【Activity Report】NY × Japanese × Social Contribution! — Exploring a New Kind of Student-Led Volunteering That Tackles Social Issues

Hello everyone! We’re NY de Volunteer.

On Saturday, April 20th, we hosted a special volunteer event exclusively for students at Sheep Meadow in Central Park!

With the theme “NY × Japanese × Social Contribution”, the event brought together Japanese students and learners of Japanese in NY to explore social issues and discuss the possibilities of volunteering.

【Background of the Program】

From the perspective of students studying English abroad, Japanese speakers can sometimes feel awkward or discouraged towards speaking Japanese or connecting with Japanese fellow. We are unconsciously feeling a subtle pressure that “we MUST speak up with English!”. As a result, it can unintentionally distance us from interactions with those who share our cultural background.

This initiative was born from a desire to spark small changes in that reality—hoping that fellows who know the same culture could help and support each other.

We wanted to produce more chances for students to get involved and connect freely. That’s why this event was planned and run entirely by students.

Rather than just “doing” volunteer work, we wanted to try “creating” it.

This program was designed to help each student take their first step as a changemaker.

【Event Highlights】

Blessed with perfect spring weather, we held the event in person under the blue skies of Central Park’s Sheep Meadow.

Participants included:

• 2 Japanese students

• 1 student learning Japanese

• 1 Japanese language teacher

• 4 organizing staff members
  

The members came together with a wide variety of interests in Japanese and volunteering, as well as their experience in New York and backgrounds.

We kicked things off with icebreakers to get to know each other. As the initial nerves faded, the atmosphere became warm and relaxed. Then we introduced the discussion themes.

【Discussion Topics】

1. Environmental Issues: What can we do to reduce waste in New York?

2. Poverty: How can we support people experiencing homelessness?

3. Cross-Cultural Understanding: What can we offer to deepen intercultural understanding?

   
   

Participants wrote their ideas on sticky notes and shared them one by one. We then voted on the most impactful ideas.

Despite the serious nature of the topics, the open-air setting fostered a surprisingly positive and open dialogue.

【Sample Ideas from the Discussion】

• Environmental Issues: Create and display awareness posters to discourage littering

• Poverty: Partner with soup kitchens and set up a system for donating unused and/or unnecessary clothing

• Cross-Cultural Understanding: Host events where people from different cultures cook and introduce their traditions together

【Voices from Participants】

Here are some of the comments from our post-event survey:

• “The mix of picnic and volunteering made it comfortable and fun to join.”

• “I heard ideas I never would’ve thought of on my own.”

• “Combining different opinions helped us come up with better solutions.”

【Reflections — A Student’s First Step Can Spark Social Change】

As a student staff member, this was my first time leading an event from planning to execution. The preparation and coordination weren’t easy, but through this experience, I truly felt that even small steps can lead to meaningful change—and that made it all worthwhile.

In a place like NY, where diverse values converge, new perspectives and ideas naturally emerge. This wasn’t just a “brainstorming session”—it was a moment where each participant discovered their own way of engaging with society.

For me as well, it was a precious experience to know what it means to take a step toward making the society better—together with someone.

“Volunteering isn’t just for special people.”

By taking initiative ourselves, we can all become changemakers.

We hope to continue organizing student-led events like this one!

To students who feel “I want to do something, but I’m not sure what”—why not start here?

Report by Miyuu

Staff Member, NY de Volunteer