- The following is content from the press release -
(Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yasuyuki Toki; hereafter "Unifa"), a company that uses technology to solve social issues related to childcare and child rearing, has opened the "Lukumi Mirai Daycare School" as a training community for learning with highly specialized instructors, including Dr. Toshiyuki Shiomi, Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University. The school will provide training and a learning community for childcare professionals to experience the joys and rewards of childcare, and to realize better childcare.
Lukumi will continue to evolve as a comprehensive ICT/training service that contributes to adding value to the childcare industry through the provision of new products and training services.
About "Lukumi Mirai Daycare School
Background of School Opening
Unifa has been promoting the use of technology to reduce the workload of childcare facilities and improve the quality of childcare while promoting the concept of "Smart Nursery Schools, Smart Kindergartens, and Smart Childcare Centers. Some of our model preschools that have introduced our Lukumi series in bulk have realized a monthly reduction of approximately 65% in work hours*6, showing that ICT utilization can contribute to a certain extent to improving the environment of childcare facilities. On the other hand, we have also found that there are issues that need to be resolved before the introduction and use of ICT in childcare facilities.
According to a survey*7 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), directors and heads of childcare facilities in Japan indicated a high need for professional development through training in such areas as "formulating preschool goals related to children's growth, learning and life (54%)," "using data to improve preschool quality (46%)" and "providing effective feedback to childcare staff (43%). The respondents indicated a high need for professional development through training in these areas, all of which were the highest among the countries surveyed.
In addition, from our own survey*8, more than half of the respondents answered that "attending training sessions has contributed to changes in the atmosphere of the preschool and staff and to human resource development (54%)," but "I don't know what the issues are (46%)," "Even if I attend a one-off training session, I cannot reflect or embed it in my daily childcare activities (46%)," "It is difficult to send staff to training sessions due to a shortage of staff (34%)," "I cannot attend training sessions due to geographical or schedule reasons (24%)," etc. (46%)," "It is difficult to send staff to training sessions due to staff shortages (34%)," and "Cannot participate due to geographical or scheduling reasons (24%)," etc., were also found to be issues on the facility side.
In light of this background, we have decided to open the Lukumi Mirai Childcare School to further support childcare facilities in their efforts to improve the quality of their childcare services. The school is an unprecedented new learning opportunity for childcare facilities, where students can take classes online without location restrictions, draw a picture of what they want their center to be, clarify where they should start, and work together to realize their vision.
*6: Change in work time required for photo sales, temperature checks, contact sheets, and shift preparation (measured at our model preschool)
*7: Source "International Survey of Early Childhood Education and Care Workers 2018: Attitudes of Child Care Workers Regarding Childcare Practices" (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Participating countries: Japan, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Iceland, Korea, Norway, Turkey (Denmark is not comparable due to low collection rate in some cases)
*8: Internet survey conducted among holders of childcare worker and kindergarten teacher certifications (period: March 12-15, 2021, 500 valid responses).
Course Outline and Curriculum Points
Mirai Childcare Contents" to discover "what you want to be" from information that will lead to children's future.
Starting with "What we can do now for the children of the future" by Prof. Toshiyuki Shiomi (Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and President Emeritus of Shiraume Gakuen University), the course continues to provide a variety of information half a step ahead that leads to the discovery of what you want to become, from SDGs to education at elementary schools and other schools. This course is an opportunity to think about what you can do as a childcare provider to nurture children's ability to live their own lives in a better society in the future (6 sessions; free of charge for participants of the self-design course and the outward and return type course).
Self-Design Course" that enables students to envision "what they want to be" based on successful examples.
Teachers who have taken on various challenges in the childcare industry are invited as "Mirai Childcare Ambassadors. By sharing best practices and experiences, the Ambassadors will help you to envision what you want to become for your own center and accompany you in setting goals (5 sessions, 3 month course).
A "return course" to realize "what you want to be" through repetition of learning and practice.
The course will cover four themes, including organizational development to utilize diversity, instructional communication to create cooperative relationships, work improvement to create a relaxed work environment, and review of childcare using photographs, and you will learn from highly specialized instructors such as Takashi Mutoh (Professor Emeritus, Shiraume Gakuen University) and Keitomo Soyobuta (Professor, Tamagawa University). The courses are designed to help you learn from highly specialized lecturers. Each course is a "back-and-forth" type of training that repeats learning and practice in the childcare field, aiming for essential on-site reform (4 sessions per course, 3 to 4 months).
*Course content is subject to change depending on circumstances.
About Mirai Childcare Ambassadors
Dr. Taiyo Imazu (Director, Kagayaki-no-Mori Preschool Ueda, Izumishinkai Social Welfare Corporation)
Dr. Kiichiro Sakamoto (Executive Director and Director of RISSHO KID'S Kirari Okamoto, Social Welfare Corporation Tachibana Fukushi Kai)
Dr. Kentaro Sakoda (CEO, Chasa Nursery School Group)
Dr. Masanori Seo (President and Director, Social Welfare Corporation Ninji Hoikuen and Setagaya Daita Ninji Hoikuen)
Dr. Sei Tomaki (President and Director, Kurumi Children's School, Kurumi Gakuen School Corporation)
Dr. Jun Nakajima (Director, Kariya Dream Tree Preschool, Philos Social Welfare Corporation)
Dr. Masahiro Hori (Director, Social Welfare Corporation Bell-no-Ringing Hill Friendship Society and Certified Nursery School Sakura)
Dr. Ryota Muramatsu (Rhythm Gakuen School Corporation, Aioi Children's Preschool, Director)
Dr. Asuka Muramoto (General Manager, Step up Co., Ltd.)
Dr. Shiro Watanabe (Executive Director, Tsubasa Fukushi Kai Social Welfare Corporation)
Overview of Lukumi Mirai Daycare School
interpoint (interword separation)target group Childcare providers nationwide (heads of facilities, directors, head teachers and above, and frontline childcare providers)
interpoint (interword separation)Date of School Opening
Pre-opening: July 1, 2021 (only Mirai Daycare Content and Outward Bound courses will open)
Main opening: September 1, 2021 (in addition to the above, self-designed courses will also open)
interpoint (interword separation)form (something takes) online
interpoint (interword separation)home page https://lookmee.jp/mirasuku/
About Unifa Corporation
Unifa Corporation is a startup in the "Childcare-Tech" field that aims to solve social issues related to childcare and childcare. With the company's purpose of "creating new social infrastructures that create happiness for families around the world," Unifa develops and provides childcare support devices and services utilizing IoT and AI. Through the development of "Smart Nursery Schools, Smart Kindergartens, and Smart Childcare Centers," we are contributing to the creation of a society in which it is easy to work while raising children.
About Us
interpoint (interword separation)Company Name Unifa Corporation
interpoint (interword separation)Representative Director and CEO Yasuyuki Toki
interpoint (interword separation)Establishment 2013
interpoint (interword separation)Location Sumitomo Fudosan Chiyoda Fujimi Building 2F, 1-8-19 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
interpoint (interword separation)Business Overview Planning, development, sales and operation of the "Lukumi" series of childcare support services. Development and promotion of "Smart Nursery School, Smart Kindergarten and Smart Childcare Center
interpoint (interword separation)Company URL https://unifa-e.com/
Let's take a look at the release for more information, including the instructors.