Many summer programs geared toward the education and learning of the Japanese culture and language are available in Japan. One such example, The AYUSA Global Youth Exchange program, offers a summer cultural exploration program in Tokyo. The program allows students to experience the Japanese culture through organized activities such as visiting monumental museums and landmarks. Student can also participate in intensive Japanese language courses.
Many families and citizens of Japan benefit from non-profit organizations that recruit students and other individuals interested in doing volunteer work. Types of work include providing childcare to families that cannot afford it, promoting peace and teaching English. The Cultural Homestay International organization offers a program in which students who are at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma can become English tutors for families in Japan with limited knowledge of the English language. Volunteers are offered one- to three-month stays with their host families, during which they teach the families conversational English.
Sometimes communities that have been faced with strenuous disaster or hardship need the work and dedication of just a few individuals to help re-build. The Service Civil International organization takes part in the exchange of volunteers through international group work camps that focus on heavy-duty labor such as rebuilding homes or working on farms in need of an extra hand. Typically, the work camps are made up of five to 20 people and are usually three weeks long. These volunteer workers also tend to the environment and promote the overall wellness of the entire community.
