See below for the description on the role of an Emergency Needs Officer.

COMMITTEE COORDINATORS

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What is an Emergency Needs Officer?

-helping to coordinate people and resources to help those in immediate emergency medical or psychological crisis needs locally

*this position is distinctly different from the Employment & Legal Issues Officer Officer, and legal issues will be separated from emergency issues

*this position does NOT represent or mediate member's issues directly with the employer or other individuals directly involved in emergency situations

*this position does NOT recommend individual organizations unless no others exist to fill that need

-officers from each PMA will serve on the Emergency Needs Committee nationally and may specialize in one of the following roles

-one Emergency Needs Officer from the Emergency Needs Committee will serve as Chair of that Committee and serve on the National Council

-previous service as a probation/parole officer, EMT, or equivalent experience preferred

-Education in Criminology, Public Health or equivalent preferred

-passion for helping those in crisis situations required

-counseling experience preferred

-awareness of the unique, emotional problems encountered by teachers living and working outside of their home cultures

-experience with counselling personal problems such as depression and suicidal ideation preferred

-kind, non-judgmental but incisive approach to dealing with psychological problems required

-consistent when following up with inquirers by both E-mail and telephone to ensure that members are doing well

-experience counselling social isolation, workplace conflicts sliding under the radar of cross-cultural misunderstandings, and common feelings such as homesickness or low-grade depression

-as an officer, you will lend an ear to those in need and help them sort through these sorts of common psychological issues through extensive phone chats

-as an officer, you will serve as a sounding board for those who need the time to delve into the details of such problems to try to seek solutions

-as an officer, you will be open to ongoing chats with those who must face particularly complex dilemmas

-you have the patience and the clinical knowledge to help ATEK members work through these issues on the phone or by E-mail at length

-If the same depression has to be confronted time and time again, you will be just as willing the 17th time to listen as you wre the first

-all serious crises will be referred to the most appropriate medical expert whom the person in need can access

-the Emergency Needs Committee will develop joint Emergency Needs Response Team with National and Local Counselling Centers

*This role also serves on the National Council. In order to serve as the committee chair, you must be elected by the other officers on your commitee. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to initiate the elections process.