Hello, I'm Tom Akagi, the representative of Campship Academy.
Since I started this job, I have had more opportunities to realize the value of "encounters." This is because I have met many people through my activities, and those encounters have led to the realization of various initiatives.
This time, I would like to write about my inner thoughts about the collaborators who are indispensable in creating the Campship Academy program.
"Encounters" are always by chance, and the moment when an encounter develops is often triggered by a chance event. Since I started working at Campship, I have had many experiences where a conversation progressed rapidly from a chance encounter.
When I introduce myself to people I meet for the first time by saying, "I run nature experience activities for children," many of them show more empathy and interest than I expected, perhaps because it's a novelty. This is very different from the "encounters" I had when I worked at a trading company or startup.
Mr. Fukushima of Shinshu Azumino Friend Farm, who is working with us to create the fruit experience program, and Mr. Masuda, owner of Chikyu-yado
Atelier Mado, with whom we have been working since last year to create art programs
Mr. Goto of Namakusa Craft, who is helping us create the Namakusa program
Our programs are made possible by the support of these collaborators.
In order to create a deep, handmade program, we receive a wide range of cooperation from accommodation facilities, professional artists, farmers, and professional photographers for photography.
The other day, we received the following message from Mr. Bow (Mr. Nozomi Saburo), the owner of Chikyu-yado , who is helping us with our Azumino Fruit Farm Experience Program.
Tom, thank you for your hard work over the past two days. It was packed with activities, including nagashi somen noodles, cherry picking, bagging peaches, a nighttime bonfire, rice planting, and bonfire bread. I'm glad the kids had fun too. Watching Tom talking with the staff at night reminded me of when I was in my twenties. I also hosted work camps for young people. Back then, too, there were people who supported us, farmers and other practitioners who welcomed young people. I feel like I'm in that position now, and I hope we can continue to create a space where Tom can fully pursue what he wants to do. Thank you, thank you for your hard work, and my best to all the staff.
When I read this message, I felt a surge of emotion well up inside me. It may sound exaggerated, but it was at that moment that I truly felt glad to have chosen this job.
To help us realize our dream, the people at Chikyu-yado provided us with a great deal of support, including preparing the Nagashi Somen noodles, teaching us how to make bread, and transporting the children to and from work. Thank you so much to everyone at Chikyu-yado!
I think the reason we receive support that goes beyond what you would find at an ordinary inn is due to Bow's personality, but also because we share a common desire to give children a good experience.
Shinshu Azumino Friend Farm , which offers various fruit farming experiences each season, also shares our desire to let children see and taste the real thing, and has accepted our children despite the difficult times. We are truly grateful.
We also received the following comment from a parent who participated in the program:
Not only were each individual event enjoyable, but we also had the opportunity to interact with local people and talk about animals, and it was great to be able to relax in a free environment without having to worry about our parents watching.
In addition to the activities prepared during the program, I also enjoy the communication that arises while living together and the unexpected moments when curiosity emerges (for example, We believe that it is these experiences (such as children becoming fascinated with a frog they discovered while planting rice) that add depth to the program .
In this way, it is wonderful that a good program can be created when the ideas of us as organizers and those of our collaborators overlap, but there are also some things we need to be careful about.
That is, " ensuring that experiences do not become consumer activities."
Just show up, do what you want, and then hurry home. That might be fine for the person experiencing it.
However, for those who accept them, there is a daily life, a rhythm, relationships and a society there.
As visitors, we cannot just consume the experience while ignoring these important things that need to be protected. If we approach it with that attitude, not only will we not share the same feelings, but it will also not be a sustainable initiative.
So, what can we, the people who are visiting, do?
First and foremost, we must never forget to be grateful , and we must never neglect to be considerate of those who cooperate with us.
Rather than treating them as a "customer" receiving the experience, simply thinking of them as "friends working together" or "asking to come and join us" will change your attitude towards the experience.
Our collaborators are looking to see if we are showing even the smallest amount of consideration, even in something as simple as a greeting.
It's not easy to get children to understand that. In fact, I feel like it's wrong to expect children to understand that much.
We need to set clear rules in advance so that everyone can participate in the activities comfortably, and the children can enjoy themselves to the fullest within those rules. I feel that it is our responsibility as organizers to make such careful preparations.
Campship Academy's programs are by no means package tours. We value the space for participants to think and act independently, and we aim to create meaningful experiences that include interacting with local people and living with friends.
Although we still have a lot to improve on, we will continue to strive to create sustainable and in-depth programs.
Campship Academy Representative Tsutomu Akagi
