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What is NICE
Internatinal workcamps

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In Japan &Asia
Long & middle term volunteer Weekend workcamps Group workcamps Other projects of NICE

 

 What is NICE?

 

A nongovernmental organization (NGO) and non-profit organization (NPO) that organizes voluntary workcamps in Japan and East Asia. NICE acts as the vice-president of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) at UNESCO and the general secretary of the Network for Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA). Building a future of mobilized and engaged communities!

 

 Brief History

 
NICE was founded on the 4th of February 1990 by 7 youths who had participated in volunteer workcamps abroad. In September 1990, the first international workcamp was held in Japan at the foot of the Mt. Fuji. NICE has been growing rapidly as we rise to the challenge of meeting the ever-increasing needs from communities for targeted projects and motivated volunteers.

 

 Aims

 

To connect, develop and revive communities and their environment
We promote innovative volunteer projects through grassroots movements engaged in reshaping a world fraught with a lack of cooperation and unsustainable practices into a more balanced community and ecology that promotes global citizenship.
To encourage projects of local NGOs/ NPOs and the mobilization of local communities
By involving the local communities we create opportunities for people to meet and develop new projects. We build bridges between isolated NPOs and the public, and invite youth to depopulated areas.
To promote global friendship, understanding and solidarity
Through exchange among the world’s youth and local communities we encourage growth through living, working, communicating and laughing together. The aim is to improve global citizenship and outlook, sensitivity, planning and language skills.

 

 Activities

 

To achieve the above aims, NICE runs the following activities (to list a few):

a) Organizes international workcamps (1-3 weeks) primarily inJapan and some in other parts of Asia.
100 projects in 14 countries with 757 international volunteers in 2008.

b) Sends volunteers from Japan to international workcamps abroad.

c) Organizes Long And Mid-term volunteer Programs (LAMP for 2 -12 months) in Japan with 12 projects and 80 volunteers and sends 101 volunteers to projects in 18 countries in 2008.

d) Organizes weekend workcamps (1-3 days projects) in Japan.

1994: a) 16 projects & 213 vols. b) 127 vols./ c) 24 projects & 240 vols./ d) 0 project & 0 vols.
1999: a) 45 projects & 535 vols. b) 487 vols./ c) 101 projects & 1,154 vols./ d) 0 project & 7 vols.
2004: a) 54 projects & 726 vols. b) 723 vols./ c) 139 projects & 1,918 vols./ d) 10 projects & 77 vols.

<Other projects>
e) Group workcamps (for specific groups)
f) Green Foster Parents (forest protection)
g) Educational actions (to organize school lessons)
h) Social actions (for disadvantaged children & refugees)
i) Farm Stay Progarms (to revive agriculture)
j) Networking (to promote international volunteering)

Project
Results in 2004
Results in 15 years
1) International workcamps by NICE 54 projects in 10 countries
with 726 international vols.
and 13,589 local people
443 projects in 17 countries
with 5,512 international vols.
and about 100,000 local people
2) International workcamps in the world 723 vols. to 60 countries 5,852 vols. to 95 countries
3) LAMP 139 projects in 21 prefectures
with 1,918 vols. and
thousands of local people
1,001 projects in 33 prefectures
with 13,392 vols. and hundreds of
thousands of local people
4) Weekend workcamp 15 projects with 33 vols.
and sent 77 vols. to 16 countirs
47 projects with 97 vols.
and send 235 vols. to 24 countirs
5) Group workcamp 5 projects in 5 countries 11 projects in 7 countries
6) Green Foster Parents About 500 "parents" About 2,000 "parents"
7) School programs 16 programs in 9 schools 36 programs in 22 schools
9) Farm Stay Programs 2 projects with 17 vols. 16 projects with over 120 vols.

 

 Members & Partners

 

There are 1,371 members (76%:female, 74%:students) + 6,881 associates + 6 organizational memebers + over 10,000 local people. NICE is run by 10 full time paid professionals, 10-15 part time voluntary staff together with many active members. The General Assembly is held twice a year and the Executive Committee of NICE is held six times a year. We are independent from any political, religious or economic organization.
NICE has one of the most number of partner NGOs in the world and is the:
Vice-President of CCIVS at UNESCO since 2007
Secretary of NVDA sine 2008
The only Japanese member of the ALLIANCE of European Voluntary Service Organizations since 1996
Exchange Partner of SCI (Service Civil International) and YAP (Youth Action for Peace).
We also cooperate with local governments, other NGO/NPOs, the media, foundations and communities.

 

 Finance

 
Cost
Main resource
a) Running cost (staff, office, etc.) Membership Fee (including inscription fee from volunteers)
b) Project cost (food, accomodation, etc.) of international workcamps in Japan and LAMP Local partners (their own budgets, local governments, sponsoring foundations, etc.)
c) Project costs of weekend workcamps and workcamps outside Japan Volunteers

* Income: Membership fee (86%), Grant (8%), Project partner (5%), Fundraising (2%)
* The finances that are managed by NICE as a whole, are mostly for running costs.
Each project's finances are managed self-sufficiently:
+ About half of the income should be from the project partners and membership fees
+ About half of the expenses should be allocated for tools and materials for the work, and meals and accommodation for the volunteers.

 

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