JETAA history

Though the current JETAA-I model began in 2016, JETAA-I has existed since the 1990s.

This overview of JETAA history was put together by Japan Local Government Center / CLAIR New York. As a result, this content will have an American-centric view of early JETAA activities, conferences and chapters - which will later lead to the development of JETAA International (JETAA-I).

This content will be revised and expanded to include more global information where available. Reach out to Matthew Gillam if you wish to discuss or ask about anything you read here.

Beginnings of JET and JETAA-I

JET, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program(me), began in 1987, after its two predecessors, the Monbusho English Fellows program and the British English Teachers Scheme, were consolidated and expanded. Its development was also reportedly modeled on the Fulbright Program.

JETAA, the JET Alumni Association, was created in 1989 as a joint initiative between AJET (the Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching, for JETs currently on the Program) and CLAIR (the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations). It's three main objectives were:

to provide a support network for participants after leaving the Program
to allow CLAIR to maintain contact with this alumni community
to strengthen Japan's international ties.

Scott Olinger led the effort to create JETAA. He was the AJET representative for Chiba Prefecture before going to work as a Program Coordinator at CLAIR Tokyo. Olinger drafted the 1989 bylaws ('The Regulations of the JET-AA'), with input by AJET and CLAIR. The bylaws set target cities for chapter formation, set up Regional Alumni Associations, defined RAA officers, appointed a National Representative for each country and planned annual national meetings.

Both organizations agreed to adopt the bylaws, which included the list of cities for chapters and the provision for CLAIR to temporarily serve as the alumni association’s Secretariat. CLAIR would handle the membership database, send out a directory, and distribute quarterly newsletters. At this point, “JET-AA” was viewed as an extension of AJET, with CLAIR overseeing it.

Chapter formation

The first chapters were formed from 1989 into the early 1990s and carried on activities over the next few years in many cities. Details from these early years are limited, but some reports can be found in the JET Streams section of the JET Program website.

Although the 1989 bylaws outlined cities for chapter formation, most ex-JETs simply set up chapters wherever, using contact information from CLAIR and MOFA to contact and network with other alumni. These were located in cities with Japanese embassies or consulates, and their regional jurisdictions were based on those diplomatic missions.

Among the participant countries, some (like the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand) have multiple chapters. Other countries usually have just one national chapter, sometimes with smaller groups or subchapters. Japan has two chapters for JETs who remained in the country, and some non-participant countries also have significant alumni communities, though they may not be formally organized.

Becoming 'International'

The first JETAA “International Conference” took place in 1995 in New York. Mr Otaki, the director of the Japan Local Government Center (CLAIR’s office in New York), organized the conference to learn about chapter activities and encourage idea exchange. CLAIR funded this conference as well as the second in San Francisco and the third in Montreal. However, from the fourth conference in Atlanta onward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began providing more significant support.

Initially, the conferences focused on North American chapters, with four representatives from overseas chapters (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the UK) attending the 1997 Montreal conference as observers. The 1997 conference was where the idea of creating an international JETAA identity first emerged, and “JETAA International” was mentioned in the 1998 Atlanta conference reports. By the fifth conference in Los Angeles in 1999, there was strong support to make the conference genuinely international by holding it outside North America and including representatives from all countries with active chapters in an independent, self-governing organization with its own bylaws written by alumni.

As JETAA grew, the Grant-in-Aid system was set up in 1998 to ensure continuity and accountability in CLAIR’s funding for chapters and to support alumni efforts long-term (with funding for conferences and Country Representatives added later). Records suggest that CLAIR encouraged the creation of bylaws for JETAA International and its chapters as a condition for receiving funding.

On the alumni side, inspired by the idea of 'JETAA International', attendees at the 1998 Atlanta conference agreed to create bylaws for the international organization. The first JETAA International 'Organisational Bylaws' were introduced and approved in 1999, based on the bylaws from JETAA Houston.

The 2000 conference in Tokyo was the first to follow the new format from the 1999 conference, with all international chapters participating as full voting members. Each of the 43 recognized chapters was invited to send two delegates. In total, there were 84 delegates, with Germany and Alaska each sending one delegate, while Brazil and Russia each sent two observers. It was at this conference that the first recorded election of JETAA-I executive officers was held (Paula Kelly – Ireland / Megan Kaino – Australia / Boleyn Relova – Canada / Julian Paisey – England), although there was an 'Interim Organizational Committee' in place for the 1999 conference (chaired by Anita Chandan – Montreal / and including Daniel Lintz – Eastern Japan / Yvonne Thurman – New York / Tom Robles – Winnipeg / Bill Higgins – Philadelphia).

Reforms and closure

Starting with the 2001 conference in London, JETAA-I began facing challenges due to Japan's worsening financial situation, which affected its ability to sustain annual conferences and support. This led to a need to reassess the conference format and organizational structure.

In addition to recruiting and alumni support, there was a growing focus on improving communication, organization, coordinated action, and database development. The 2002 Vancouver conference addressed these issues, and work continued through 2003 to prepare for the 2004 New York conference (officially listed as the 2003/2004 International Conference). Held in February, this conference marked a shift from the traditional November-December timing. It was decided that the "International Conference" would occur every five years, likely in Japan, with "International Meetings" held in the intervening years at various global locations. The first of these five-year plan conferences was set for Japan.

The first International Meeting took place in Portland, Oregon, in November 2004, focusing on necessary JETAA-I bylaw changes and improving member communication and collaboration, given the change in the frequency of conferences. The JETAA-I executive officers and sub-committee members presented proposed changes at the Aichi/Kobe conference in 2005. These were formally adopted, and included allowing Country Reps to vote on behalf of chapters, increasing their role in communication and coordination.

Smaller-scale International Meetings continued between 2006-2010. At the Edinburgh meeting (2010), MOFA announced it would no longer provide funding, citing a lack of value from the annual gatherings. The Tokyo meeting in 2011 was funded by CLAIR and the Japan Foundation. After that, 'JETAA-I 1.0' came to an end.

JETAA-I 2.0

After the original JETAA-I ceased operations following the 2011 International Meeting, Steven Horowitz established the JETwit International Google Group to facilitate global communication within the JETAA community and with stakeholders like CLAIR. This group laid the groundwork for revitalizing JETAA-I into a new, more sustainable form. They began planning and seeking feedback on how a new structure might work.

The group then partnered with Kay Dunkley, the last Chair of JETAA-I 1.0, and began coordinating with CLAIR Tokyo, which had been urging the alumni community to revitalize JETAA-I in preparation for the JET Program's 30th anniversary and other events. In 2015, CLAIR organized the JET Alumni Global Forum as part of their Satogaeri Project and tasked the three Country Reps from that forum with leading the revitalization.

Following a period of inactivity, Steven’s group collaborated with Xander Peterson, the US Country Rep in the Satogaeri group, to complete the rebuilding of JETAA-I. They involved other Country Reps and alumni globally in online discussions, launched a basic website, and drafted new bylaws, which were adopted in May 2016. This marked the official start of JETAA-I 2.0, with many involved in the revival taking on roles such as officers, webmaster, or board members.

The new Executive Officers and Committee, including Country Reps, met in Tokyo in November 2016 for the first International Meeting since 2011. They continued to develop the organization and its programs over the next three years, taking on projects like KenJETkai and Post-JET Opportunities, and enhancing information-sharing and chapter support.

These initiatives were interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which halted travel and in-person activities. However, efforts resumed in late 2022 as Japan reopened its borders just in time for the next scheduled International Meeting to be held. This meeting led to a revitalized KenJETkai promotion effort and new projects, such as the 2024 Video Contest.

National and Regional Conferences

As the International Conference grew from a North American event to a truly global one, chapters in different countries began holding smaller, regional meetings. These conferences are open to all, regardless of country of origin.

The North American conferences

In 2000, JLGC organized a North American Workshop for all US and Canadian chapters. In 2001, the Canadian chapters held their first national Canadian Conference in Edmonton. Both countries have continued their annual conferences since then.

Other conferences

The first Oceania regional conference (Australia and New Zealand) was held in Sydney in 2000. This has continued since then, with New Zealand chapters holding their own national conference in 2020, in Christchurch.

Elsewhere, there were Far East Conferences (Asia) ran from 2003 to 2007 and two European conferences in 2004 and 2006. Although these Asian and European conferences were less frequent afterward, efforts have resumed with European conferences since 2016 and Asian conferences since 2022.

The role of conferences

At the international level and in North America, conferences have varied in impact. While some have led to meaningful and lasting results - like creating a logo, JETAA merchandise, or improving communication and governance - others have had minimal effects. Achievements often stem from ongoing efforts over several years rather than any single conference. Key topics have remained consistent over time, including communication, member involvement, officer recruitment, funding, database management, community engagement, and branding JETAA.

Conferences have been crucial for JETAA's growth by providing a platform to share information, strategies, and ideas for member engagement developed by individual chapters. Chapters are central to JETAA, experimenting with ways to engage alumni, support Japan’s international relations, and expand the benefits of JET beyond educational exchange. They also manage membership databases, which are vital for maintaining contact with former JETs. Although more activities have moved online since the pandemic, chapters continue to be the core of engagement and activity.

Looking at the developments since 2012 in the US in terms of organizational capacity at the national level (and somewhat later the international level), it becomes clear that time was needed to overcome a number of daunting challenges. Among these are:

Continuity: Both volunteer alumni groups and Japanese government offices face frequent turnover, making it hard to build long-term relationships and effectively address issues. This issue is worsened by the constant change of personnel in the Japanese offices every 2 or 3 years (the practice of jinji-idou, or staff rotation).
Codification: Identifying and developing a set of best practices and formal guidelines takes years. Without these, alumni often struggle with unresolved issues, leading to repeated efforts to find solutions.
Communications and coordination: Alumni recognized the need for better information sharing and member tracking. While various initiatives were attempted, it wasn't until recent user-friendly platforms and apps became available that these needs were effectively met.
Concentration: Volunteers often face distractions from personal life, such as careers and family, which can divert their attention from supporting the alumni community.
Capacity: JETAA operates as an all-volunteer organization, with chapters growing from former participants' desire to stay connected. Despite progress, challenges remain due to the lack of formal nonprofit status and an established office, which limits their ability to undertake initiatives like fundraising and community outreach.

Addressing these challenges has taken many years and considerable effort to build up the critical mass of talent, experience, governance capacity, and viable solutions necessary to overcome the shortcomings of an all-volunteer effort.

Activities of the US JET alumni

JETAA USA

The concept of separate national bodies developed over time as each country established its own governance. The term 'JETAA USA' first appeared in 2005 and became a formal organization in 2012. However, American alumni had been working as a national group for longer, following the example of Canadian alumni who started holding national conferences and collaborating on cross-chapter projects since 2001. The use of names like 'JETAA Canada' and other national groups also began around the mid-2000s.

To strengthen their emerging national organizations, US and Canadian alumni focused on creating and enforcing guidelines for Country Reps. This drive for efficiency and transparency proved useful when it came to dealing with crises, both internal (e.g. misconduct and neglect) and external (the future of the JET Program in 2009 and the 3.11 Tohoku disaster).

The successful response to the disaster highlighted the potential of organized alumni efforts. With support from CLAIR and other Japanese government bodies, American alumni focused on improving their organizational structures. They developed the JETAA USA Bylaws, establishing a Board of Advisors and strengthening the national organization, and initiated a national capacity-building project that led to the creation of USJETAA. These initiatives are complementary and together represent the full range of alumni achievements in the US.

The work to improve governance continued with the 2022 revision of the JETAA USA Bylaws, the introduction of a Chapter Council to clarify individual chapters' roles, and the adoption of formal Bylaws for JETAA Canada.

USJETAA

While JETAA USA has evolved to become better at supporting and representing US alumni, it still has limitations. As a volunteer-based organization with no legal incorporation, it has issues with continuity and financial management.

At the JETAA USA 2012 national conference, Paige Cottingham-Streater, Executive Director of the US-Japan Bridging Foundation and a JET alumna, proposed the creation of an official nonprofit to meet these issues. A working group of JET alumni was then formed to develop and implement a plan for this new national organization, based on feedback from chapters.

JETAA USA and USJETAA now serve different functions. JETAA USA coordinates American alumni and has no legal status, while USJETAA, established as a legal entity in 2015, can raise funds, hire staff, and support alumni but lacks formal representation or election-based mandate.

However, USJETAA faces the same fundamental challenges that the chapters do. It needs to find ways to attract members, as well as funding, in order to become a successful, sustainable supporting member of the alumni community. Going forward, its most pressing issues are building its membership base through providing valued services and cultivating revenue streams and other financial support.

JETwit

One of the most vital elements of the alumni community is JETwit, a group for JET writers, interpreters, and translators founded by Steven Horowitz in 2008. Frustrated by failed attempts to create a national JETAA newsletter, Horowitz launched JETwit independently, adhering to the philosophy of “it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.” He introduced it to the alumni community, encouraging its use despite its existence outside the official JETAA system.

JETwit has become a key source of information and a prominent online hub for JET Program participants and stakeholders, even with the rise of other communication channels. For years, it was the primary means of connecting chapters and countries, helping JETAA grow both nationally and internationally.

Horowitz and JETwit played a crucial role during the JET Threat by highlighting the program’s impact, such as demonstrating the “Return on JET-vestment” and promoting community videos to attract visitors. JETwit was also instrumental in sharing updates on Tohoku after the 3.11 disaster and coordinating disaster response efforts by JET alumni. In recognition of these contributions, JETwit received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Japanese government through CLAIR in 2011.

Currently, JETwit’s main project is the JETwit Jobs Google Group, a collaboration with USJETAA and AJET. Following advice from an online resource expert who suggested that job postings are a strong attention-getter, Horowitz focused JETwit on job listings. This group now helps alumni worldwide with career development and strengthens the connections within the alumni community.

Resources

For further information on JETAA, please access the following: