An introduction to the activities of Humanitude Promotion Headquarters

In Fukuoka City, with the aim of widely promoting Humanitude to the public, the city is training "Fukuoka City Humanitude Community Leaders" (hereinafter referred to as "Community Leaders") who can conduct Humanitude courses at community centers, elementary and junior high schools, and companies. This time, a follow-up course was held for these Community Leaders.

This was a valuable opportunity to reflect on our daily activities and share our passion for the future of Humanitude in Fukuoka City, as well as our daily activities.

 

The circle of compassionate care continues to expand.

Prior to the lecture, Fukuoka City gave a presentation on last year's activities and this year's initiatives.
Humanitude is expanding further, supported by the daily activities of local leaders.

<Activity results for fiscal year 2025>
• General public courses: 174 courses held / 4,848 participants
• Courses for children and students: 220 courses held / 27,892 participants

The fact that Humanitude is reaching the children and students who will shape the future is a major foundation for the kind and caring city development that Fukuoka City aims for.

This October, we will be hosting the "Humanitude Sans Frontières International Conference."
This marks a new chapter in history, as the circle of gentle care provided by Humanitude, which has been spreading throughout Fukuoka City, will now be shared from Fukuoka City to the world.

 

Fukuoka City and Humanitude: The Keyword is "Experience"

The lecture was given by Sumio Yasutake, a certified Humanitude chief instructor and member of the rehabilitation department at Minami Fukuoka Neurosurgery Hospital. The lecture gently unravels the process and important origins of why Humanitude has spread so widely and been accepted by people in Fukuoka City.

The first Humanitude training was conducted in Fukuoka City in 2016. Two years later, in 2018, the "Dementia-Friendly City Project" was launched as a policy of Fukuoka City, aiming to create a city where people with dementia can live safely and authentically in their familiar communities, Humanitude was positioned at the core of this project.

One of the main reasons why Humanitude has been implemented as a policy in Fukuoka City is that Mayor Takashima actually practiced Humanitude care techniques and personally "experienced" the changes he received from others.

Throughout the lecture, Mr. Yasutake repeatedly emphasized the word "experiencing."

He left us with the message: "Humanitude cannot be discussed without putting it into practice. Only by putting it into practice can you experience the changes (gifts) that come back to you from others in response to changes in your own behavior. It is important that each individual deepens their understanding of Humanitude through this experience. And your challenge going forward is to make it the standard for us to deliver kindness and peace of mind to those who receive care."

Finally, I concluded the lecture by sharing a famous African proverb, looking ahead to the future.

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

"All 63 of us, from the first to the third generation of community leaders, are precious colleagues. Let's not forget the people who need care, and together let's spread this circle of kindness and reassurance far and wide, into the future."

 

The bond of camaraderie: Sharing insights and learning

The workshop concluded with a group work session where the participating community leaders exchanged opinions on the given theme.

In response to the question, "What effects and benefits have you experienced from practicing Humanitude in your daily work or caregiving?", participants shared experiences of positive changes in the clients receiving care and their families, such as "increased verbal communication," "decreased aggressive behavior," and "family members who previously showed no reaction now smiling."

In addition, participants shared other positive changes they experienced, such as "a greater sense of unity in the workplace," "the elimination of mandatory care making work more enjoyable," and "being able to interact with others calmly and with a peaceful mind."

Each participant shared their experiences and feelings one after another, resulting in a group work session filled with smiles and applause of agreement from beginning to end.

While community leaders usually work individually, they are all colleagues with the same role and goals. Through this group work and interaction, the community leaders themselves seemed to feel a sense of connection with each other and had a very meaningful time.

Fukuoka City will be offering Humanitude courses again this year, tailored to different target groups. If you're interested in learning about Humanitude, please join us. Details will be announced on the website below as they become available.