Self-Planning Programs
The Bank aims at further revitalization and development of the region under the theme of “Children” by building up and expanding on development activities that nurture children who will assume responsibility for the next generation.
In the three areas of “Culture and Arts,” “Sports” and “Economic and Financial Education,” we strive to provide “opportunities for life experiences” and “opportunities for presentation.”
Support Nurturing Children through Sports
The Bank hosts, as a forum for experience, “The Bank of Yokohama Boys' Soccer Clinic,” where about 360 elementary school children were invited to learn from professional players techniques to how to take care of gear. The Bank also invited about 230 elementary school children to “The Bank of Yokohama Boys' Baseball Clinic,” where players of the Professional Baseball League provided technical instruction as coaches. The Bank also provided opportunities to demonstrate the results of daily exercise as a sponsor of “The Bank of Yokohama /Yokohama Stadium Children Reserved Seats” and “The Bank of Yokohama Cup Kanagawa School Children Rubber-Ball Baseball Tournament,” which invited children of boy's baseball teams in Kanagawa Prefecture to ball games of the Yokohama BayStars.
Cooperation in the Area of Culture and Arts
With the aim of giving children even more opportunities to learn about space and science in a fun way, the Bank ran “Hamagin Kids Science” programs for elementary school children in summer and spring at the “Hamagin Space Science Center” in Isogo-ku. The children made remote controlled robots, mini-planetariums, robots controlled by computer programs, and so on. We therefore gave them an opportunity to experience the excitement of making things and develop their interest and curiosity in space and science.
In addition, to give children an opportunity to deepen their understanding of their local area, the Bank helped commemorate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama by assisting with the publication of around 210,000 copies of a revised reader to supplement the social studies textbooks used in elementary and junior high schools. This new reader was produced by the City of Yokohama and other local governments.
In the area of art, a rapport-building concert with local musicians was held at Hamagin Hall Via Mare, which provided opportunities for presentations to students and graduates who study music in Kanagawa Prefecture, and people in the region and children of pediatric care facilities were also invited.
Education for Understanding Economics and Finance
Each branch accepts students from elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools in the region for general learning classes such as “workplace experience.” During summer vacation, “Children's Adventure 2009 - Bank Exploring Team! Let's learn the importance of money,” a study experience for elementary school children, was held which provided opportunities for learning “how to use pocket money” through games.
We also organized the “Kanagawa leg of a national high school economics quiz tournament”, which enables high school students to think about finance and economics and their own relationship with money by answering quiz questions on these topics.
In addition, we are assisting with the operation of a website, “Kawasaki-Ban Ashita Ne,” (Tomorrow: Kawasaki Edition), that introduces people working in Kawasaki and their workplaces to elementary and junior high school students. The website is used as a teaching aid in the students’ career guidance classes, and with the aim of familiarizing them with local working people, local companies, and working life in the city, features people from a wide range of occupations.
