[Participants Wanted] Training course for counselors to support safe and secure lives of foreign residents (September to February)

APFS will be conducting a seven-part training course to cultivate counselors who will support the safe and secure lives of foreign residents.

With the Tokyo Olympics approaching, the number of foreigners is expected to increase further due to simplified visa procedures and the influx of technical trainees in the construction and nursing care sectors. Furthermore, there is a noticeable trend towards foreign residents settling down permanently. Of the 2.08 million foreigners (as of the end of June 2014, according to Immigration Bureau statistics), 660,000, or about one-third, are "(general) permanent residents."
As foreign residents move through different life stages, the problems they face change and become increasingly complex. Feeling that more people need to provide close support to foreign residents, we decided to hold a training course for counselors.

This course consists of seven sessions designed to provide you with all the necessary knowledge for assisting foreigners.
It's possible to join partway through or participate just once.
In addition to counselors, we also have people who work as interpreters.
We welcome volunteers and members of the public who are interested in getting involved in providing support to foreigners.
Please feel free to participate.

<Part 1>
Date and time: September 5th (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 402
Lecturer: Tomoe Komai (Attorney-at-Law, Milestone Law Firm)
Content: Residence status required for foreign residents to live in Japan
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<2nd session>
Date and time: September 19th (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 503
Lecturer: Masami Tachibana (Lawyer, Toranomon Law & Economics Office)
Contents: Laws related to the lives of foreign residents (international marriage and divorce, labor, handling of disputes, etc.)
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<3rd session>
Date and time October 24th (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 503
Lecturer: Natsuko Minamino (Full-time Lecturer, Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Showa Women's University)
Content: Settlement of foreign residents and safety nets
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<4th>
Date and time: November 28th (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 503
Lecturer: Megumi Shinohara (Director, Itabashi General Volunteer Center)
Content: Foreign residents and disaster prevention
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<5th>
Date and time: December 19th (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 503
Lecturer: Toshio Takayama (Hirano Kameido Himawari Clinic)
Contents: Practical aspects of the healthcare system for foreign residents
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<6th>
Date and time: January 23, 2016 (Sat) 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 403
Lecturer: Tetsuo Mizukami (Professor, Faculty of Sociology, Rikkyo University)
Content: Considering Japan's support for foreign residents in a global context—Multiculturalism and immigration policy—
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<7th>
Date and time: Saturday, February 6, 2016, 18:30-20:30
Venue: Itabashi Ward Green Hall, Conference Room 402
Lecturer: Tetsuo Mizukami (Professor, Faculty of Sociology, Rikkyo University)
Contents: Summary of sessions 1-6 and awarding of completion certificates.
Capacity: 25 people
Participation fee: Free

<Applies to all episodes>
申込　　相談員育成講座担当（info@npo-apfs.com）まで、予めメールにてお申込みください。
Please use "Application for Counselor Training Course" as the subject line, and include your affiliation, name, email address, and preferred dates for participation in the body of the email.
Applications will be accepted until the day of the event. (We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.)
Organized by the Nonprofit Organization ASIAN PEOPLE'S FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY (APFS)

<Contact Information>
APFS TEL 03-3964-8739 FAX 03-3579-0197 E-mail info@npo-apfs.com

*FY2015 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Support Project for Foreign Residents