What is NICE?

A nongovernmental organization (NGO) and non-profit organization (NPO) that organizes voluntary workcamps in Japan and East Asia. NICE acts as the vice-president of the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) at UNESCO and the general secretary of the Network for Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA). Building a future of mobilized and engaged communities!

To connect, develop and revive communities and their environment
We promote innovative volunteer projects through grassroots movements engaged in reshaping a world fraught with a lack of cooperation and unsustainable practices into a more balanced community and ecology that promotes global citizenship.
To encourage projects of local NGOs/ NPOs and the mobilization of local communities
By involving the local communities we create opportunities for people to meet and develop new projects. We build bridges between isolated NPOs and the public, and invite youth to depopulated areas.
To promote global friendship, understanding and solidarity
Through exchange among the world’s youth and local communities we encourage growth through living, working, communicating and laughing together. The aim is to improve global citizenship and outlook, sensitivity, planning and language skills.

To achieve the above aims, NICE runs the following activities (to list a few):

a) Organizes international workcamps (1-3 weeks) primarily inJapan and some in other parts of Asia.
100 projects in 14 countries with 757 international volunteers in 2008.

b) Sends volunteers from Japan to international workcamps abroad.

c) Organizes Long And Mid-term volunteer Programs (LAMP for 2 -12 months) in Japan with 12 projects and 80 volunteers and sends 101 volunteers to projects in 18 countries in 2008.

d) Organizes weekend workcamps (1-3 days projects) in Japan.

1994: a) 16 projects & 213 vols. b) 127 vols./ c) 24 projects & 240 vols./ d) 0 project & 0 vols.
1999: a) 45 projects & 535 vols. b) 487 vols./ c) 101 projects & 1,154 vols./ d) 0 project & 7 vols.
2004: a) 54 projects & 726 vols. b) 723 vols./ c) 139 projects & 1,918 vols./ d) 10 projects & 77 vols.

<Other projects>
e) Group workcamps (for specific groups)
f) Green Foster Parents (forest protection)
g) Educational actions (to organize school lessons)
h) Social actions (for disadvantaged children & refugees)
i) Farm Stay Progarms (to revive agriculture)
j) Networking (to promote international volunteering)

There are 1,371 members (76%:female, 74%:students) + 6,881 associates + 6 organizational memebers + over 10,000 local people. NICE is run by 10 full time paid professionals, 10-15 part time voluntary staff together with many active members. The General Assembly is held twice a year and the Executive Committee of NICE is held six times a year. We are independent from any political, religious or economic organization.
NICE has one of the most number of partner NGOs in the world and is the:
Vice-President of CCIVS at UNESCO since 2007
Secretary of NVDA sine 2008
The only Japanese member of the ALLIANCE of European Voluntary Service Organizations since 1996
Exchange Partner of SCI (Service Civil International) and YAP (Youth Action for Peace).
We also cooperate with local governments, other NGO/NPOs, the media, foundations and communities.

* Income: Membership fee (86%), Grant (8%), Project partner (5%), Fundraising (2%)
* The finances that are managed by NICE as a whole, are mostly for running costs.
Each project's finances are managed self-sufficiently:
+ About half of the income should be from the project partners and membership fees
+ About half of the expenses should be allocated for tools and materials for the work, and meals and accommodation for the volunteers.