Highlights from previous programs

The program invites students from the regions affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake—Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures—to participate in an intensive three-week course at the University of California, Berkeley in the United States. This page provides a year-by-year overview of the program.

The 2024 program (10th cohort) welcomed high school and university students—four each from Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures. Through a curriculum based on Y-PLAN, participants deepened their understanding of leadership while learning about community revitalization by visiting various organizations in the Bay Area and North Richmond.
At the Commencement Ceremony (Final Presentation Day) for 2024, which marked the final year of the TOMODACHI Summer SoftBank Leadership Program, a panel discussion led by alumni and reception were held to commemorate the conclusion of the program and reflect on its journey since 2012. Alumni shared stories about how their participation in the program influenced their career choices and current activities, as well as their continued connections with fellow alumni. The program concluded with hopes for the future and a renewed motivation to take their next steps forward.

The 2023 program (9th cohort) included high school and university students—five from Iwate Prefecture, six from Miyagi Prefecture, and six from Fukushima Prefecture. Through a customized Y-PLAN program, participants developed detailed action plans that aligned their personal interests with community needs. Participants also visited the urban farming organization, planting Justice, to learn about social entrepreneurship and explored San Francisco communities known for their resilience and innovation, including the Castro District and Japantown, witnessing how they address social issues such as poverty. These experiences provided valuable insights for participants to implement in their own communities upon return.

The 2019 program (8th cohort) welcomed high school students—31 from Iwate Prefecture, 37 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 32 from Fukushima Prefecture. Following the previous year’s focus, participants worked on revitalization plans for the North Richmond area, a diverse community in the City of Richmond. Their proposals included creating community spaces with public chalkboards and painting murals on abandoned public housing walls. Some of these initiatives were implemented by the students themselves. The students also engaged in various community activities, including visiting a self-help organization for young people experiencing homelessness—a pressing social issue in the U.S.—where they cooked and interacted with the organization’s members.

The 2018 program (7th cohort) welcomed high school students—25 from Iwate Prefecture, 39 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 36 from Fukushima Prefecture. This year’s program focused on North Richmond, an area in the City of Richmond, known for its historically high concentration of ethnic minorities and low-income residents, where opportunities for community interaction has been limited. The students developed and partially implemented proposals to create spaces where diverse community members could interact and live together harmoniously. Students also learned about American community initiatives by meeting with local Richmond organizations and visiting community centers for youth, led by youth.

The 2017 program (6th cohort) welcomed high school students—26 from Iwate Prefecture, 40 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 34 from Fukushima Prefecture. In 2017, the program focused on Point Molate, a coastal area in Richmond, north of Berkeley. Richmond is a diverse community with residents from various cultural backgrounds, and is considered as one of the most economically challenged areas on California’s West Coast. Students proposed plans to transform Point Molate into a disaster-resilient gathering space for both Richmond residents and visitors. Some of their ideas were actually adopted by the city. Students also visited the WeWork office in Berkeley, where they met people with diverse working styles.

The 2016 program (5th cohort) welcomed high school students—26 from Iwate Prefecture, 40 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 34 from Fukushima Prefecture. The program in 2016 focused on the Port of Oakland, located south of Berkeley. Drawing from their own experiences living in coastal areas affected by disaster, students proposed plans to create a vibrant, disaster-resilient district that would be welcoming to diverse communities. Students also gained insights into American youth initiatives by meeting with youth commissioners who represent young people’s voices in the Oakland City Council and by visiting high schools known for innovative programs.

The 2015 program (4th cohort) welcomed high school students—25 from Iwate Prefecture, 41 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 34 from Fukushima Prefecture. This year's program focused on West Oakland, adjacent to Berkeley. Students developed and proposed revitalization plans for an area marked by the remnants of a highway that collapsed during an earthquake on the West Coast some 30 years ago. Students also visited startup incubators that support a wide range of West Coast entrepreneurs, gaining firsthand insights from their experiences.

The 2014 program (3rd cohort) included high school students—23 from Iwate Prefecture, 40 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 31 from Fukushima Prefecture. The program also welcomed alumni who served as mentors to current high school students and six adult participants, including NPO staff who support youth in their local communities. In this year's program, participants developed and proposed revitalization plans for Berkeley's Adeline Corridor. They also had opportunities to meet with young people engaged in social activities across the U.S., including interviews at their project sites, and learn about their various initiatives.

The 2013 program (2nd cohort) welcomed high school students—19 from Iwate Prefecture, 47 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 34 from Fukushima Prefecture. Six alumni from the 2012 program also joined as mentors. In 2013, the program focused on revitalizing Telegraph Avenue, adjacent to UC Berkeley. This historic birthplace of hippie culture was facing challenges related to homelessness. Students proposed plans to achieve both economic development and healthy community building along Telegraph Avenue. Students also fully immersed themselves in American culture through volunteering at children's theme parks and visiting Silicon Valley startups.

In 2012, the program's inaugural year, the program welcomed high school students—70 from Iwate Prefecture, 124 from Miyagi Prefecture, and 106 from Fukushima Prefecture. While learning about community service in the U.S., students voluntarily suggested that they do more than just acquire knowledge and put the lessons learned into practice in their own communities. This led to their commitment to implement community activities upon returning home. In addition to experiencing American culture, students visited renowned organizations, including a chocolate startup that had become famous in Silicon Valley. They returned home with the strong conviction that young people can make meaningful contributions to their communities.