NICE International Workcamps

Workcamps are a unique opportunity for cultural exchange and to create effective change within the community and the world. We invite you to discover Japan from a natural setting working with dynamic people towards mobilizing communities in creating a more sustainable and cooperative world.

A: Applying through the partners
Non-Japanese volunteers who live outside Japan, must apply through our partner Workcamp NGOs in their country of residence (if there are no such NGOs, then apply through NVDA (http://www.nvda-asiapacific.org/). Only apply directly to NICE if you reside in Japan, by sending in the application forms and paying the fee to:

Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank, Shinjuku Branch, Ordinary account,
Account no: 4958987, Name: NICE

Application form <word file>

B: How much do volunteers pay?
Volunteers must pay travel costs to and from workcamps and the following registration fee to NICE. Food and accommodation during the projects are provided by NICE and the local partners.

a) From organizations charging no fee to NICE vols: No fee
b) From organizations charging some fee to NICE vols: 10,000 YEN per workcamp*
c) Individual applicants who are living in Japan: 27,000 YEN per workcamp **

Most of European and North American partners fall under group ‘a’ and Asian, African and Latin American partners fall under group ‘b’.
* This depends on the agreement with each partner organization. We usually charge the same amount as the partner organization while we can consider a discount or exemption for applicants from certain countries.
** This includes the fee of annual membership and a pre-workcamp. People originally from countries with a GDP below 5,000 USD are discounted 22,000 JPY.

C: The detailed information of the project
1 to 2 months before the project, volunteers will receive the Information Sheet with details of the project, what to bring, the meeting point, how to get there; together with an Acceptance Letter and NICE Volunteers’ Guidebook, through the partner organization.

D: Book your flights as soon as you are accepted!
Don’t wait for the Information Sheet, or you may miss the most economical flights. In all workcamps taking place in Japan, volunteers will meet at the accommodation or the train station on the afternoon of the first day and finish on the afternoon of the last day. Some projects are located far from the airports and it takes a long time by economical means to reach the meeting point. We advise volunteers to arrive and depart Japan at least a few days before and/ or after the project to allow time for travel and sightseeing. It is possible to stay in the homes of Japanese volunteers in the same workcamps or of other NICE members before and/or after the workcamps! (For the details, refer to the information sheets.)

a) Motivation to do volunteer work (specialized skills or superior physical strength are not necessary)
b) The responsibility to respect and cooperate with the rules of NICE and the partner organizations
c) An effort to understand and respect the cultures of the hosts and the other volunteers
d) Open mindedness to make friends and an effort to speak English (in the groups) and the local language
e) To adapt to and enjoy simple conditions of living (such as food and accommodation)

Workcapms are designed to be beneficial for both local and global communities, and volunteers. On occasion we have been confronted with difficulties when some volunteers have misunderstood that workcamps are not a holiday or a chance for exclusively interacting with other volunteers. They are a unique opportunity for cultural exchange with local and international people. Please apply if your motivation is to create effective innovative change within the community and the world through voluntary service.