- How is the JET Furusato Vision Project different from the Satogaeri Project implemented in 2015?
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In 2015 JET Programme Satogaeri Project, 12 alumni from 11 countries returned to their former places of employment to strengthen ties with their former communities and bring attention to both the accomplishments of the JET Programme and to the charms of the local regions of Japan where JET participants have been active. The Satogaeri Project was implemented as a one-time project to build excitement in preparation for the JET 30th Anniversary celebrations planned for the following year in 2016.
In contrast, the JET Furusato Vision Project is planned to be a continuous project with a fewer number of alumni (seven) participating each year. While participants in the JET Furusato Vision Project will also return to their former places of employment on the JET Programme, the focus of the project will be shifted to creating opportunities for the participants to reconnect with their former communities while also implementing their own project in the area of Tourism Promotion, Economic Exchange, Educational Exchange, Culture & Arts Exchange, Grassroots Exchange, Current JET Participant Career Support, or any other area which utilises the skills and connections they acquired after leaving the JET Programme. In this way, the JET Furusato Vision Project attempts to create new potential for the JET Programme while allowing JET alumni to contribute to their ‘home-away-from-home’, their ‘furusato’ in Japan.
- I am still a current JET Programme participant. Can I still apply?
- This project is targeted at former JET Participants; current JET participants cannot apply. Current JET participants who are scheduled to be JET alumni by the time of the project term are also ineligible to apply.
- My former contracting organisation is in Hokkaido, but I cannot participate in 2018. Can I apply in 2017 instead?
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No. JET alumni with former contracting organisations in Eastern Japan (e.g. Hokkaido) cannot apply in 2017, but are only eligible to apply in 2018. Please refer to the list of prefectures below to check whether your former host prefecture is in Western or Eastern Japan.
Western Japan (Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa); eligible in 2017:
Kansai Region: Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama
Chugoku Region: Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi
Shikoku Region: Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi
Kyushu/Okinawa Region: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, OkinawaEastern Japan (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu); eligible in 2018:
Hokkaido Region： Hokkaido
Tohoku Region： Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima
Kanto Region：Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa
Chubu Region： Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi - I am a former JET participant, but I do not belong to any JET Alumni Association (JETAA) and I have not participated in any JET Programme or CLAIR related events in quite some time. Will I be at a disadvantage when applying?
- No, you will not be at a disadvantage. As specified in the application guidelines, applications are evaluated based on the content of the plan, level of involvement with the community, effectiveness of project, etc.
- Is it possible to participate for a period that is not either the specified Term A or Term B? Can I apply if I can only participate for a portion of the scheduled terms?
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No. Only JET alumni who can participate for the entirety of either the specified Term A or Term B may apply (Term A: Thursday, 26 October, 2017 – Tuesday, 31 October, 2017; Term B: Monday, 6 November, 2017 – Saturday, 11 November, 2017). We ask that you refrain from applying if you cannot participate for the entirety of either one of these terms.
- What kind of report are participants required to submit after completion of the project?
- Participants are required to submit a report within two months after completing the project which details the content of their JET Furusato Vision Project, any issues or points of improvement they came across during the project, any ideas they have for future projects, and their overall impressions of the JET Furusato Vision Project. Details regarding the report will be provided to participants after the screening process has ended.
- Do I need to submit my application by fax or send my application by post to CLAIR?
- No. Applications will only be accepted by email to the email address specified on the application guidelines (furusato@clair.or.jp).
- Can I submit my application materials even though the application period has passed?
- No. Applications will not be accepted once the application period has ended.
- Can I submit my application materials or direct questions regarding the project to one of the CLAIR overseas offices instead?
- No. Application materials can only be submitted by email to the email address specified in the application guidelines. Only CLAIR Headquarters in Tokyo can field questions from applicants; CLAIR overseas offices will not be fielding questions or accepting any applications by email.
- Can I make a decision or change about the term of participation later?
- We ask that applicants indicate one preferred term of participation at the time of application. Changes to the indicated term of participation will not be accepted after the application period has ended.
- When should I apply for the 2018 JET Furusato Vision Project?
- The application period for 2018 has not been finalised, but it is expected to be similar to the application period for 2017 (Mid-March to Early May).
- Is it possible to stay in Japan before or after the project term?
- Yes, it is possible to stay in Japan before or after the project term, but you must pay for all expenses including transportation and accommodation fees incurred outside of the project term.
