Yes, in the past we supported Learning Disability (LD) and Free School (FS) programs and will continue to look for innovative programs that can unleash the potential of children.

We select programs and events to support from various organizations and NPOs. Over the past 60 years, we have worked closely with the National Council of YMCAs of Japan and continue to look forward to working together. Each program or event UP supports must be managed and run independently and results in positive outcomes for the children it serves.

Our goal is to serve Challenged Children with an array of programs and events. These will include efforts focused on education and development, physical education and rehabilitation and music and the arts.

All Challenged Children are unique in the conditions with which they live. UP serves children living with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, mobility issues, and many other conditions for which they need additional support.

We aim to support all children living with special needs in Japan, from infants to high school students.

To help battle prejudice and misconceptions, our goal is to integrate our programs and activities with children of all skill and need levels, as well as to create opportunities for families to meet and socialize.

Many of the children we serve require additional, hands-on assistance. As such, volunteer and staff needs for the events and programs we support are high! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us for further details on opportunities.

We provide financial and volunteer support, as well as enhanced visibility and awareness for the Challenged Children in Japan and the many resources and services available.

The financial and other support we’re able to provide to Challenged Children programs and events ensures that they can continue to operate, expand to more children, and innovate.

The NPO UP has a fund. Every year, request forms are sent to organizations, NPOs and centres who are asked to submit them for CCP funding for the year. Centres may request funding for several programs and there is no ceiling.

No. Some do not. In general, the criteria to decide which centre gets how much are:
Number of challenged children in programs
Number of CCP programs
Amount(s) requested
Geographical location and demographics. Ability to solicit outside corporate and individual funding
Financial situation and size of the centre
Reliance of community and CCP children on the centre
Demand placed on the centre

NPO UP Director, NPO UP Chairman and Opcom, NPO UP CCP Committee (consisting of General Secretaries of the receiving centres). There is a Bi-annual General CCP Meeting usually in February and August.

The NPO UP Director assumes a leadership role in coordinating all CCPs. This Director reports to the NPO UP Board of Directors and Chairman.

Though there is no indication that number of Challenged Children are increasing, there are still thousands of children who are not getting the support they need due to a lack of resources, like funding and volunteers. A related problem is that Challenged Children grow into adults and some will continue to depend upon the NPOs and centres for their entire lives. We would like to help these children become active members of the community by developing their skills and habits at an early age. We believe that we can unleash their potential by supporting them early.

Financial support! In order to best serve Challenged Children, we need to ensure that the programs and events they utilize remain robust and viable.

Reporting and data collection regarding Challenged Children in Japan is needed to better understand how organizations like UP  can best serve and support the children and their families.