About Us

Our Vision

A society where The Third Family is always there, no matter what.

Even when the 1st family (one's own family) or the 2nd family (the local community) fall short,
a society where we can feel “it's okay” no matter what.

What We Do

We don’t leave young people alone as they navigate difficult feelings.

Some struggles are hard to solve. Some cannot be fixed by logic alone. Some feelings have nowhere to go.We stay with young people until ”there’s nothing I can do” can begin to feel like ”I’ll be okay.”help them find their own answers, look for another path, and choose to keep living.

Who We Serve

Young people in the gaps of the support system

Young people who have worries and challenges but find it difficult to connect with existing support systems. Abuse, bullying, school refusal, young carers, LGBTQ+, poverty, parental conflict, mental illness or developmental disorders in parents or children, overprotective parents, imposed ideals, excessive pressure, sibling comparisons…

In the system's gaps: grey zones outside support eligibility, unnamed struggles.
In an emotional gap: wanting help but not wanting help, unable to ask, choosing not to ask — a tangle of conflicting feelings.

Rising suicide rates

Child suicide is on the rise. 2024 saw a record high of 529 cases.

Cycle of abuse

Abuse often continues across generations and the cycle persists.

Rising school non-attendance

School non-attendance is increasing. 2024 saw a record 350,000 cases.

What We Do

Finding belonging in the 1st or 2nd family

The 1st family is “the person's own family,” the 2nd is “the local community.”The 3rd family is a network of people you may not know personally, but who can still be there for you.Ultimately, finding a place of belonging within reach.

Concept 1

Support that respects distance

For teenagers who are not connected to existing support systems,
we build networks of mutual support among peers and seniors who once struggled themselves.

Concept 2

Now < Fundamental future resolution

Teenagers' problems are complex and often hard to solve.
When fundamental resolution is difficult, first help them live better.
We aim for a future where they can live joyfully as adults, breaking the cycle of problems.

Goal

Finding “okay” and moving toward the 1st or 2nd family

First, finding a sense of “okay” even in hard situations —finding their own answers, looking for another path, choosing to keep living.Then, finding a place of belonging within their own reach.

My mom was too controlling, but I realized “I am me, she is her.” I was able to talk with her and things calmed down.
I refused school and had no friends, but found a community through gedokun. I gained some confidence in talking. Now I'm doing my best at a correspondence high school.
Education was strict, but I also wanted to become a doctor and respected my parent's work. I decided to work hard without pushing myself too much. After exams, we're closer now.
I thought being hit was normal, but learned it was abuse and contacted child services. Now I live in a facility.

Organization

Representative

Haruka Okumura

The catalyst for her work was losing her younger brother to suicide during her second year of university. For a year she was unable to do anything, but drawing on her love of making things, she tried building a message board for people struggling with their home environment — and far more people gathered than she expected. While receiving heartfelt messages of thanks, she also realized the gravity of the issues people were facing, and felt she had to do more. She left her first job at LINE Corporation and founded NPO The Third Family (Daisan no kazoku). Today she is not driven by her own past, but is fully absorbed in creating better circumstances alongside the teenagers who fall through the cracks. Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Certified Social Worker.

Full Profile

Engineer

Development Team

Responsible for service design and engineering.

Former Users

Youth Members

Former users of NPO The Third Family. Help with operations and provide advice.

Volunteer

Volunteers

Volunteer members contributing professional experience.

Back Office

Administration

Responsible for back-office operations.

Overview

Name	Certified NPO The Third Family (Daisan no kazoku)
Founded	March 23, 2023 (activities began March 2021)
Address	Taisei Building 2F, 3-61 Aioi-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Service Area	Web: Nationwide. Events: Kanagawa & Tokyo
Members	20 (including contractors)
Services	Community site: gedokun Information site: nigeruno Research: Family Environment Data Online & offline events
Mission	Building a web platform where children and youth with struggles can grow in a healthy way.