"A Study of Work and Living Support for People with Mental Illness by 'Fureai Kohba' in Okinawa Prefecture"
SUGIHARA Tsutomu
last update: 20151224
A Study of Work and Living Support for People with Mental Illness by "Fureai Kohba" in Okinawa Prefecture
SUGIHARA Tsutomu
Abstract:
As legal workplaces for people with mental illness, there are community workshops and social work facilities.
Fureai Kohba is a unique liability corporation which has developed creative work and living support
arrangements that go beyond these facilities. Fureai Kohba, established in August, 1995, in Naha City,
Okinawa, has performed a great and creative role in carrying out active social participation and independence
for people with mental illness. For example, under the system of Fureai Kohba, participants work according to
their work ability, but they receive their wages according to the needs of their lives. Moreover, Fureai Kohba
can not only provide residences and places of activity but provide daytime consultation about everyday life as
well. These unique practices led Okinawa Yamato Transport Co., Ltd, after an evaluation of Fureai Kohba, to
invite the organization to become the company's exceptional subsidiary.
In this paper, first, I will clarify and evaluate the establishment and duties of Fureai Kohba, the contents of
its living support system and current problems. Then, I will look at potential advantages and problems
concerning the exceptional subsidiary.
Keywords: exceptional subsidiary, work support, living support, the user subject, social participation
REV: 20151224