PRESS RELEASE / SELECTION REPORT

2026/08/09

Specified Non-profit Organization Uwajima NPO Center

Selected for Ehime Prefecture's "FY2026 NPO Activity Grant Program"

First-year pilot project "Uwajima Media Lab" to foster young people through AI and community reporting launched

The Specified Non-profit Organization Uwajima NPO Center (Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture; Representative Director: Riko Yakushijin) has been selected as a grant recipient for Ehime Prefecture's "FY2026 Ehime Prefecture NPO Activity Grant Program (Population Decline Countermeasures Activity Grant)." The selected project is the first-year pilot project, "Uwajima Media Lab: Empowering Young People through AI and Community Reporting."

In this project, junior high and high school students and young people in Uwajima City will gain practical learning in AI literacy, local reporting, writing expression, recording through photos, audio, and video, English summarization, and dissemination through radio, YouTube, and other platforms. Through the experience of interviewing local people and activities themselves, expressing themselves in their own words, and receiving feedback from both within and outside the region, the project aims to foster affection and pride for the region and cultivate a sense of responsibility for the future of the community.

Youth Learning to "Know, Document, and Convey" the Region

In the Nanyo region, including Uwajima City, amidst population decline and an aging society with a low birthrate, securing successors to inherit local activities, disaster prevention activities, shopping street activities, and NPO activities is a challenge. On the other hand, while there are diverse people engaged in disaster prevention, welfare, education, culture, industry, etc., there are not enough opportunities for the younger generation to experience their experiences and thoughts, document them themselves, and disseminate them.

In the Uwajima Media Lab, young people are positioned not merely as observers, but as "bearers of information dissemination" who listen to local people, document, and convey. AI is not the main player, but is used as an auxiliary tool to support transcription of audio, organization of text, summarization, and English expression. Products are disseminated after confirmation by instructors and staff, and pre-publication confirmation with interviewees as necessary.

Main Activities

• Workshops to learn basic AI utilization and the ability to verify information accuracy
• Media literacy education to learn about personal information, copyright, portrait rights, and consideration for interview subjects
• Reporting and documentation of local organizations, shopping streets, disaster prevention, and disaster relief activities
• Production of Japanese articles, English summaries, photos, audio, and simple videos
• Dissemination of results through FM Gaiya, YouTube, Uwajima NPO Center website, etc.
• Holding of results presentation and verification for continued operation in subsequent years

Project Overview

Linked with "Community Clubs" for Junior High School Students

The "Uwajima Media Lab Community Club" for junior high school students, which is linked to this project, was certified as a certified community club activity (Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture's Junior High School Club Activity Regional Development Project, organized by General Incorporated Association Komi-Suku Ehime) by the Uwajima City Board of Education on 2026/07/06. By connecting the first-year pilot project with grant funding and ongoing community club activities, we will create an environment where young people can learn about and disseminate information about the region, according to their age and participation objectives.

Please note that activity schedules, participation fees, insurance premiums, etc. vary depending on the participation category. Please check the respective guide pages for the latest information.

Towards a Sustainable Model Beyond Grant Funding

This grant provides a crucial opportunity to advance the first year of piloting and establish an operational foundation. However, operating a project solely dependent on grants is not sustainable. The Uwajima NPO Center will combine participation fees, donations, a supporter membership system, corporate sponsorships, and partnerships with local organizations to build a sustainable mechanism for continued operation after the grant period ends.

The created articles, English summaries, audio, and videos will be accumulated as records of community activities and utilized for educational materials and information dissemination in subsequent years. Furthermore, we aim to develop a cyclical project where graduates can participate as supporters or potential leaders to assist new participants in the future.