The training institute can be likened to a tree. Its roots are the social relationships it builds among citizens and across generations of citizens. The size and height of the tree depend on cooperation among an ever-increasing number of social groups, which base their collaboration on the institute’s materials and themes. The trunk and branches of the tree are a “series of courses” offered by the training institute, open to all citizens aged 15 and older. Each material encourages participants to develop capacities that contribute to social progress—such as building relationships based on selfless service to others. Among other things, the materials help citizens to deliver the remaining educational programs themselves—from the children’s program to those for adults. At the same time, these materials can be freely utilized by people from all walks of life. They can be studied at homes, in seminars, at conferences, at camps, etc.

The groups of youth or adults who study the materials are called “study circles”. The term ‘circle’ emphasizes that the group is based on consultation, on building consensus, on a process in which each participant learns from one another, rather than having an expert guide the group’s discussion. Hence, the materials belong to the residents of a population themselves, who seek to build a shared understanding of the institute’s concepts. At the same time, one member of the group serves as a “tutor”. Tutors are citizens who have already studied and applied the materials in previous groups, so they are more familiar with the content through experience. As a result, they can encourage new participants as they first attempt to learn a new skill or capacity. Overall, this educational approach helps not only small groups of citizens but also communities and populations to walk together along a shared and expanding path of learning aimed at improving society.