In addition, to help the elderly have something to live for as important members of the society, their social involvement, including volunteer activities, should be facilitated and environments in which the elderly can make the most of their free time and live fulfilling lives should be developed.
Furthermore, since volunteer activities help the elderly to achieve their own goals, participate in local communities, contribute to enhancing community welfare and promote a spirit of social solidarity and mutual support, social foundations need to be developed so that anyone can freely participate in volunteer activities while their own initiatives are respected.
(1) Creating a lifelong learning system
a. Improving systems and foundations to promote lifelong learning
With the aim of creating a lifelong learning system and achieving structured improvements in learning opportunities, a comprehensive system to promote lifelong learning will be developed, in cooperation with the public and private bodies concerned, such as social educational facilities and institutions of higher education. Symposiums and conferences will be organized to ensure regional cooperation. Master plans that are necessary for comprehensive implementation will also be developed.
In addition, to strengthen the foundation of providing lifelong learning opportunities, lifelong learning will be propagated, information and consultation services will be improved, instructors will be trained and learning results will be appropriately evaluated.
b. Ensuring diverse learning opportunities at school
At institutions of higher education, such as colleges and universities, to provide adults with advanced and practical learning opportunities, efforts will be made to implement special enrollment systems for adults, establish night graduate schools, offer day and night courses, and expand through the country the University of the Air.
Moreover, school functions and facilities will be opened to the public for open seminars for local residents and the utilization of unused classrooms for social education.
c. Providing diverse learning opportunities
In order to meet people's diversifying and demanding need for learning and provide diverse lifelong learning opportunities, social education at community centers, libraries and museums, cultural activities at art museums, and sports will be promoted, while ensuring the sound development of private service providers and utilizing communication networks.
