1. Geographically Detached JET Alums
Life after JET: 10 months or 10 years
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2. Create JETAA Value Pre-departure
Impart the idea/ fact that JET continues after you return home via JETAA. There is a space for JET in your life…. Forever!
Instill a sense of value in JETAA in departing JETs before they get on that plane!
Gaining loyalty before they depart translates into more engaged JET alums upon return, no matter where they return to.
The returns on this can take 3-5 years, but you’ll see it eventually!
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3. Create JETAA Value & Loyalty Pre-departure
Work with your Consulate/ Embassy to see how you can be involved if you’re not already. If that’s a challenge- consult with your local JET Coordinator and then go rogue!
Alums should support and assist departing JETs in their preparations for Japan. Coordinate attending/ participating in:
Happy Hours
Q&A Sessions
Pre-Departure Orientation
Info Sessions
Use chapter funds & pay for a “Support Suite” at the hotel for departing JETs
Accompany them to the airport, etc.
Alums can answer many of their questions and can provide appreciated (and hopefully memorable) assistance.
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4. Pre-departure: Getting Contact Info
CLAIR, MOFA etc. are often unable to share contact info for returning JETs with the respective JETAA chapters. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to gather that before they depart. Before your JETs depart, gather the following:
US address- Many of them will give their parents’ address- perfect! Because whose basement will they be living in when they get back?! Though many of them will move, it’s helpful to have some sense of where your JETs may return to.
address
Prefecture, city, etc. on JET
JET position (ALT, CIR, etc.)
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5. Effectively Getting Contact Info
The best time to get JETs’ contact info is at the Pre-Departure Orientation because that has mandatory attendance. Have a sign up sheet just for JETAA purposes.
If you can’t get to the Pre-Departure Orientation, any other events (such as Q&A Session) are great. The JETs that attend those will be your genki JETs. The genki JETs are generally the ones who will take on more leadership positions and the ones you want to keep tabs on!
Paper is straightforward, but sometimes has the challenge of reading poor handwriting. Passing around a tablet with a Google Form or MailChimp Form are great ways to go too.
If you use a bulk service (such as MailChimp), send a test and make sure people add you to their ‘safe senders’ list so future s don’t go to spam folders. DO THIS during a pre-departure event.
Pre-departure events are when you have their attention. You are everything JET to them at that time and they are very excited to be involved in their new life. Take advantage of that!
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6. Using that Contact Info
Strategic Contact 2-3 Times a Year:
One week after they depart (You’re the only gaijin for kilometers? We’re here for you!)
In January, before they re-contract. (There’s no heat in your house and you still can’t figure out how to use your microwave? We’re here for you!)
Early June- you want to know if they are coming back, where they are going, if they are staying so you can continue to them at the same strategic points next year, etc. If they are coming back, We’re here for you!
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7. Motivating JETs to be active alumni
JETAA should be an extension of JET, but one that grows with them.
The evolution tends to go from wanting support to wanting to give back:
Support for the reverse culture shock experience (We’re here to help!)
Socializing (飲み会); connecting via your JET experience
Career advice, establishing a professional identity, access to professional and social network
Helping prepare the next “class” of JETs
10+ JETs: Events that share the love of Japan with families (JET spouses and kids)
10+ JETs: Serving the JET community in a meaningful way- through projects that benefit the US-Japan relationship on a local/ national/ international scale
10+ JETs: Serving in a mentoring capacity to the chapter
10+ JETs: Attending the big events that allow alums to remember the “good old days”

8. Motivating JETs to be active alumni
Some people are just natural leaders; our job is to identify them and engage them before they take their leadership skills elsewhere
Find out which of your JETs were PA’s or had AJET leadership positions, etc.
The JETs that seek out your JETAA chapter are your next leaders
Your job as a chapter rep is to come up with a strategic plan that allows to all these JET personas to thrive in your chapter. Have a Board Retreat weekend where you put a plan together!

9. Geographically Detached Alumni
The reality of diminishing returns: JET alums who are geographically detached often require a lot of energy for often not high rates of participation. Who can blame them? Here are some tools to help them stay connected.
Encourage them to wear their JETAA identity proudly when participating in other local Japanese events/ organizations
Encourage them to get involved in their local Japanese community. This can be local community colleges, universities, Asian-themed festivals, sister-city organizations, etc.
Use them to promote the JET Program at these local events/ institutions; facilitate them speaking with a Japanese language class about their JET experience, etc.
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10. Geographically Detached Alumni
Offer them tools they can access from the boonies: online career counseling, mentoring departing/ returning JETs
When you identify a genki alum who is geographically detached, support them! Offer them funds to do a Japanese event that is open to their community. Encourage them to be part of the board (they can video conference into meetings). Include them however you can!
Keep the door open and let them know you haven’t forgotten about them. This means checking in on them 2-3 times a year (perhaps the same times you reach out to your JETs in Japan). Sometimes those country JET alums end up moving to the big city! And sometimes big city JET alums need a trip to the country! Connect whenever/ however you can!
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11. The Heavy Lifting
Being a real person takes work. Especially when you are being a real person to an entire chapter and treating them each as real people. Get some coffee, put on Pandora and start typing.
Anytime you get a lead, have someone register in your chapter, happen to meet a fellow JET alum at an event, reach out to them. Send them a follow up that is personal.
Encourage your members to update their contact info and take a short survey once a year. Just that act reminds them your chapter is alive and functioning. And you need current contact info to engage your members.
Document all your chapter’s activities and share the experience. Post photos on social media of even the most mundane board meeting! Seeing faces makes your chapter seem more real to those who are not engaged on a regular basis.
Have good photos of your board, incorporate them in your communiques so that pre-JETs, current JETs, and Alumni know there are REAL people who want to help and are making the local JETAA world turn.
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12. 10+ JETs: Balancing Careers & Families
These alums have calendars full of professional and family obligations. You need to work with that, not in competition with it.
Provide social spaces which include their families, otherwise you’ll lose them to other social opportunities. It does not have to be Japan- focused. It can be anything at all and if you can work some Japanese something in there, that’s a bonus.
They are willing to be involved and give back to JETAA, but want to do so in meaningful ways that are relevant to their careers or their passions.
You have to know your membership to maximize their talent pool. Create a survey and analyze the feedback. Find out what professional areas your 10+ JETs are in; would they be willing to offer internships, information interviews, etc. to younger JETs wanting to get into that field? Do they have kids? What are their age ranges?
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13. Maximize Social Media
Alumni DO turn up for big/rare events. Don’t give up. Keep promoting your events!
Keep your social media robust; utilize all of it:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
Newsletters
Anything else you can think of!
Use analytics to strategically reach out via your social media platforms
Consider using some of your funding to promote events via Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
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14. We’d like to know the following:
We, the JETAA Community, may consider conducting informational interviews to help guide us in effectively reaching out to our members.
10+ JETs: What motivates you to stay involved?
How are geographically detached JET alums currently staying connected to Japan and their Japan experience?
What pre-departure advice/efforts brought JETs back to JETAA upon returning home?
What should we push, social connections, networking?
What are the best strategies for making it EASY to stay in touch?
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15. Don’t Give Up!!