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What is the PA system?
It's a group of people within the prefecture who are here to help get information and advice to our JETs, provide counselling where necessary, and organise and run the Arrival Orientation for new JETs, the Mid-year seminar for ALTs and the regional ALT meetings that we hold twice a year in September and April. We are also responsible for having a disaster implementation plan in place should the worst happen. Fun stuff!
Every prefecture has a similar system set up to support JETs all across Japan. We receive special training twice a year to help us help you.
What does PA stand for?
Although various alternatives have been suggested, it's Prefectural Advisor.
Who are the PAs?
The ALT PA is Laura Thimling, and the Japanese PAs are Fukuzawa sensei at the General Education Centre (GEC) and Yasuhara sensei from the International Affairs & Japan Sea Region Policy Division. Fukuzawa sensei looks after prefectural ALTs and Yasuhara sensei is responsible for the CIRs and private ALTs. We are also supported by the GEC ALT, Sarah Freuden.
What can the PA system do for me?
We are here to get information to you if and when you need it. However, you do have a lot of information available to you already. There is the General Handbook from JET, your Insurance Policy Handbook (which I encourage you to read!) and also the Toyama Handbook which you can download or browse online (see the Guides and Info section of the website). We aren't an information service and need you to take the responsibility of checking for yourself before contacting us. You are also able to talk to your supervisor and other people at your school/work for information about your local area/Japanese life stuff.
We can offer counselling services if you ever need them. We're not professional counsellors but we do have training. Everything you tell us will be treated in complete confidence and we can source lots of information regarding your health and wellbeing whilst in Japan. Please call me (Laura) anytime you need to talk! If you don't want to talk to us for any reason, there are a variety of other places you can receive counselling and advice. See the link from the main PA page or your General Information Handbook for a list of contact numbers.
Due to the way that Japanese schools/employers are set up, there is a limited amount we can do when it comes to contract matters unless your contracting organisation (CO) is in breach of your contract. The most common, and difficult matters are to do with taking paid leave and sick leave. We can, however offer a mediation service between you and your CO if communication breaks down.