Supporting Activities and Researches for Social Welfare ― Sompo Welfare Foundation

The Sompo Welfare Foundation, established in 1977, conducts various programs, including providing financial assistance to civil society organizations in Japan, ASEAN countries, India and South Africa; holding academic conferences and funding research on social welfare, social security, insurance, and gerontology; and awarding outstanding academic papers. Aware of the rapid aging of society, it also promotes solutions to increasingly complex social issues, including supporting families who provide home care to an elderly member with dementia or other conditions, and providing scholarships for students studying to become certified care workers. Its programs are designed to meet contemporary needs through both research and practice.

●Support for Purchase of Vehicles

Since 1999, the foundation has financially supported organizations that need to purchase vehicles for their welfare activities for people with disabilities. In fiscal year 2021, the foundation invited applications from eastern Japan and selected ten organizations. These vehicles allow organizations to expand the range and scale of their activities and to increase the income of people with disabilities and the number of users of their welfare services.

New vehicles are proving to be very useful in safely transporting people

● Support for Organizational and Operational Reinforcement of Civil Society Groups

In 2004, the foundation started to provide financial support for organizational and operational reinforcement of civil society organizations that render welfare services to communities. In fiscal year 2021, financial support was provided to 58 organizations in total through programs to strengthen their organizational and operational activities, to help them acquire official status as approved specified non-profit corporations and to support local residents for their efforts in comprehensive local issues. As the effects of pandemic continue, in fiscal year 2021, the foundation once again increased the total amount of grants and accepted applications from non-profit organizations across Japan, including those aimed at continuing and expanding activities and projects even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation supports the development of high-quality, sustainable nonprofit organization that play key roles in their communities and the realization of a community-based society.

Anybody can participate in communication-focused sports; participants here are playing balloon volleyball

● Support for Overseas Welfare Activities

The foundation has supported civil society organizations in the social welfare field in ASEAN countries and India since 2010. In fiscal year 2021, it provided funds to projects undertaken by four organizations in four countries: in Indonesia, the foundation supported the purchasing of wheelchairs needed for vocational training to enable disabled people to become more self-reliant; in Malaysia, the funds were spent on facilities to help young people with Down’s syndrome lead independent lives; in the Philippines, the foundation helped cover the cost of education and meals provided to needy children who have dropped out of school; and in Singapore, the funds were spent on providing comprehensive home-based nursing care and healthcare services to poverty-stricken elderly people.

Presentation ceremony in Indonesia

● Sompo Welfare Foundation Award

The foundation has awarded outstanding academic literature in the field of social welfare since fiscal year 1999. In fiscal year 2021, Yasuo Takasaka won the award for his book Basic Disability Pension and the Disability Rights Movement: The Establishment of a New Guaranteed Income for People with Disabilities and its Political Dynamics. The presentation ceremony was held online in March 2021 and the Lectures and Symposiums Commemorating Awards scheduled to be held in July were cancelled in light of the spread of COVID-19 infections.

Fiscal 2021 online presentation ceremony

● Support for Networking and Learning of Family Caregivers for the Elderly

Since 1991, the foundation has provided support for networking events and learning programs intended to help reduce the stress of family caregivers caring at home for elderly dementia patients, and improve their care-giving skills.

Training for improving their care-giving skills

● Scholarships for Students Studying to Become Certified Care Workers

To boost the workforce of caregivers, the foundation offers scholarships for students in two-year vocational school programs and high school students in the welfare field. In fiscal year 2020, the foundation gave scholarships to 12 students in total (7 in first grade of professional training schools and 5 in second grade of high schools). After graduating from the school, many of them are playing an active role as care professionals.

Practicum for students to become certified care workers

● Financial Support for Gerontology Research

The foundation provides financial support for creative and innovative research in the field of social sciences relating to gerontology. In addition, the foundation organizes study groups on the Insurance Business Act, the health insurance and nursing care insurance systems, gerontology, and other topics. The foundation also publishes a report series and distributes it widely to libraries and elsewhere to spread information about research findings.

Study groups on the Insurance Business Act