This picture shows delivery meal service. But many Japanese MOW groups provide lunch service and some groups provide domically service in addition to both meal services.

MOW service has been recognized as an important community service and the entites providing MOW service can get subsidy from Home and Community Care program in Australia. But in Japan the importance of MOW service are not understood well by governments and the public.

While some volunteer groups and not-for-profit organizations have been taking the important part in developing process of MOW service and other domiciliary services in each local community in Japan, local governments (municipalities) use to entrust provision of the services to some specific community associations, otherwise to for-profit organizations.

So that MOW groups are suffering from problems as follows now.

AGEING of volunteers, those are mainly housewives and started MOW service in around 1980s in Japan. We have to make safety and comfortable work places for aged and retired people of the kitchens.

While the average of age of MOW groups' volunteers is in the late 50s in Japan, it is in the low 60s in SA. And while near 60 percent of those are housewives in Japan, housewives are only 40 percent and retired persons are more than 40 percent in SA. The history of MOW (SA) Inc. is longer than Japanese groups about 30 years.

NARROW kitchens and poor equipments due to high rent. In addition subsidies or other supports by governments, companies or community entities are inadequate for volunteers to work well.

This picture shows volunteers working at a home kitchen. In Japan it is very hard for volunteer groups and not-for-profit organizations to get their own kitchen, so that they are cooking at Community Centre, home kitchen, or small rental spaces for cafe etc.

VOLUNTEERS' high frequency and long time working due to shortage of volunteers. We expect to new elderly volunteers, who will be retired, as well as new younger volunteers.


Thankfully, in 1999, I could visit to MOW(SA) Inc and research on mainly its operations and administration with a staff of Mrs.Hirano's own group, Fuki-no-Toh. She is also the president of MOW Japan Association. In addition I attended the 8^th National MOW Conference in Brisbane, Queens Land, with Mrs.Hirano, her staff and other group's leaders. We enjoyed the 9^th Conference on September 2001 in Hobart,Tasmania, too.

During from September 2001 to June 2002 I stay in Adelaide to research on the three issues as follows.

THE EARLY stages of development process of MOW (SA), especially in 1950s and 1970s.

RELATIONS WITH other social, economic and political organizations such as Service Clubs, women's associations and charitable organizations etc.

COMMUNITY life of its volunteers and recipients, especially in connection with community services.

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