Japan Disaster Volunteer Center Report, ( Japan National Council of Social Welfare, National Volunteer and Civil Service Promotion Center) Positioning of Disaster Volunteer Center Facilities During Relief Efforts in Easter Japan

Total number of Volunteers (in 3 Pref.) between and = 926,200 Graph: The Change in Number of Volunteers in the 3 Prefectures After Disaster by Months Ref: Great Earthquake of Eastern Japan Disaster Volunteer Center Report, ( Japan National Council of Social Welfare, National Volunteer and Civil Service Promotion Center) Upon summing up the number of participating volunteers in the disaster areas up until December of 2014 there were approximately 1,417,000 people. The number of Volunteers worked at the Disaster Volunteer Center

Social Welfare Facilities(SWF) in Local Cities, Wards etc. Local SWF of Pref./Prefectural SWF and Appointed Metropolis SWF Blocks of SWF in Affected Pref. SWF of neighboring Pref. Japan National Council of SW Affected Area (DisasterVC) Affected Prefecture Surround Pref. of Affected Areas Nation Wide The Current State of Disaster VC Relief System in Japan National Council of Social Welfare Network 4 Disaster Volunteer Relief Project Summits (Relief P) Various NPO SWF that have been affected by disaster in past, SWF that have made mutual support agreements etc.

Roll of Social Welfare Network's Disaster VC in Relief for the Great Earthquake of Easter Japan -Social Welfare has been the first to succeed at national level dispatch of temporary personnel in block measurements Performed relief in form of disaster volunteer centers mainly focused in coastal areas hit by tsunami. -Number of dispatched Social Welfare personnel to affected areas (Approximate number) Iwate Pref.: 13,442 (Kanto block B, Tokai-Hokuriku block) Miyagi Pref.: 13,358 (Kinki block, Chugoku-Shikoku block) Fukushima Pref.: 8,250 (Kanto block A, Kyushu block) -Main Content of Work Getting the Disaster VC up and running, management support, gaining grasp on situation in hit areas, restoration/reconstruction of hit SWF, consulting for living and welfare funding and lending, transaction support, etc. -Others, Disaster Volunteer Relief Project Summit (Relief P. later explanation of details) 4933 volunteers were dispatched to manage the disaster volunteer center. 5

Support of Disaster Volunteer Centers by CSO and Volunteer Network “Disaster Relief Volunteer Activities Support Project (Support Project)” Support Project was established on January 2005 at the Central Community Chest of Japan in order to contribute to volunteer activities initiated by the disaster-affected people, which was started as an experiment after the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake. This project seeks to improve the working environment for disaster relief volunteer activities, such as maximizing the utilization of funds, relief goods, financial and human resources to achieve smooth disaster relief support, together with corporate companies, NPOs, Social Welfare Council and the Central Community Chest of Japan. Support Project has dispatched a total of approximately 4,993 support staff to Disaster Relief Volunteer Centers, while coordinating with volunteers, CSO support sectors, disaster-related NPOs, business groups, Social Welfare Council and network organizations in the Central Community Chest of Japan. Furthermore, Support Project is also involved in livelihood support for disaster-affected people, managing volunteer center offices and coordinating support from corporate companies.

Achievements and Challenges of Disaster Relief Volunteer Activities at Great East Japan Earthquake ○ Creation of momentum of mutual help practice ○ Participation of overseas NGOs without prior experience in disaster relief activities in Japan (who have the knowledge of long-term assistance and emergency projects) ○ Participation of corporate companies in relief activities (Not as part of CSR, but with company staff engaging directly in relief activities at disaster affected areas) ● Disparity in information transmission speed and effectiveness, coordination of networks in the community → due to circumstances in the region, site location, scale of disasters, human resources and operational mechanisms → leading to excess or deficiency of support ● At disaster sites after the Great East Japan Earthquake, many disaster relief groups and individuals tried to fit their working styles and experience from the Great East Japan Earthquake to the specific circumstances. → A one-size-fits-all approach does not work in disasters. Every disaster must be handled differently.

Region-Based Activities Working closely with local residents on a daily basis (Possesses face to face relationships with grassroots organizations) Continues to function as Social Welfare Council even after closure of volunteer centers, engaging in recovery efforts such as the support of livelihood of disaster-affected people (e.g. support as a counselor) Functions and Operations as an Organization that Promotes Regional Welfare Most Social Welfare Councils function as a volunteer center even during peace times Aware of residents needing special attention in the region as a social welfare organization and local consulting agency Possesses connections with a wide range of organizations and local governments Enjoys great mobility as a private sector An Organization with Network Across the Country Exists in all local governments Possesses network across the country. How Social Welfare Council Manages Volunteer Centers

The Public Private Partnership in sharing and disseminating information, and the support network system are crucial handling large-scale disasters from now on. Regional disaster trainings and existing social networks during peacetimes are extremely important. It is paramount to collaborate and cooperate, during peacetimes, with disaster relief organizations, prefectural support networks and other groups that would hold a pivotal role in times of disaster. At all of Social Welfare Council’s Volunteer Centers, each member is trained to coordinate, organize and network in order to support the construction of face to face relationships with a variety of stakeholders and agents. Also, it is vital to create a framework of collaboration and cooperation during large-scale disasters at all stages, together with all prefectures. Moving on ~Collaboration and Cooperation~