I had been very tired of activities concerning the disabled and of my work before I came to Japan.I had wanted to take a break and refresh myself for further activities.So I came here for the following four purposes.

1.To learn the technique of peer counseling which is conducted at centers for independent living in Japan and acquire the attitude as a peer counselor in order to introduce it into Korea so that I could become a peer counselor in Korea.

2.To learn about the management of centers for independent living in Japan,and the various services offered by these centers.

3.To learn leadership required for activities concerning the disabled in Japan and how to manage an organization to assist the disabled.

4.To learn more about the attitude of able-bodied people toward disabled people and the culture of the disabled in Japan.

Most of my training took place in the Center for Independent Living.The most notable feature of my training is that while learning at the center for long time,I also made a lot of short trips to see various centers around the country.I stayed at the center in order to learn peer counseling intensively at one place to realize its most important purpose. And I visited various places and saw many facilities for disabled people in order to analyze advantages and disadvantages of management as determined by particular environments.

I am not satisfied with my Japanese lesson.I regret that I did not study hard though learning the language was the most important part of the training Life at Toyama Sunrise was oppressive and restricted.I do not like Toyama Sunrise because it is like a facility for the disabled. But a weekly volunteer activity at Studio IL Bunkyo was an unforgettable experiences.

At first,I found it difficult to understand the lessons at the Human Care Association because of my poor ability in understanding Japanese.It was hard to catch the idea of peer counseling,the important objective of my training in Japan.But Nakahara-san,Akiyama-san and Tsukada-san taught me word by word and let me understand peer counseling step by step.Thanks to that,I was able to ponder on many things during the course of my training in peer counseling.

I learned how Japanese leaders teach those with severe disabilities and those who have no opportunity to receive proper education.I also realized how the disabled themselves study at their own pace and get ready for independent living.In other words,peer counseling is a step that enables the disabled to recognize his own ability.

Though I was poor in speaking Japanese and had to adapt myself to the Japanese life and culture.I could discover my abilities little by little.

The training here included a guided tour of Japan National Assembly of DPI and many tours outside the facility.I could prepare for the world assembly and also check the ‘barrier-freeness’ of the World Cup Stadium.

I learned how to manage a center for independent living in a provincial small city.I found that disabled people there have less support compared to Tokyo and therefore have more difficulties in living independently.I felt that I had witnessed a regional gap.

Iruka,Center for Independent Living Center in Okinawa,is in the southern most island of Japan.The public transportation there is by public buses but because of financial problems,the city has to buy used buses from Tokyo.Therefore,although non-step buses can be seen now in Tokyo,these will not come to Okinawa until they become old and have to be considered as ‘disposable’items.This is one negative aspect of the standard welfare of the disabled in Okinawa.But disabled people there are working very hard to change the situation.

Shiga is a typical provincial area.The Center for Independent Living there consist mainly of workshops and group homes.There are not enough caregivers.I think transportation service is more important than caregiving because there are no public transportation there.I learned the management and technique of conducting a workshop on the prevention of discrimination.

Disabled people there are enjoying their independent lives.While their working speed is very slow,I was a little bit impressed to see how they work with delight.As I have acted desperately and worked nervously back in Korea,it served as a good opportunity for me to consider how I am going to act and work.I also learned from Kaneda-san that slightly disabled people like myself may have to play a certain role at a center for helping disabled people to live more fully.I could infuse them with greater delight or joy in their living situation.

It is unthinkable in Korea for a social welfare corporation to organizes an activity for the disabled.AJU House of Independence is a facility which is centered around the idea of independent living.For example,unlike other facilities that take care of disabled people all through their lives,AJU House of Independence cares for a disabled person for only four years and then helps him start his independent living.I learned a lesson from their management style.I will be able to adapt it for the facility in Seoul that I work for.

One of the mottos in AJU House of Independence is ‘It is not welfare if there is no enjoyment.’I was moved by this phrase.

My second training at the Human Care Association was at at time when I was also getting my thoughts in shape and deciding how to work after I returned to Korea.I was especially inspired when I learned that Nakanishi-san who is viewed as a strict workaholic,supports independent living so that the disabled may enjoy their lives.I was moved by his example and felt that I have found the purpose of my work.While preparing for Korean leadership training in Japan,I also was able to have an opportunity to work like a staff member.

Returning to Toyama Sunrise,I again felt restricted.I could not feel the same sense of freedom that I had felt at facilities in the provincial cities.However clean a room might be,I would like feel stressed by the sense of restriction.

Might it not be like living in a facility for the disabled?

I was not interested at all in the group training.But the lecture given by Ikezumi-san was impressive.It was about mutual feedback.Ikezumi said that it should be positive and constructive.But at the meeting of the symposium afterwords,I was very critical and unkind to the others.I felt disappointed that I could not practice what Ikezumi-san had advised.

While taking the group training,I saw attitude and techniques of many instructors and learned how I should talk and work.

Preparing for the symposium of APNIL,I realized my mission and responsibility for showing the disabled in Asia the importance of independent living and thus making them more empowered in living their own lives.

Finally I visited the headquarters and the plants of Duskin and had a chance to realize their philosophy.Our training at Duskin reflected their philosophy of focusing on the education of people.This is the only business in the world which believes in cultivating leaders among disabled people.That is important not only in Japan but also in Asia as a whole.If I could have visited Duskin earlier,I would have been able to talk to those whom I met during the training of how good this philosophy is.

Thanks to Duskin,disabled people have become more empowered and able to start human right activities.Thus the activities in Japan have been successful and the rights of disabled people have been kept to current level.This movement is now spreading throughout Asia.

I achieved the purposes of this training by learning techniques and attitudes of leading peer counselors and by understanding the services of the centers of independent living.I talked to the various activity leaders and the leaders of disabled people who live in independently,and learned their thoughts and leadership principles.Through the visits to the provincial area in Japan,I realized the good attitudes of able-bodied people towards disabled people and experienced the culture of disabled people.I achieved my main purposes in my leadership training.

Because of my poor ability in Japanese conversation,I often could sit back and ponder on things happening around me during the course of the training and how they affect me.I met many disabled people and listened to their accounts of activities and thoughts,which enabled me to seek and decide the direction of my future activity.Life is important for everyone.So it must be full of joy.That is an independent life.I would like to enjoy my life.

In order to live a happy life,one of should decide on one’s course and take responsibility by oneself.Life is full of challenges and acceptances.Disabled people,too,will experience successes and failures.One grows through those failures,and that is what a life is.I would like to communicate the activity for independent living in order to make sure that disabled people have fundamental rights of choice,challenge and failure.There are societies that try to restrict the rights and freedom of the disabled for their own convenience.I would like to fight with them for the realization of a barrier-free society.

I would like to make the current activity concerning adequate transportation for the disabled people a successful activity.And I would like to participate in activities providing for security of care and disability pensions in order to make it easier for the disabled to live in provincial areas.It is important for every disabled person in Korea to change his awareness and work together to let the society acknowledge the rights of the disabled.I am looking forward to working hard in order to realize this idea.

Currently,there are three centers for independent living in Korea,but they do not conduct peer counseling nor send caregivers.I would like to empower disabled people through peer counseling and establish many centers to support independent living for disabled people.And I wish to establish an association of those centers.

Now I feel a sense of pride as a trainee at Duskin and a sense of mission at the same time.This may be a result of this training.

The most important step is organizing activities concerning the disabled and establishing centers for independent living is cultivating leaders among disabled people.Those with severe disabilities and thus cannot study in universities do not even have the fundamental opportunity to grow as good leaders.

I would like to show the activities of the Duskin Ainowa Foundation to many Korean enterprises and develop the same kind of support for disabled people among businesses in Korea.