Tomo
- San Francisco, United States
- Team Contact: sorayajambalaya
- Team Type: Non Youth Venture
- Team Phase: Launching Venture
About Us
Bridging the generation gap between youth and the Japanese senior community
Tomo 友 involves Lowell High School students (those who show an interest in improving their Japanese learning) who would provide a structured recreational space for the elderly of Kimochi Home, located in San Francisco's Japantown. It will be officially launched in Spring 2008.
The goal of Tomo 友 is to fill the growing technology, generational, and communal gaps between youth and seniors by providing weekly recreational time for seniors, getting youth to better understand the elderly, provide a common means of communication, as well as establishing personal connections between the generations. For students, Tomo's goal is to improve on their Japanese language-speaking abilities through interaction, as well as enlighten them to the importance of seniors in their community, inspire them to become more active in their community, and develop a further understanding of the Japanese and Japanese-American culture. For seniors, the goal is to give them something to look forward to every week, develop friendships with people of different generations, and have fun. In addition, one eventual goal of Tomo 友 is to provide community service hours for students as an incentive to join.
Interests
Children, Community Development, Community Organizing, Cultural Awareness, Disabilities Awareness, Education, Elderly, Health, Human Rights, Literacy, Peace and Non-Violence, School Community Development, Sports and Games, Youth Empowerment
Our Team is looking for help with…
finding a simple, internet-connected computer (preferably a light-weight laptop for its mobility) to share between the seniors and youth. The computer is to be used in a technology activity, where students will help seniors write letters and emails to their families and friends.
We're also looking for junk parts to use in art-based activities (using markers, colored pencils, glue, etc. to make picture frames, pottery, etc.)
Another potential activity is creating a nursery within the senior home, where plant seeds (herbs, flowers) would be cared for by the elderly as a therapeutic weekly activity.
