EN-ICHI Opens Up the Future of Family and Community
[Info. File] Proposals for the Development of Human Resources in Social Education
Central Council for Education Proposes Revitalization of the Field through “Social Education Personnel”
In June 2024, the Subcommittee on Social Education Personnel of the Lifelong Learning Division of the Central Council for Education released its final report, "On the Development and Promotion of Social Education Personnel" (「社会教育人材の養成及び活躍促進の在り方について（最終まとめ）」).
Based on the recognition expressed in the Fourth Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education that social education plays an important role in building sustainable local communities, and that it is necessary to cultivate a foundation for people to cooperate with one another through “learning,” the final report highlights the importance of linking school education with social education to strengthen community ties and foster the next generation. It also stresses the significance of collaboration between social education and community-related policies in fields such as welfare, disaster prevention, and the revitalization of rural, mountain, and fishing villages.
As the scope of social education personnel expands to include not only social education facilities, related organizations, and NPOs, but also municipal departments and private companies, the report emphasizes the critical role of individuals who can organize social education activities. It states that both qualitative improvement and quantitative expansion of such personnel are essential. Overall, the vision presented is one in which social education human resources serve as hubs for developing people, building connections, and fostering communities.
Specifically, the report focuses on the roles of Social Education Supervisors and Social Education Personnels as core categories of social education human resources.
Source: Compiled by the author
The Social Education Supervisor is a professional position appointed by boards of education. By linking social education with areas overseen by municipal governments—such as school education, the environment, welfare, disaster prevention, rural and fisheries revitalization, and community development—Social Education Supervisors are expected to take the lead in both social education administration and practice, serving as the core drivers for the overall promotion of social education in local communities.
On the other hand, the Social Education Personnel is a specialized human resource for community building who has completed the Social Education Supervisor Training Course or a designated training program. At the field level, these professionals are expected to utilize their expertise in various domains, combined with knowledge of social education, to invigorate activities and deepen their significance.
In order for social education to fulfill its role in supporting local communities, social education personnel are required to acquire coordination skills to effectively advance community-based learning and practice, as well as the knowledge and techniques needed to connect learning outcomes to solving local issues through collaboration and partnership with relevant administrative bodies and diverse stakeholders. To achieve this, recommendations have been made to expand enrollment capacity in Social Education Supervisor training courses, strengthen inter-institutional cooperation to enhance quality, and broaden opportunities for active engagement.
(Published with additions and revisions in the August 2024 issue of "EN-ICHI FORUM")
