More safe spaces for teens through regional youth centre networks

Last week, NPO Katariba launched “Regional Ecosystem Building Project,” a new project designed to create community-wide support networks for teenagers across Japan. It aims to address the growing need for safe spaces for young people, particularly in regional areas facing a shortage of support providers.

The importance of “ibasho,” or safe and welcoming spaces for children outside of school and home, has gained national recognition. However, a government survey highlighted a critical shortage of staff and supporters to run these centres, a problem especially acute in rural areas affected by depopulation.

To address this, Katariba established the “Youth Centre Entrepreneurship School” in 2021 to support organisations nationwide. Katariba noted that through its support activities, it recognised that “there is a limit to how a single local safe space can continue to meet the diverse needs of teenagers.”

The Regional Ecosystem Building Project will therefore focus on empowering local youth centres to become hubs that collaborate with local government, schools, and residents. The goal is to create an “Ecosystem,” a comprehensive support system for young people within their own communities.

As its first action, the project will provide grants to two established organisations, funded by Suntory’s “You are of unknown quantity” next-generation empowerment programme. The recipients are NPO f.saloon in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture, and NPO Koriyama Children and Youth Network in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture.

NPO f.saloon, which operates under the vision, “Towards a community where children can envision infinite possibilities for their future,” will use the funds to establish multiple youth centres and create a matching system for centre operators. The Koriyama Children and Youth Network will expand its youth centre operations and develop a training programme for new youth workers in the region.

Each organisation will receive up to 10 million yen over a two-year period from May 2025 to March 2027. In addition to funding, Katariba will provide hands-on support, including management training, networking, and fundraising assistance.