Date: Sunday, August 30th, 2020
Location: Mitake, Tokyo

Program:

We held our first online Friends Day event at the end of August, where all our guests attended the event via online. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues and many extracurricular events are being cancelled, this was our attempt to continue the experiential learning opportunity for this year’s LITs.

They started preparing for their speech in the morning by coming up with the messages that they wanted to tell the guests. We used the same themes as in Back to Nature to reflect on the first half of the year: “Impactful events,” “Something new,” “Things that went well,” and “Things that didn’t go so well.” After coming up with the reflections, they worked on wording and phrases to turn it into effective speech, and after just a few practices, it was time for the actual event. This event was also their first time giving a speech over a screen, but they were able to speak loudly, engage the audience, and gave their speech very smoothly. The guests and staff were all amazed at how well they managed themselves and what they have accomplished and gave them great comments. It was also great for us to see that this out-of-the-ordinary environment, especially in these restricted times, still provides an excellent opportunity for the LITs to learn and gain new skills.

Thank you so much for those who attended the event and continue to support LITs and Mirai no Mori. We will continue to adapt and evolve our methods so that we can provide ongoing support for the children in care, especially in these difficult and changing times. Again, thank you very much for your continuous support.