Many people who are considering moving to a rural area or making a U-turn may think that they would like to do something to boost the local community. However, the hurdle goes up a notch when you think you have to work on community development or set up some kind of local business.

However, there are many things you can do for your community, even if it is not 'work'. For example, I volunteer in the preservation of an old thatched-roof house in my area, the Fukui Old Headman Sato House.

We enjoy cleaning, chopping firewood, organising events, etc., as much as we can and as an extension of our hobbies. And now, this activity of preserving old houses has been selected to receive support from the Niigata Workers Welfare Foundation as an activity to promote the creation of local communities! Even if everyone involved is a volunteer, we can still receive support.

In fact, there are a surprisingly large number of programmes to support residents who want to take on the challenge of this kind of town and community development. In each municipality, there are subsidies for civic and community activities, subsidy programmes for different fields such as culture, art, sports, welfare, tourism, etc., and subsidy programmes by private foundations... If you want to do something, go and talk to the city or town hall. The government is looking for ideas to energise the community and residents who are willing to implement them, so they will be happy to give you friendly advice.

Niigata has an environment that supports even small challenges. Why not take on the many challenges of activities that are not for work, home or play, but that will enhance the community?

NPO Fukui Old Headman Sato House Preservation Society http://sato-ke.neoniigata.com/

Deaf Welfare Foundation http://zaidan-hukushi.or.jp/

Grants and subsidies reference / Niigata NPO and community development support centre http://www.nponiigata.jp/