Everyone, did you know there’s a free-spirited workplace in Nishinomiya that hosts all kinds of events, where coworkers are so close they party every week? And they even have Death Sauce!
We went to check out this unique workplace: Nishinomiya’s independent living center, “Mainstream Association”.
Here it is on the map↓
The address is 9-3 Nishifukucho, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Whoa! There are so many people here. Quite a few people are using wheelchairs too.
Wait, it’s 3 p.m. right now, but someone is eating ramen!
Also, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Death Sauce sitting around at a workplace! What do they use it for?
Someone is working while sitting on a balance ball. Health-conscious. A very flexible workplace.
Wait. That’s the person who was eating ramen earlier lol
So, at this point, we figured out that they’re some kind of organization that’s hard to describe. Or rather, I think we understood that it’s a laid-back and unusual place.
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What Kind of Organization Is Mainstream Association?
Now let’s explain what this unique organization is all about.
“Mainstream Association” is a fun, incredibly lively organization that supports independent living, meaning it helps people live on their own, no matter how severe their disabilities may be. Honestly, I was overwhelmed the moment I walked in
Even someone using a respirator like this can receive support from Mainstream Association and live on their own.
The Q&A on their website was interesting↓
“It’s okay” lol
In other words, this is an independent living center run by people with disabilities themselves.
What Is Mainstream Association?
They want to create a society where anyone can live an ordinary life, even with severe disabilities.
- What they see as a problem
- People with severe disabilities are often left with only two options: spend their entire lives in a facility, or live while being cared for by their parents.
- What they want to do
- They want to create a society where people with disabilities can live with dignity as human beings and be themselves within the community.
The people involved with Mainstream Association fall into these four groups:
- Staff members with disabilities（activities to help people with disabilities live in the community）
- Staff members without disabilities（activities to help people with disabilities live in the community）
- Attendants(assist people with disabilities)
- Users（people with disabilities who want to live independently）
Here’s a rough image of how it works↓
For this Nishitsu job listing, they’re hiring attendants(care assistants).
Like this, wheelchair users and attendants (care assistants) are all mixed together, happily working on something as a group.
Inside the organization, attendants wear mesh vests like this. Apparently, it’s so everyone can tell who the attendants providing assistance are.
Activities at Mainstream Association
Let’s take a look at what the office is like and what kind of things they do there.
Oh, they’ve posted the menu for the newly opened “Kaachan Gyoza” in Imazu.
They’ve even got information on “Harukaze Kitchen,” the famous croquette shop in Harukaze-cho, Nishinomiya!! They’re sharing super local info, just like Nishitsu.
Miyacco says they copied it lol. So they make and post local information just like Nishitsu.
The person making it is “Chuu,” a staff member with a disability. In addition to this kind of information, he also creates videos and does all kinds of incredibly creative work.
They also have the Mainstream Association website and Instagram, so check them out!
“Hashieri,” another staff member with a disability, was creating materials for newcomers who will be active at Mainstream Association.
She also makes presentation materials like this and actually gives training sessions herself.
Next, we found someone else making documents on a computer.
Apparently, they write requests for better accessibility to places like Hanshin Koshien Stadium and Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens,
and create materials for accessibility education and training aimed at transportation companies such as Hankyu Bus. They also go out and actually conduct the training sessions.
Staff members with disabilities are actively working as part of their jobs to create a society where people with disabilities can live more easily. That’s the quality of Mainstream Association. Their drive is seriously impressive.
Now, let’s take a look at what attendants do to support these people with disabilities.
What an Attendant’s Job Looks Like
We’ll introduce what it’s like to be an attendant for a user living on their own.
