JETAAUK AGM minutes

JETAA UK AGM Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th February 2017

Attendees

JETAA Members                                                          Embassy of Japan

Sarah Parsons (JETAAUK Chair)                                    Hiroshi Itakura

Rob Gorton (Midlands Chair)

Matt Sanders (Scotland Chair)

Margaret Mann (London Chair)

Liz Wharmby (London Vice-chair)                                   JLGC

Keith Kelly (Treasurer)                                                    Kazuya Shima

Jess Brown (Secretary)                                                    Terry Asano

Corrina Ellis (NW Vice-Chair)                                       Daiki Yoshijima

Clare Nicholson (London)

Kay Webber (London)

Caroline Shilcock (London; Saturday only)

Ryan Keeble (London)

WHAT IS JETAA UK?
Voluntary, alumni of JET Programme, membership gained from signing up to website, currently around 6,000 members including on social media. Not all these are active - most don't update their details so we cannot reach them.

Everyone at the AGM can be on the UK committee but they don’t have to take on specific job titles if they don’t want to.

Mission: promote links, develop links

How do we engage: social events, social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), website and mailshots, networking opportunities (Japan Society, British–Japanese Parliamentary Group, Japan 21st Century Group, Embassy of Japan, British Chamber of Commerce  in Japan)

Action point: Liz to contact Marie at 21st Century Group to check who is invited to Japan 21st Century

JETAA chapters across the UK organise regular meetups.

Educational links: visit schools with Japan Foundation and Japan Society, Japanese classes and language meetups, links with universities: academic conference in Sheffield. Ex-JET Peter Matanle at Sheffield University.

JETAA DIARY
Pre-departure events
Welcome back events
Careers Day - numbers have dropped over years. Panel of ex-JETs, CV clinics, sessions on topics including working in academia and Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Recently: engaged with Japan-related businesses careers and networking events.
Robert Walters, Teach First, Mitsubishi Corporation, Brother UK, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Scottish Parliament.

Aim: Create a network of professionals; support members with career development

Japan Society London give reduced rate to ex-JETs. Japan Society of Scotland give first year free.

Action: Sarah will liaise with Heidi to get information on the discount for members and Matt will liaise with Japan Society of Scotland so we can send out with newsletter and put on website.
Challenges of volunteers in the UK
- JETAA reputation has been hindered but has improved
- nature of volunteering in the UK (commitment is short, rewards expected)
- difficult to motivate volunteers to do something properly, people become unreliable
- communication can be difficult to coordinate
- membership is hard to maintain, database causes a problem
- people have access to many other networking and online groups, and some just want to be on Facebook

Positives
- relationships are now good
- profile has been raised
- good examples for events across UK

Future developments
- may need to hire professionals for website, communication and event organisation
- want to encourage good relationships with JLGC and Embassy
- engage more members

Chair activities
Sarah became Trustee of Japan Society UK
JET stories for chapter in book by Hugh Cortazzi
30th Anniversary event in Tokyo
Jetlag magazine restart

JLGC update
- GIA Grant In Aid - need spending guidelines –

ACTION-Keith will find guidelines for spending. Sarah advised people ask via e mail group comms if they are not sure as it can be event specific.

JLGC Update

Asano san said that receipts will be needed within the first week of March for last year’s GIA.
- Satogaeri: Keith announced that this will take place this year Oct/early Nov for ex-JETs (returned 3 years ago minimum) from Western Japan to return to JET home location. Applicants must come up with projects, tourism campaign, educational exchange, the Arts, grass-roots exchange. Objective, expectant outcomes, budget, follow up activity will be required for successful applicant.

Embassy Update

Itakura san expressed his hope that JETAA will support with getting JETs to get involved with the University Promotions at universities for the JET Programme.

Chapter activities
Scotland - language retreat and Japan day at local school (look into special interest group for teachers). Photo exhibition coming up this year.
London - getting things re-started. Drop-in events. Book club by theme - books with similar theme, changes location. More events (karaoke etc) coming up this year.
Midlands - Academic Special Interest Group, hanami event. Considerable links with Japan. Challenges to attract younger people to JETAA. Need a way to identify past JETs. Difficult to get members as spread over a wide area.

ACTION ALL: ask members to make sure to sign-up via the website.

ACTION ALL: put events on the website and via social media to as many members as possible.

COMMUNICATIONS WITH MEMBERS
Website and Jetlag

Jetlag is new electronic newsletter being sent out quarterly, done professionally by Sterling Content, Japan. It was negotiated by Keith and Sarah since we realised that we were not engaging well with our members via mailshot and this is one of the main ways of engaging people. All members of the committee were consulted and we pay for 4 (quarterly) newsletters and specific Facebook campaigns and communications when we get outside organisations asking for us to put things out there. We need ideas for content and each chapter needs to provide a write-up of their activities for it. Chapters will pay out of their slush funds to cover this and make a bid in their GIA.

Chapters also need to put content on the website of their events throughout the year.

ACTION secretary will contact all chapters to get suitable content for Jetlag with deadlines etc. Next edition will go out in April.

Website is not fit for purpose and does not function properly. There are concerns re the sign up process (does it work) and also reports that many people are not receiving mailshots although some are going into promotions folder because of links. There are also concerns about getting the administrative details from the previous webmaster regarding the JETAA e mails and the website. It may be necessary to get the Japanese side involved.

Committee has decided to put out tenders for someone to build the new website, with committee members putting forward potential web designers with examples of work for all to consider.  This will be done by a professional - too big a job for a volunteer to take on and do as a part time voluntary basis (current website is not of a good standard and took nearly two years to transfer from the old one).

ACTION: Any committee member can nominate potential developers who they know professionally, to get quotes for having the website done professionally – Sarah and Liz have initially offered to request quotes (others can be put forward later) and will get them after a tender document has been decided by the committee (by end of March).  Keith to follow up via mail list to get consensus on how to advance.

ACTION: Sarah will get a database manager to look at the databases we have from the past (many people’s details have not been updated)

ACTION: Sarah will ask Kathryn (the lady who does the new JETLAG) if she has any tips for getting it out of Promotions and will also see whether there is a link they can use

ACTION Margaret will work out a Twitter schedule (Liz, Margaret, Ryan, Keith)
Action plan for increasing sign-ups put on hold until next AGM

Social Media and Mailshots

JETAAUK Twitter e mail and password: JETAAUK2012

Anyone wanting to be an administrator on Facebook can contact Sarah

All Chairs should have received Mailchimp sign in details. Corrina expressed uncertainty about using mailchimp. Advice was to play around with it and look on there for support. Sarah happy to copy her in to Kathryn to support her.

Ian pointed out that Linkedin has a company page and group page. He suggested closing the company page and directing people to group page. He also said that it could be used for jobs too.

ACTION: Sarah will make Ian a manager of the group and he can moderate.

ACTION: Sarah will look into closing the company page and directing them to the group

ACTION: To all please join the group and interact with it.

CAREERS SEMINAR

It was agreed this is the biggest event of the year for JETAA UK and the most important opportunity to engage with JET alumni both new and old.

The scope of the event could be enlarged to have a bigger impact and involve the Japanese side to a greater extent.  Current thinking is to organise a reboot of the Careers Information Day and merge it with the Careers Seminar which has been organised in London for the last three years.  Putting out the event organisation to tender was discussed and will be looked into further.  The London chapter will still be involved in liaising with alumni over speaking at the event and taking part in panel sessions.

Approaching companies like Mitsubishi and Nomura for involvement (potential event space) was also discussed and will be looked into further.

How exactly to proceed and what exact the event will be developed after the AGM after speaking to stakeholders.

ACTION:  Keith to start coordinating and liaising with potential event organisers over managing the event, engaging with Japanese/non-Japanese exhibitors and looking for an event

ACTION: Margaret to work with Keith on producing a tender document to put out to potential event organisers.

Elections
NEW COMMITTEE
Chair - Sarah Parsons
Vice chair - Margaret Mann
Treasurer - Keith Kelly
Secretary - Caroline Shilcock
Webmaster - Clare Nicholson

Country Rep England and Wales: Kay Webber
ACTION Sarah will confirm International Representatives for England (Kay Webber) and Scotland (TBC) with international committee

ACTION: Sarah will speak to Caroline to go through details of being Secretary (DONE)

ACTION: Sarah will support Claire with getting website admin and google e mail details from Matt.

ACTION: Sarah will get the national committee details changed on the website (DONE)

ACTION: All Chairs will get their regional chapter details changed on the website

30th Anniversary event

Sarah and Keith have been working with Alethea from the British–Japanese Parliamentary Group to organise this reception to invite JETAA volunteers and organisations that have supported our activities in the past. This will take place on the 16th March in Parliament. There will be a speech from the Ambassador followed by a speech from Sarah plus a short video and then a sake barrel smashing celebration followed by networking. Everyone needs to RSVP to Alethea (not JETAA) to get on the list as security is very tight. The video will be a way to get some sound bites of what people are doing post -JET and to show the value of JETAA to all attending. This is being shot/edited professionally and co-ordinated by Sarah

NATIONAL EVENTS
Pre-departures. London has their event with the Embassy pre-departure orientation. The chapters will run their own during June. Attendance can be quite low from JETs going out but it is a good way to engage volunteers. Suggested format could just be a coffee shop meetup somewhere informal or evening dinner. Chapters need to apply for funding for this in their bids. Last year had a few communication issues but this year we feel that the Embassy will help to promote it by putting it in their packs and also putting it out via twitter and maybe reminding JETs with a follow up e mail.
ACTION Margaret to create form for pre-departure events. To follow up with Yuki to see what the Embassy wants. Yuki from the Embassy has confirmed the official pre-departure for outgoing JETs for the 13th and 14th July.
ACTION ALL CHAPTERS get a date, time and venue in mind and send them to Sarah, Margaret and Secretary ASAP.

ACTION Keith to follow up on lesson plan challenge and CIR ideas for USB (Irish idea). CIRS on committee include Margaret, Claire and Ian.

Ekiden event in September in the Cotswolds-being organised by RNR Pursuits, a company wanting to build on the popularity of these races and get Japan related community involved JETAA applicants get entry for ￡11 per person.

ACTION – Sarah will put Margaret in touch with organiser. JETAA will put this out on their next newsletter and promote it to JETs to form teams. JETAA will also use it for a meet-up opportunity and to encourage people to come along and support it.

Communications within committee

Everyone has agreed to be put on a google e mail group and has provided their e mail for this purpose. This will be used to send out minutes and communicate between people on the various topics brought up during the AGM and any other relevant information. Committee members may be required to vote on decisions and spending decisions. Please use it sensibly and make it clear if action/response is required. There is no need to have google hangouts anymore. Chapters can communicate via Line or Whatsapp.

Mid Term AGM

London has agreed to organise the mid-term AGM for Saturday 29th July (Margaret has made a note of follow up needed from these action points) and Sarah also wanted to talk about getting more JETs signed up once the website issues are resolved. Chapters will use general GIA for this. London may bid for stationery, room hire and lunch.

ACTION: All confirm with Margaret availability

Next AGM

Scotland have agreed to host and organise the AGM for 2018. A handover and instructions on how to do this should be put on the agenda for the Mid-Term AGM

ACTION: Secretary will put these on agenda for Mid-term AGM