Poster 12

[P-12-02] The Jagajaga Project: Co-production and Care for Caregivers through Mutual Support among Users, Families, and Professionals

*Yoshiko Ohno¹, Yuta Kitahata² (1.Graduate School of Human Sciences, The University of Osaka(Japan), 2.Kinan Mental Health Center(Japan))

Keywords:

mental health,co-production,care for caregivers,professionals,dialogue

This report introduces the Jagajaga Project, launched in 2020 as a mutual support platform where users, families, and mental health professionals interact on equal terms. The project originated after the death of a psychiatrist. His passing highlighted that medical and welfare professionals are also vulnerable human beings.Traditional professional culture emphasizes individual autonomy and idealizes independence, often stigmatizing vulnerability. Professionals, particularly doctors, tend to suppress emotions and avoid seeking help, as they are expected to be self-sacrificing and ethically noble. While recent attention has been given to “caring for caregivers” and “self-care,” interpreting self-care merely as self-management risks adding further pressure on professionals.The Jagajaga Project provides a unique environment where members—many of whom hold multiple positions as users, family members, and professionals—come together to learn, engage in dialogue, and share leisure time. Each participant adopts a subject position, becoming mindful of their emotions and expressing honest feelings. Through this process, mutual support, acknowledgment, and care are fostered in a non-hierarchical setting. This initiative challenges traditional norms by encouraging openness and shared vulnerability among all members, ultimately promoting a sustainable mental health care community.