Caring and Medical placements - Japan

Product Details

For applicants from the UK, we have a number of bursary schemes available for volunteers from a variety of backgrounds.

Our bursary scheme and funded placement projects reduce the barrier of cost for young people experiencing financial problems. They are designed to help young people who would not otherwise be able to afford to go.

For more information contact Liz McKenna on lmckenna@lattitude.org.uk

Japan is one of our most distinct destinations for volunteers. It is highly advanced technologically and in many ways very Westernised, but at the same time it retains a strong traditional culture, quite different from ours. It is a safe, fascinating country, full of contrasts. It is full of history, wonderful temples and with beautiful countryside.

It is an incredibly clean, efficient and organised country. You will be treated with great kindness and respect wherever you are and will find the generosity of your hosts overwhelming. The more you put in the more you will get out of the experience. Nearly every volunteer returns saying that theirs is the greatest project on earth!

Learning Japanese will help a lot in placements, as well as providing you with a useful skill for the future. Many of our volunteers carry on studying Japanese on return from their placements.

Wherever you are, you will be fully involved in the life of the community. You will be helping people who need and appreciate your help. Your host organisation will organise or help you with Japanese lessons and arrange plenty of opportunities to meet people and enjoy a wide variety of cultural activities.

Caring / Medical Placements

Caring placements can be demanding, but are perhaps the most rewarding. Much of the work is on a one-to-one basis with physically disabled or elderly people. Our volunteers form strong relationships with the people they help to care for and their help is greatly valued by both the patients and the staff.

In Japan old peoples’ homes tend to be much more interesting than those in the UK. The Japanese assume elderly people have many interests and there is much activity to stimulate the residents. This is a very valuable, hands-on experience. Many would-be doctors chose this option.

Red Cross Hospitals

All the hospitals offer a variety of duties and provide excellent experience for anyone hoping to work in medicine or health related fields. The hospitals try to give a wide experience of hospital life. You will work in a variety of wards helping with a variety of tasks. You may also be asked to help with some administration and teaching English to the Nursing staff.

You will be given Japanese lessons at the hospital, but the more Japanese you know, the more responsible the tasks you will be given.

Community Care Centres

This placement fulfils a more social function. The duties involve playing with young children, talking to the elderly and making friends with adolescents who use the Centre. There are some outdoor and camping opportunities. Males only for April.

Environmental / caring

Placement deals with conservation, wine production and shiitake mushroom cultivation; most of the staff working with you are disabled residents of the centre. Male only.

When can I go?

Placements start in early September or early March for 4 / 5 or 5 / 6 months (depending on placement)

Locations

We have Projects throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the North down to Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Kumamoto in the south.

Accommodation

Board and accommodation at all placements. You will probably have to cook for yourself at the weekends in some placements

Qualities / skills

Fulfilling commitment is very important in Japanese culture where everyone is expected to do their best. This will bring you enormous satisfaction and a great sense of achievement. Nothing is ever perfect and the homesickness you may feel at the beginning and the times when you encounter difficulties are all part of the experience. So it is important to have stickability, be open, adaptable and committed to your role as volunteer.