On March 18th, 33 students from the Regional Policy Research Group of the Faculty of Policy and Information, who are aiming to become civil servants, held a panel exhibition at the 17th Social Contribution Activities Fair (sponsored by the Toshima NPO Promotion Council, an NPO), about their research on urban policies and communities aimed at improving the livability of Tokyo's 23 wards, which they had been conducting as part of the Tokyo Research Project.
The "Tokyo Research Project" is a research activity that aims to improve the quality of life of residents and make the area more "livable" through Tokyo Metropolitan Government urban policies. We discover the issues and attractions of the area from the knowledge gained through fieldwork, interview surveys, regional analysis, and citizen collaboration events, and make policy recommendations to the area to solve those issues and improve its appeal.
At the 17th Social Contribution Activities Fair, participating organizations introduced the social contribution activities they are carrying out, exchanged information, and called for the expansion of networks and cooperation, collaboration, and participation.
This time, the students exhibited seven panels outlining their proposals for "civic activities to make Toshima Ward a more livable place," and were selected as the winner of the Panel Exhibition Excellence Award out of 46 groups.
The participants at the trade fair were from a wide range of age groups, and I got the impression that many of them were proactively thinking about local issues. I was in charge of statistical analysis of urban policies and communities, and investigated the current situation in Toshima Ward based on the indicators of Tokyo's 23 wards. Through exchanges of opinions with the members of the analysis team and advice from the professor, I was able to create materials that captured the characteristics of Toshima Ward. I was able to gain interest from other exhibiting organizations and local people, deepen my interactions, and it was a valuable experience that reminded me of the importance of dialogue and connections.
Shota Miyama, 3rd year student in the School of Policy and Information Studies (graduated from Kashiwai High School)
This time, we exhibited the results of our statistical analysis and the disaster prevention karuta cards we created. It was difficult to put the data into easy-to-understand tables and graphs to make it more persuasive. We actually took surveys at the venue and stuck stickers on panels so that the results could be seen at a glance. Learning that various organizations are trying to improve society just like us made me want to be even more proactive in contributing to society. I will use what I learned this time to take the civil service exam, and I hope to become a civil servant who can work with social organizations even after I get a job.
So Murayama, 2nd year student in the School of Policy and Information Studies (graduated from Chiba Commercial High School)
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