Have you ever wondered what it would be like to teach English in another country? For alumni of the Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme (JET), the reality of living and working in Japan while teaching English is a shared experience, and for many it was a life-changing one.
More than 35,000 Americans have participated in the JET Programme since its inception in 1987, living and working in every prefecture throughout Japan, teaching English and promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the U.S. and their host communities. Participants typically spend 1-5 years in Japan, with some choosing to stay afterwards, and some pursuing related careers in the U.S. after returning. While in Japan, participants act as cultural ambassadors, helping to share American culture, create lasting friendships, and even challenge stereotypes.
The U.S. Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme Alumni Association (USJETAA) was founded in 2015, with financial support from JUSFC, to strengthen the growing network of JET alumni, to support the 19 JET alumni associations in the U.S., and to provide alumni with career opportunities, professional development, networking events, and more. The organization hired its first full-time Executive Director, Bahia Simons-Lane, in 2018. Bahia participated in the program from 2005-2007 in Gunma Prefecture, and served for five years as the President of the Florida alumni chapter.
“JUSFC has been a wonderful long-time supporter,” Bahia shares. “JUSFC Executive Director, Paige Cottingham-Streater, a JET alumna herself in Mie Prefecture from 1988-89, knew what a profound experience being part of the JET program was and how staying connected with other JET alumni who had shared that experience was so important. She also knew the struggles faced by the volunteer run network of JET alumni associations and realized that supporting the chapters and individual alumni would strengthen their ability to continue the grassroots friendship between Japan and the United States.”
Bahia relies on her own insight and JET experience while continuing to grow the alumni network services provided to these alumni. One exciting project USJETAA staff are currently working on is an improved membership portal expected to launch in April.
“Our membership numbers have been steadily increasing,” Bahia notes. “This new membership portal will provide new functionality and make it easier to keep up with our members all over the country, especially in areas where there isn’t a large JET presence.”
The organization is also working on a new author series that will highlight JET alumni, as well as an ongoing webinar series for alumni that focuses on professional development, covering topics such as building out a LinkedIn profile, career path options, and how to share your JET experience on a resume. Along with informational webinars, USJETAA also provides career support through counseling sessions and resume reviews, as well as their JETS on Japan Forum, which features articles from JET alumni and their perspectives on U.S.-Japan relations.
A more recent addition to the USJETAA staff is Casey Nealy, Program Coordinator, and a JET participant from 2013-2015 in Kumamoto Prefecture. “Being part of JET was a life-changing experience that led me to want to get more involved with USJETAA when I returned from Japan,” Casey explains. She manages a microgrant program funded by the U.S. Embassy in Japan, the only program that provides current JET participants with funding to host projects while in Japan. The microgrants provide financial support to plan engaging projects and events that give students and local communities a taste of American culture, information about study abroad, and encourages English language learning. Some of the projects funded by this grant are pen pal projects, student-run podcasts, cooking classes, and cultural festivals.
As with virtually every organization, USJETAA and the JET program have been impacted by COVID-19. While USJETAA celebrated its fifth anniversary last year, the planned conference and anniversary celebration were both postponed due to the pandemic. Stay tuned for more details on a virtual celebration of JET alumni that will be held virtually in September 2021 and an in person event planned for spring 2022.
To learn more about USJETAA, you can visit their website at www.usjetaa.org, follow their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or subscribe to their email updates. To learn more about JUSFC’s Institutional Grants program, click here.