Prefectural Advisor

The **Prefectural Advisor (PA)** system is an essential part of the JET Programme nationwide and was established in 1991 to provide support for JETs and ensure smooth running of the JET Programme. Each prefecture and designated city in Japan has a minimum of one JET PA and one Japanese PA who work together to resolve any problems and serve as a link between each individual JET, their Contracting Organisation and CLAIR.

In Yamagata, there are four PAs: two Japanese PAs, one ALT PA and one CIR PA. All PAs are knowledgeable about Japanese culture and language, and have experience in Japanese workplaces or education, which we can use to help you make decisions and address problems. Please feel free to contact us regardless of geographic distance.

## What do PAs do?

### Consultation

If you encounter problems at work or are going through a tough time, you can have a chat with a PA to get advice and overcome any issues, or just have someone to listen to you. PAs are able to offer basic consultation services on issues such as culture shock, culture fatigue, burnout, contracts, work and cultural relations, communication problems, healthcare or anything else that's troubling you.

PAs adhere to a strict code of confidentiality, and will not divulge information to other JETs, RAs or PAs without your permission. The only exception to this rule is if we believe that a JET poses an imminent threat to themselves or to others.

### Mediation

If you are faced with a dispute with another party, be that a fellow JET or your Contracting Organisation, PAs can provide mediation services to ensure that each party can communicate their wants, needs and expectations effectively across cultures, provide a common ground between all parties of the dispute, and ensure a smooth and amicable resolution to any issues. We are also able to provide in-person mediation if we have the permission of all involved parties.

Please note that as PAs in this case represent all involved parties and as such confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

### Crisis Response

PAs provide two kinds of crisis response:

1. Personal emergencies - if you are facing an emergency situation such as bereavement, medical emergencies, physical or mental trauma or suicidal or violent thoughts, please be sure to contact us at any time so that we can help you manage any crises you are facing, or refer you to an appropriate professional.
2. Natural disasters or national security threats - In the event of a natural disaster or threat to natural security, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, terror attacks or military action from another country, PAs will work together to dispense information and provide instruction to all JETs, as well as assist in safety confirmation efforts and provide support to anyone affected.

### Other Duties

PAs are also in charge of the planning of prefectural training events with CCM, meeting new JETs in Tokyo and taking them to Yamagata, maintaining a directory of JET contact information for PA-RA use, and dispense information about important JET dates such as the recontracting period.

## What DON'T PAs do?

### Counselling

As of August 2014, PAs are no longer responsible for providing counselling to JETs. **PAs are NOT counsellors,** although we are happy to provide a sympathetic listening ear, and help arrange for a referral to an appropriate professional if you need professional counselling.

### Manage your CO

While PAs can act as a middle-man between you and your Contracting Organisation, we do not have administrative power over your employers, or over the the running of the JET programme in the prefecture. To that end, we are unable to force your CO to do something, or tell you or them what to do.

### First Contact Non-Emergency Support

While the PA team in Yamagata is very much here to support you, it is important to understand that official contact with a PA should be left to emergency situations and when other options have been exhausted.

For many situations, it is advisable for you to contact your CO firstly for information relevant to your exact situation, for work-related questions or support or for access to JET-related documents and forms (e.g. mental health support bursary form).

For information related to your local area or for when you are facing a non-emergency situation, or feel down, it is recommended that you contact your Regional Advisor (RA). RAs are there to support you through your daily life, and work closely with PAs to ensure that any situations which may escalate to a serious situation are caught before they begin to impact the physical or mental health and job performance of the JET.

## Your PA Team

Yamagata's PA team is split into two or three bases; one Japanese PA is always in the Prefectural Office; the CIR PA is at the Prefectural Office or Association for International Relations in Yamagata (AIRY), and the ALT PA and remaining Japanese PA is at the Education Institute in Tendo.

The current PAs for the year 2020-2021 are:

#### Yamagata Prefectural Office

**Satoko Tsuchiya** - JET Coordinator

**Alice French** - CIR PA

#### Yamagata Educational Institute

**Tomomi Funayama** - JET Coordinator

**Joshua Pako** - ALT PA