The PA (Prefectural Advisor) system provides JETs with support and advocacy. There are currently three PAs in Ishikawa, one for ALTs (both prefectural and municipal) - Tonya Smith, one for CIRs - Mandy Ho and one Japanese PA - Endo Nobuhiro. We are here to help people with problems they cannot resolve with the help of their supervisor. From workplace-related issues to more personal problems, and to provide support to help make JET a positive and rewarding experience.

Information about PAs at CLAIR's site

Mediation

Your PA can provide mediation if you find yourself facing a dispute, disagreement, deadlock or misunderstanding between yourself and another JET-related party. PAs can mediate in person or over the phone. Our main aims during mediation are to identify the underlying unmet needs that are creating the problem and to work towards a solution that keeps harmony between all parties.

Examples of things that we can mediate on: disputes over nenkyu; problems at work that have arisen over cultural differences; differences of opinion over work practices; misunderstandings that have arisen over incidents, communication breakdowns.

*Though mediation can improve communication between JET and workplace, it is imperative the JET makes an effort to maintain good relations with their HO (host organization) as everything comes back to the HO, not to CLAIR or the PAs.

Consultation

(We request the following consultation support be used only as necessary. PAs will field calls from people who have already taken steps to resolve problems with the help of their supervisor.)

Consultation is similar to counseling but consultation is more about finding solutions to day-to-day problems whereas counseling involves emotional issues. The PAs have many resources at hand and experience in sorting things out, so if you would like to consult with one of us, drop us a line.

Examples of things that you can consult on: problems with nenkyu (yearly paid leave); cultural misunderstandings; team-teaching problems; issues with people at work; medical issues; contract issues; communication difficulties.

Information Distribution

Your PAs are a focal-point for information distribution. We receive information from many different sources and forward it on or post it here if it's useful. We send out: information on JET and non-JET events; CLAIR updates; consulate and embassy notices; changes in policies or laws that affect JETs; info from JETs to JETs

Orientations and training conferences

Orientations aim at preparing JETs for work and helping JETs and the Ishikawa community work better together. We advocate cross-cultural understanding between JETs and their Japanese colleagues and provide classroom and cultural advice through (prefectural) seminars and workshops.

Examples of conferences we organise: new-JET orientations; August - (new ALT) Seminar; November - Mid-year ALT Conference (largely organized by the Conference Coordinator at the Prefectural Education Center and the ALT PA)

Projects

Depending on the PAs own workload in any particular year and the activity of Ishikawa AJET, PAs may run social nights or projects which get JETs together outside work.

Crisis Response

In case of crisis response (only), PAs are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you find yourself involved in an emergency or crisis situation, contact one of us immediately. But please understand that we are volunteers. Being a PA is not our full-time job, therefore we may be unavailable at certain times due to work or private commitments etc. Please also respect our private time (and sleeping hours!) and only call after hours if it is a crisis that cannot wait until the next day.

Examples of crisis response situations: emergency hospital visits; crime-related incidents (break-ins etc); vehicle accidents; loss (bereavement etc.); physical or mental trauma; natural disaster.

Counseling

Counseling is one of the most important things PAs do as they are one of the links in your support network. Living in Japan can be stressful at times. Don't bottle the stress up inside, just talking about it can help resolve things. PAs also provide referrals to professional counselors and psychiatrists.

Examples of things that you can talk to us about: culture shock; day-to-day issues that are causing you stress; depression; problems that you are having with people at your workplace; re-contracting etc.

Further counseling support in English

Don't hesitate to make use of these support lines. You don't need to have an emergency to call them.

The JET Line: 03-3591-5489
(Based at CLAIR, Tokyo, 9am-5:45pm, weekdays)

AJET Peer Support: 0120-43-7725
Dial the toll-free number to get the number of the volunteer on duty this evening. 8pm-8am, 365 days a year! An open ear for all JETs. *Note, calls to the volunteer's phone number are charged at distance rates.

Area Support

Ishikawa JET Area Support is designed to give new JETs day-to-day living support, especially in the first few weeks of their stay. Area Support aims to help you smoothly integrate into your community so you can start to feel at home here before you even arrive. It aims to help you quickly and effectively resolving day-to-day living problems so you can spend more time enjoying the JET experience and this incredible place in which we live!

We've divided Ishikawa into regions, each with an Area Leader. Area Leaders are volunteers from the JET community who help orientate new JETs to their surroundings. To locate your Area Leader, contact tonyathepa@gmail.com or see the Area Leader list (forthcoming).

Area Leaders and PAs: What's the difference?

Area Leaders help orientate you in your community, and Prefectural Advisors (PA) help resolve personal and/or work related problems.

While your Area Leader can help you with locating places to buy things when setting up your apartment, finding good places to eat out, showing you around the area and helping you with other information about where you live, they are not responsible for counseling, helping you with workplace-related issues, advising you on problem resolution or similar matters. If you experience any problems while you are on the JET Programme, that you cannot resolve by yourself or with the help of your supervisor, please contact your PA. They are trained to help resolve issues or to refer you to professional counselors.

Who are the PAs?

They are members from the JET community, who have taken the extra responsibility of being a PA. It is not a paid responsibility and there is no special contract for their work. They are essentially a JET with extra work duties on top of being a CIR or ALT. PAs are recognized by CLAIR and coordinated at the local level by the Ishikawa International Affairs Division:
PA homepage