Shedding light on a nameless problem

The Benesse Children's Fund established the Benesse Children's Fund D&I Award in 2023 as the first attempt of the Science Castle Research Fund to support research by children with disabilities. We interviewed Mr. Aoki and Ms. Hirano of the Foundation, which has decided to establish the award again in 2024, about the possibilities and significance of supporting party research as seen through the first year's efforts.
 

There are middle and high school students who want to work on solving their problems.

The Benesse Children's Fund (hereinafter referred to as "Children's Fund") has been conducting subsidized and voluntary projects under four themes: support for learning that leads to a better society, support for learning by children with illnesses and disabilities, activities to protect the safety and security of children, and support for learning by children with economic difficulties. As a new approach to this support, the Benesse Children's Fund D&I Award for Science Castle Research Fund was launched in 2023 together with REVANES with the aim of "supporting the power and voice of children and youth to solve social issues through their own research and communication, rather than adults solving their problems" (hereinafter "D&I Award"). hereinafter referred to as the D&I Award). In terms of dealing with personal problems, the design of the application and support was done carefully. Before we started accepting applications," said Hirano, "we wondered whether junior high and high school students would really apply for the research grant, considering their own problems as the subject of the research. However, once the application period began, 13 junior high and high school students from all over Japan submitted applications expressing their desire to work on solving their own problems because they are minorities, reaffirming the significance of the support provided by this research grant.
 

Accompanying support to envision the ideal future together

The D&I Award provides mentors with expertise to support the research of their own problems. Some of the first-year recipients were trying out research for the first time, while others needed specific technical assistance, and the research support was tailored to each individual. Mr. Aoki commented, "Through communication between the mentors with their expertise and the adopters, I saw the adopters' perspectives broaden. I realized that research is not only about finding answers, but also about the process of research," he said. The unique feature of this research grant is that it does not only provide technical support for conducting research, but also provides support that emphasizes objective discoveries and awareness in the course of research by reflecting on one's own experiences and engaging with parties who have had similar experiences. As a result, the first year's research not only yielded interesting research findings, but also evolved into a study that raised the perspective of the issues to be solved and the worldview to be aimed for, allowing the researcher to work with different approaches and perspectives as needed.
 

The social issue of "nameless problems

The Children's Fund decided to establish the D&I Award again this year because it believes that the voices of middle and high school students are important in expanding the scope of its support. Although the Children's Fund provides a wide range of support for children's learning, it is only those that are labeled and recognized by the public and private sectors that are eligible for support, he said. On the other hand, what was apparent from the first year's applications was that there are still "nameless problems" in the world that are not yet in the spotlight and are not being adequately supported.
 
This research grant is an initiative to solve such "unnamed problems" together with the people involved and the people around them. In fact, everyone has problems related to themselves to a greater or lesser extent. First of all, we would like you to introduce this kind of research as the theme of your research project (see the application web page). Then, if there are middle and high school students who are interested, we would like them to take the first step by utilizing this program. By each of you researching your own problems, you will shed light on social issues that until now have not been illuminated or seen by anyone. The accumulation of such efforts should lead to a better society where no one is left behind. (Text: Kohei Hashimoto)