“Hiroshima Abilympics” to Promote Employment of People with Disabilities Held

From NHK

January 6 2024

HIROSHIMA – The Hiroshima Abilympics is being held in Hiroshima City, where people with disabilities compete in skills such as customer service and cleaning that they cultivate on a daily basis.

The Hiroshima Abilympics has been held in Hiroshima Prefecture and other countries since 2003 with the aim of promoting employment for people with disabilities.At the venue in Naka Ward, Hiroshima City, 55 people, including students from special needs schools in the prefecture and people working at companies, participated. The participants were divided into eight events and competed.

In the “Coffee Service” event, a mock coffee shop was set up at the venue, and students who had been practicing customer service in class competed in their customer service skills.

When the students enter the store, the students are greeted by a staff member who pretends to be a customer, greeting them with a cheerful smile and saying, “Welcome.” We were checking whether orders were being received.

In addition, in the “Building Cleaning” event, participants competed to clean a 4 meter square carpet with a vacuum cleaner and see who could clean every corner within the time limit.

Makoto Arita, manager of the Hiroshima branch of the Japan Employment Support Organization for the Elderly, Disabled and Job Seekers, which is hosting the event, said, “There are still some aspects of employment for people with disabilities that are not well understood, so I hope that the event will help spread understanding.’’

The winner of the competition will participate in the national competition to be held in Aichi Prefecture this November.