Research for Establishing a Computerworkshop Where People with Intellectual Disabilities or Psychiatric Disabilities Work ; Action Research for Developing Community in N-cho through Employment of Disabled People -

2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15330128
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social welfare and social work studies
• Research Institution: Hiroshima Kokusai Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: MEGURO Terumi Hiroshima Kokusai Gakuin University, Faculty of Contemporary Sociology, Professor, 現代社会学部, 教授 (50320023)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IKEMOTO Yoshinori Hiroshima Kokusai Gakuin University, Faculty of Contemporary Sociology, Associate Professor, 現代社会学部, 助教授 (10341190) ; MANABE Tomoko Kanazawa University, Faculty of Law, Associate Professor, 法学部, 助教授 (70320025)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2004
• Keywords: action research / young persons with disabilities / computer workshop / town development / green tourism

Research Abstract

The objectives are three-fold : firstly, to demonstrate the potential for young people with intellectual disabilities to carry Out computer related work ; secondly, to investigate the potential for a "N Himawari Fan Club" through analysis of questionnaires collected from people who have visited N-cho for sightseeing ; and finally, to establish a group activity aimed at developing a community business through IT technology..
The success of computer training created, in 2005, a computer-workshop at H Sheltered Workshop. The young person with intellectual disabilities participating on this project became a reader for a new group of four-members with disabilities, recruited to be computer workers. He has been empowered by Action Research and has worked on this project for past two years.
The "N Himawari Fan Club" will not materialize due to the fact, on the 1^<st> October 2005, N-cho merges with three other towns in S-gun. It is still open to question whether the Himawari Festival will take place in the future. However, a new town, S-cho, is also a small town and needs green tourism. Therefore, the potential for a Fan Club business is likely to develop sooner or later. One of S-cho's main targets is green tourism, giving a greater chance to create computer- related work such as a homepage and a magazine.
The development of N-cho is progressive. The stakeholders in the community established a group activity named "S-yamano-Kai" and H Sheltered Workshop working in co-operation, and these activities are likely to open the door for other members of the community to join them.