Nissan Commences 5th Term (FY 2002) of The "Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program" for Investing in Young People Through Partnerships with NPOs

Tokyo -- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it has started accepting applications from students for the 5th term (FY 2002) of the "Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program," which the company carries out every year as part of its corporate philanthropic activities.

Under this Learning Scholarship Program, Nissan recruits and selects university and graduate school students who wish to work at a nonprofit organization (NPO) and provides those chosen with a scholarship commensurate with the results of their internship activities. In 1998, Nissan launched this novel program for investing in young people, who will be responsible for supporting society in the future, and conducts it in partnership with various NPOs.

The aim of this program is to give students an opportunity to accumulate intellectual experience and to cultivate an ability to think for themselves in the process of learning through internships at NPOs, where many different forms of self-initiated activities are demanded.

Sixteen NPOs, thirteen in Kanto and three in Kansai, that endorse the objective of this program will serve as the host organizations for this term. These organizations are engaged in activities in a broad range of fields, including environmental protection, social welfare, international cooperation, culture and the arts. Each NPO has prepared an internship program (up to a maximum of 300 hours of activity) for the students, which has been designed so as not to interfere with their regular studies. Students can select and apply to participate in a program that appeals to their personal interests. The deadline for application is Friday, April 19, 2002. Nissan tentatively plans to select 16 scholarship recipients on the basis of a screening of their application documents and interviews. The scholarship students will begin their internships at the host NPOs this June, and the longest programs, extending over a maximum of nine months, will run until February of next year.

The development of creative and vibrant people has been an issue of concern in recent years not only to educational circles but to society as a whole, including the business community. The experience of working at organizations like NPOs, noted for their pioneering and specialized nature, is expected to afford opportunities for young people to cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit as the ones responsible for carrying forward society in the future. From the time it was initiated, this scholarship program has attracted interest from all quarters for its fresh approach to human resources development.

The fourth-term program drew applications from 112 students, 19 of whom were selected as scholarship interns, enabling them to gain experience at various host NPOs. The following comments were made by some of the students who received scholarships in the previous term.

"It was an enormous plus for me personally, as I was able to gain precious experience that I could never have acquired by just leading an ordinary student's life."

"I always had to consider the role and significance of my work in the context of the entire organization, which is a point that is vastly different from a part-time job where you simply do the things you are told to do."

"There were many things for me to learn and much food for thought in my work at the NPO and in conversations with the regular staff. Rather than just being a passive participant, I felt that I wanted to gain the ability to grasp what was expected of me and be able to tackle it energetically."

Outline of the 5th Term (FY 2002) of the Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program

1. Form of implementation
 Sponsor: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
 Partner: Japan NPO Center

2. Target participants
 Students currently enrolled in a university or a graduate school

3. Host organizations (16)
(Kanto: 13 organizations)
Able Art Japan, Association for Corporate Support of the Arts, Sawayaka Welfare Foundation, The Foundation for Child Well-being (National Children's Castle), Japan Platform, Shapla Neer Citizens' Committee in Japan for Overseas Support, Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), Tokyo Children's Library, Japan NPO Center, Japan Center for International Exchange, Ecosystem Conservation Society-Japan, The Association of National Trusts in Japan,  Kanagawa Information Center for Citizens' Activity (Alice Center)

(Kansai: 3 organizations) Osaka Voluntary Action Center, Kobe Foreigners Friendship Center, Kobe Empowerment Center

4. Tentative schedule 

       *The internship period differs depending on the program.

5. Application information
Information on the application procedure and activity programs is posted on university bulletin boards and is also available at Nissan's website:
(http://www.nissan-global.com/GCC/PHILANTHROPY/NPO/)

6. Inquiries and place of application
Community Relations, Communications Dept., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
(Tel: 03-5565-2132)
Applications may also be made online at Nissan's website noted above.