【Media Lab】Connecting local clubs with local industries: Collaboration

Uwajima Media Lab Community Club | Collaborative Meeting Connecting Community Clubs with Local IndustriesCollaborative Meeting with Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. July 15, 2026｜Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. The regional expansion of junior high school club activities is gradually beginning. How can we ensure that this movement doesn't just end with transferring school clubs to the community, but rather creates new learning opportunities for children to encounter local jobs and people, and to think about their future? To explore this possibility, representatives from Uwajima NPO Center, Comisuku Ehime, and Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. gathered to exchange ideas. Scene from the collaborative meeting held at Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. Turning the Regional Expansion of Club Activities into a "Regional Opportunity" As school club activities expand into the community, there is room to create unprecedented activities together with local adults and businesses. Uwajima has many jobs and wisdom that cannot be fully learned in a school classroom, across industries such as fisheries, agriculture, commerce, culture, and digital technology. During the meeting, a shared direction emerged: to create activities where children not only observe local industries but also get involved in interviewing, proposing products and projects, public relations, and sales experiences. The aim is for them to learn about the fun and challenges of work, as well as how money circulates within the community. Instead of giving children ready-made answers, we will empower them to meet local adults, identify challenges, think for themselves, experiment, and disseminate their findings. This experience itself will be the value of the community club. Local Connections Lead to Young People Returning Home Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. shared a welcome example: a student who studied marine science in Uwajima, then went on to higher education outside the prefecture, now wishes to return for an internship with the company. This student had also interned with the company during high school, maintaining a connection with Uwajima's marine industry even after leaving the area. Encountering local businesses and people working in the field during junior high and high school years, even if it doesn't immediately lead to employment, lays the groundwork for young people to consider returning to their hometowns in the future. Understanding what local adults think, what kind of work they do, and how they overcome difficulties is also crucial for young people when considering their career paths and ways of life. Participants exchanged opinions on the connection between local industry and young people, and sustainable collaboration. Uwajima Media Lab's Role in the "Dissemination and Response" Cycle Uwajima Media Lab illustrates the roles of the three parties and the "youth dissemination → community response → learning cycle." At the "Uwajima Media Lab Community Club," junior high school students will interview local people, activities, history, culture, industries, and disaster prevention, and then disseminate their findings using text, photos, audio, and video. Furthermore, high school students and university students from Uwajima will also be encouraged to participate, aiming to create a system that connects learning across different age groups. Interview local people and businesses Organize interview content and summarize it in Japanese and English Disseminate through web, radio, video streaming, etc. Receive feedback and questions from within and outside the region, and from overseas Reflect on responses and apply them to subsequent interviews and disseminations What we value is not just finishing with dissemination. We want to create a cycle where people outside the region and overseas show interest in the topics of Uwajima that the students covered. By receiving this feedback, young people themselves can experience that "this region has value to convey." Examples of International Exchange Connecting Fisheries and the World During the meeting, examples of international exchange being promoted by Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. were also shared. This includes initiatives where culinary students visiting Japan from American universities learn about Uwajima's aquaculture, processing, and distribution sites, and interact with local high school students studying marine science through food. Scenes from a dismantling show of Uwajima-farmed tuna held at a US supermarket. In addition, a dismantling show of Uwajima-farmed tuna held at a US retail store, which attracted many visitors, was also introduced. Fisheries products and technologies that are commonplace in the region can attract great interest overseas. Such reactions from abroad can serve as an opportunity to re-evaluate the value of local industries from a different perspective. Towards International Online Exchange in August International exchange event to demonstrate a system where young people's messages from Uwajima reach outside the region and receive responses. The Uwajima Media Lab is planning an online exchange on the morning of August 29, 2026, connecting an event venue in the United States with Uwajima. Participating young people will prepare short English messages introducing Uwajima and questions to ask international participants. At the local venue, messages and questions from Uwajima will be introduced via QR codes, and collected responses and feedback will be brought back. Young people will then organize these responses and share them with the community through web articles, radio, and other media. Furthermore, an idea was proposed to work with young people to create cards and guide materials that convey the charms of the region to visitors from overseas, in preparation for the cruise ship's scheduled arrival in Uwajima in September. Not only delivering information overseas, but also creating points of contact with visitors to Uwajima is one of the future themes of activity. Cross-Sectoral Ideas in Fisheries, Agriculture, and Science During the exchange of opinions, cross-sectoral ideas linking fisheries and agriculture were also discussed, such as smart agriculture utilizing drones and communication infrastructure, the use of abandoned farmland, and the potential to use unused parts of agricultural products as feed for aquaculture. For example, if junior high school students in the region could gain exposure to science and digital technology and participate in drone-based surveying or local issue investigations, it could develop into activities that connect learning, work, and community contribution. While these are currently in the conceptual stage, they represent proposals demonstrating that new learning can emerge when community clubs connect with diverse experts and businesses. Towards Sustainable Collaboration, Not Solely Reliant on Goodwill On the other hand, collaboration with companies and local residents cannot be sustained solely on gratuitous cooperation or the enthusiasm of a few individuals. Companies have their primary operations, and consideration must be given to employee working hours and roles. The community club side also needs a mechanism to ensure appropriate compensation for instructors and activity funds. Therefore, instead of asking companies to manage the entire club from the outset, we will start with manageable forms of involvement, such as accepting interviews, providing learning themes, offering expert advice, and giving feedback on results. While utilizing these achievements for public relations and promoting local industries, we will explore sustainable models in the future, including sponsorships, joint projects, and activity revenue. AI as an Aid for Thinking, Not the "Answer" The use of AI is envisioned for tasks such as organizing interview notes, structuring text, summarizing, and English expression. However, AI will not be used as a direct answer but rather as an aid for organizing thoughts. Fact-checking of AI output, pre-publication confirmation with interviewees, and appropriate management of personal and corporate information will be conducted, with learning safe usage being part of the activity. This Meeting is a "Start" This meeting was not a place to decide all specific business details or role assignments, but rather the first opportunity to bring together experiences, challenges, and ideas to confirm the possibilities of collaboration. First, young people from the Uwajima Media Lab Community Club will interview the work and people of Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. and convey their charm both within and outside the region. Through small practices and reflections, we will foster a collaboration that returns value to all: children, local businesses, and those who support the activities. Related & Cooperating Organizations General Incorporated Association Comisuku Ehime Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. Uwajima Cable Television Co., Ltd. *Future activity plans described in this article include contents currently under consideration. We will solidify the implementation details through repeated discussions with stakeholders. English Summary｜英語要約を表示 Connecting Community Clubs with Local Industries On July 15, 2026, representatives from the Uwajima NPO Center, Comisuku Ehime, and Uwajima Project met to discuss how the transition of school club activities into community-based programs could create new learning opportunities for young people. Rather than simply moving existing activities outside schools, the participants explored ways for students to meet local professionals, learn about regional industries, and consider their own futures. One encouraging example came from the fisheries sector. A student who had studied fisheries in Uwajima and later moved outside the region for further education has expressed an interest in returning to Uwajima Project for another internship. The story showed how meaningful contact with local companies during the teenage years can remain important even after young people leave the area, and may eventually give them a reason to return. The Uwajima Media Lab Community Club will invite junior high school students to interview local people and organizations about regional culture, history, industries, disaster preparedness, and community activities. Their findings will be organized and shared through articles, photographs, audio, video, radio, and short English summaries. High school students and university students originally from Uwajima will also be encouraged to participate, creating a learning pathway across different age groups. A key feature of the project is the cycle of communication and feedback. Students will not only publish information but will also receive questions and responses from people in Japan and overseas. An online exchange with an event in the United States is planned for the morning of August 29, 2026. Students will prepare short English messages and questions about Uwajima, collect responses from overseas participants, and share what they learn through local media. Ideas were also discussed for welcoming international cruise ship visitors and providing accessible information about Uwajima. The meeting also produced early-stage ideas connecting fisheries, agriculture, science, drones, digital infrastructure, and the use of underutilized local resources. These ideas have not yet been adopted as formal projects, but they demonstrate the range of learning that could emerge when community clubs connect with local experts and businesses. The participants agreed that long-term cooperation cannot depend only on unpaid goodwill. The project will begin with realistic forms of involvement, such as accepting student interviews, providing learning themes, offering professional advice, and giving feedback. It will also explore sustainable approaches that may include sponsorships, joint projects, and appropriate compensation for instructors. AI may assist with organizing notes, drafting, summarizing, and translation, but all published information will require human fact-checking, appropriate information management, and confirmation by interviewees. This meeting was a starting point. By building small, practical collaborations and reviewing each step, the partners aim to create a program that benefits young people, local industries, and the wider Uwajima community.

Item added to your cart

Language

Country/region

Language

We would like to inform you about our activities.