Training Course for Support Line Volunteers in English October 26th -30th
When you live abroad, you experience many stressful situations. You can’t communicate well because you don’t know the language. You don’t know where or how to get information on daily life. Education system and medical services are different from what you are used to. Relations with your coworkers and friends etc. can be difficult because of the cultural differences. You can also experience racism and discrimination based on your ethnicity and gender. Would you like to support foreign women who face these kinds of problems?
Support volunteers have at least one 3-hour shift per month. They support foreign women online by talking on the phone, chatting on a chat or answering questions which have been sent by email. Support volunteers work in teams of two. Occasionally volunteers accompany foreign women to a ward office, a social council office etc. Volunteers can choose whether they only provide online support or if they also support foreign women in person. Travel expenses will be reimbursed when supporting foreign women in person.
There is no obligation for the participants of this course to become volunteers. If you want to volunteer after completing the course, you will receive free extra training for 3 months once a month on how to evaluate reliability of information we provide to foreign women, on protocols in case of emergencies, and how to use our client information system, database, and our chat translation application. After that you will take part in support activities under guidance once a month for six months. After finishing all this training, you can start to volunteer.
If you can’t join the course every time, you can watch a recording afterwards, but in this case, you also need to sign up for the whole course in advance. We recommend that you will participate in the Active Listening Skills course online because it includes some exercises with a partner.
Contents of the support volunteer training course
① Active listening skills
Listening skills are the most important tool in the tool kit of a support volunteer. On this course you learn about various active listening skills through a lecture and role play exercises.
Lecturer: Ms. Haley Waggener, TELL Japan Kansai Outreach Coordinator on a video
The video lecture is followed by a Q&A in real time by Ms. Nina Hakkarainen, the Representative Director of Foreign Women’s Association Paruyon.
You can choose from the four times below.
Part 1: Active Listening Skills
Lecturer: Ms. Haley Waggener, TELL Japan Kansai Outreach Coordinator on a video
Q&A in real time by Ms. Nina Hakkarainen, the Representative Director of Foreign Women’s Association Paruyon
October 28 (Sat) 6pm – 8pm OR October 29 (Sun) 10am -12pm(noon) OR October 29 (Sun) 4 – 6pm OR October 30 (Mon) 8 -10 pm via Zoom
Fee: 1000yen
Online via ZOOM
Please sign up through the Peatix online event website.
② Support for victims of domestic violence
・How do you define domestic violence?
・What kind of support services are available?
・What to keep in mind when supporting foreign women who are experiencing domestic violence?
Lecturer: Ms. Sunhwa JANG, Kyoto YWCA/APT (Asian People Together) on a video
The video lecture is followed by a Q&A in real time by Ms. Nina Hakkarainen, the Representative Director of Foreign Women’s Association Paruyon.
You can choose from the two dates below.
October 26 (Thurs) 8 – 10pm OR October 29 (Sun) 1 – 3pm via Zoom
Fee: 1000yen
Please sign up through the Peatix online event website.
③ Divorce and inheritance law in Japan
・How to prepare for a divorce
・Property and custody rights
・Inheritance law
・Legal support services available for foreign women
Lecturer: Ms. Satoko TOMITA, Director of the International Affairs Office of Japan Legal Support Center (Hoterasu) on a video
The video lecture is followed by a Q&A in real time by Ms. Nina Hakkarainen, the Representative Director of Foreign Women’s Association Paruyon.
You can choose from the two dates below.
October 27 (Fri) 8 -10pm OR October 29 (Sun) 7 – 9pm
Online via ZOOM
Fee: 1000yen
Please sign up through the Peatix online event website.
This volunteer training course has been made possible through a grant from the charity Akai Hane (Red Feather) Central Community Chest of Japan.
