Beyond the Doorstep

Among young people, particularly adolescents, in Japan and more recently also in Western countries, we are witnessing a growing number of individuals who voluntarily decide to withdraw from society, cutting off social relationships and interests. This phenomenon is internationally known as Hikikomori (from the Japanese term meaning “self-isolation”).

An analysis of needs and levels of awareness of the phenomenon across countries has highlighted several issues, ranging from a lack of research to misleading media representations, which often oversimplify the phenomenon as merely an addiction to the internet and video games.
The project “Beyond the Doorstep” aims to raise awareness of and work on the prevention of the Hikikomori phenomenon in the four participating countries (Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Turkey). Through non-formal methods implemented in international workshops, local school-based activities, and local training of trainers involving educators, teachers, and youth workers, the Consortium intends to address prevention, awareness-raising, and the accurate representation and narration of the Hikikomori phenomenon. Stakeholders, associations, and institutions working on the topic will enrich the discussion and present case studies and good practices, which will be collected in a publicly accessible Toolkit and in an OER (Open Educational Resource) translated into all the languages of the participating countries.

Specifically, the partnership will work to achieve the following objectives:

Raise awareness among young people, families, youth organisations, schools, and institutions about the Hikikomori phenomenon, promoting an accurate narrative of the issue, its possible causes, and dynamics;
Train youth workers, educators, and teachers to work on prevention and to identify signs of social withdrawal, providing knowledge, techniques, and materials to support their local actions;
Create a local and international network to foster recognition of Hikikomori and its inclusion among local and national priorities;
Contribute to the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy and objectives, and support the development of youth work, especially in the partner countries.

Here you can read the outcomes of the project events in the form of Event Description Sheets (EDS):

1. First International Meeting in Tirana, Albania
The international workshop in Tirana was facilitated by People in Focus and lasted two days. The organization was responsible for preparing the venue, the specific agenda, and the infopack. An additional trainer from YouNet contributed to the facilitation of the workshops and to the preparation of the agenda and activities, adding a specific focus on the Hikikomori phenomenon and social withdrawal.

2. Second International Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey
The international workshop in Istanbul was facilitated by IFSS and lasted two days. The main objective of the event was to explore the role of schools within the Hikikomori phenomenon.

3. Third International Meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The international workshop in Sarajevo was facilitated by Menssana and lasted two days. The main objective of the event was to gain deeper insights into the Hikikomori phenomenon. The outcome of the meeting was positive and proved fundamental in paving the way for the subsequent meeting in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

4. Fourth International Meeting in Reggio Emilia, Italy
The final meeting in Reggio Emilia allowed the partnership to close the cycle of activities and to gain further understanding of the situation of individuals experiencing Hikikomori in Italy and in the Emilia-Romagna region.

5. Training of Trainers in the Partner Countries
The training sessions enabled future trainers to develop techniques to intervene directly in schools. During the training, new forms of non-formal education and frontal lessons were used, with the support of experts in the fields of psychology and social services.
Countries involved:

6. Local Workshops in Schools in the Partner Countries
The workshops were organised and facilitated by the trainers who had taken part in the local training sessions. During the school activities in the partner countries, students participated in non-formal education activities such as energisers, role plays, discussions, and reflections. The main objective of these meetings was to raise awareness among young people about the Hikikomori phenomenon, making them more aware of the symptoms of social withdrawal, better able to identify their emotions, and more empathetic and ready to ask for help when needed.
Countries involved:

7. Multiplier Events in the Partner Countries
Multiplier events were organised by each partner to disseminate information about the Beyond the Doorstep project and the Hikikomori phenomenon, as well as to share and promote the results of the collaboration.
Countries involved: