COUNTRY INFORMATION - JETAA OCEANIA

ABOUT JETAA OCEANIA

JETAA Oceania is the region that covers the JETAA chapters of Australia and New Zealand, and is supported by CLAIR (Council of Local Authorities for International Relations) through the Sydney branch office, which also funds our activities and events.

​

The chapters are each managed by a committee of enthusiastic volunteers who are past JET participants. Currently, there are 5 chapters (and 2 subchapters) in Australia and 3 chapters in New Zealand.

​

The Oceania chapters have an annual regional conference, which is held at a different city in Oceania. You can see a history of past Oceania conferences on our site.

​​

They frequently work with Japanese government agencies, cultural groups and sister-city associations to promote JET and intercultural activities. Some of these include:

• Running orientation workshops for new JETs

• Participating in JET Q&A panels

• Organising career seminars and networking events

• Trivia and fundraising activities

• Organising Japanese arts and crafts demonstrations

• Promote JET Programme at Japanese festivals and conventions

​

The Oceania chapters are one of the most active JETAA chapters in the world.

​

HISTORY OF JETAA OCEANIA

When the first JETs returned home, they began to almost immediately self-organise into groups to maintain contact. Recognising the potential of this alumni community, the JET Alumni Association was formally established in 1989, with 37 chapters recognised worldwide. Of this, Oceania consisted of Australia’s Sydney (NSW), Melbourne (VIC), Adelaide (SA), Perth (WA), Darwin (NT), Brisbane (QLD); New Zealand had Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.

 

Canberra was created in 1991, while NT was soon merged with WA. The Hobart subchapter (TAS) was first recorded in 1999. SA ceased to be a full chapter in 2007 and came under VIC as a subchapter. In New Zealand, the subchapter of Dunedin (part of Christchurch, South Island), was created in 2009, but became dormant in 2019.

​

JETAA COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES

Australia and New Zealand have separate JETAA Country Representatives. The roles represent the JETAAs of their country (or area) on the JETAA International executive committee group, with the intention of building relationships with the global alumni at large.