The 16th Annual US-Japan Social Welfare Symposium was held on October 30, 2013, at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida. Students and faculty from the University of West Florida, Saitama College of Welfare, and Tokyo College of Welfare participated in the one-day symposium, which explored social welfare-related topics ranging from child abuse and bullying to poverty in the elderly and elderly abuse.

 

The Plenary Session began with a warm welcome to all the participants from Dr. George Ellenberg, Vice Provost, University of West Florida, and Ms. Paula Rappe, Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Work. Two keynote speeches were given by Mr. Mamoru Nomizo, President and Laboratory Director of the Sutoku Association Comprehensive Elderly Care Center, and by Ms. W. Dannette Wallace of the University of West Florida.

 

Following the Plenary Session, students from the Jikei Group and the UWF broke into groups to give presentations and discuss social welfare-related topics. Each group was moderated by UWF faculty including Dr. Laura Elder, Dr. Kimberly Tatum, and Dr. Erica Jordan, who had participated in the Semester in Japan Program held at Jikei Group campuses in Tokyo earlier in the year.

 

The symposium was organized by Kathy Jones and Dr. Douglas Trelfa at the Japan Center and by Dr. Angela McCorvey at the Office of Diversity & International Education & Programs at the University of West Florida.