Iruma holds a master’s degree in Social Development from University of Sussex. He held a leading position of engaging homeless youth in Tokyo for cooperative entrepreneurship for 3 years. For another 4 years he was a youth program manager in a Japanese branch of INGO “Habitat for Humanity” and also selected as UN-Habitat Urban Youth Fund mentor. Iruma is currently working for Seikatsu club, a consumer cooperative in Japan.
Iruma
As the world is becoming more urbanized, the diversity of citizens in urban cities is increasing. Economic disparity, and the exclusion of socially marginalized groups are leaving more people behind and isolated. At GYF2020, my session explored how marginalized people in urban cities can be organized into a community through the starting of a cooperative business. A theory of “Community Organizing” was introduced and case models from Tokyo was presented.
