NPO“Manabiai” Learning together in JAPAN
NPO “MANABIAI” Learning Together
What’s NPO “Manabiai” Learning together
Established in 2016, the Non-Profit Organization “Manabiai = learning from and about each other” main activities are three fold.
Firstly, for persons with disabilities to use their experiences as teachers of occupational therapy and other health care students and professionals.
Secondly, to develop community-based rehabilitation initiatives
Thirdly, to conduct research.
In these ways too, we – persons with disabilities – can participate in and
contribute to society.
Professor Peter Bontje, OT, Ph.D. (photo left)
Yasuaki Hayama, Expert of hemiplegia experience , M.Sc. (photo right)
We use our obstacle experiences to contribute to society.
No.1 【Lecture based on experience】
We can give lectures based on experiences with rehabilitation and disabilities.
No.2 【Training event planning】
We plan one-handed cooking classes and community rehabilitation events etc in collaboration with each other.
No.3 【Collaborative research】
We conduct research on rehabilitation, medical care and welfare in collaboration between professionals and experience experts.
As we participate in society we also can contribute to society.
Message from chairman
People with disabilities are not just waiting for relief, but they have valuable “experiences of disability” and they can make use of it.
We would like to assist in improving original medical welfare and rehabilitation by feeding back our experience to society and education.
We aim for a society where everyone is living together, inclusive and able to feel the pleasure of living.
We will tell you the experience as existence, through lectures, community rehabilitation events and travel rehabilitation training.
Won’t you want to make health and welfare of tomorrow even more meaningful with us?
Chairman Hitoshi Hano (photo left)
Vice chairman Yasuaki Hayama (photo right)
“Collaborative approach”
“Collaborative approach with disabled people” Kouji Kobayashi
“Collaborative approaches with disabled people” is a concept of NPO Manabiai, Kobayashi et al. proposed this in 2014.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that disabilities arise from things that hinder social participation. However, in reality, it is known that the people with hemiplegia etc. are very often left without recovering confidence and motivation after leaving the hospital.
Kobayashi suggested M, a hemiplegia man to speak his own experiences at the community rehabilitation forum and supported the occupation. Kobayashi realized that this experience was very encouraging M, and thought that we should use their experiences for society together with the people. Kobayashi named this concept “Collaborative approach with disabled people”.
This concept includes the following contents.
1) Supporters and disabled people will do social activities together utilizing disability experiences.
2) For the same purpose, work in cooperation in an equitable position
3) These activities increases our self-confidence and promotes physical and mental health
KojI KobayashI (Associate Professor at Mejiro University)
“Collaborative Approach with Occupational Therapists” Yasuaki Hayama
When I heard from Mr. Kobayashi’s “Collaborative approach theory”, I felt this was a big discovery of humanity and I was deeply impressed. It’s because I understood “collaboration” included “people with obstacle experiences support therapists (OT · PT · ST)” that was completely opposite direction.
I, a person with a hemiplegic body, established a day service center corporation twelve years ago, including employing occupational therapists. I wrote that record in my book “Look at What You Can Do!” in collaboration with Ms. Y, an Occupational Therapist who engages in occupational therapy education through lectures at each training school, association-sponsored training and academic society.
In order to reform current rehabilitation, I think that not only a) the idea of supporting more people with disabilities is important, but also b) the more fundamental idea of conveying “the reality and social aspects of disabilities” to therapists is more than ever important, promoting the understanding of therapists, and supporting research, education and practice are important.
For the evolution of rehabilitation medicine, there are two things a) support one person with disabilities and, b) support a therapist who will treat 1000 people with disabilities. I think this b) is necessary now.
People with disabilities support therapists. (It is not a typographical error.)
Therefore, it is 「Manabiai / Learning together」, and 「Learning from and about each other」.
Sometimes it is good that experienced people with disabilities teach as a teacher, and therapists may be students. Since experienced people with disabilities do not have great power, “collaboration” with occupational therapist who support them as a teacher is done. It is a beautiful “collaboration”.
Beyond the “client-centered” concept, the “collaborative approach” advocated by Mr. Kobayashi and Hayama can be a new beginning of rehabilitation.
2018.8.20
Yasuaki Hayama (Master of Human Sciences・13 years experiences hemiplegia)
Our Performance
■In Thailand , in February 2018
■In Myanmar , in April 2018,
■In Dalian, China , in July 2018
■In Japan from Korea , in July 2018
