3 Ways to Be a Re-entry Advocate
After 10+ years researching re-entry and working with returnees all over the world, I’m 100% convinced that processing the emotions, questions, and confusion that arises in re-entry (also referred to as reverse culture shock or repatriation) is absolutely crucial to mental health and preventing long-term negative effects.
Unfortunately, re-entry remains a vastly overlooked, under-supported, and under-funded part of most everyone’s abroad experience.
I want to change that. But I can’t do it alone. None of us can do it alone!
In order to make re-entry a more positive and meaningful experience that leads to better mental health, we need ALL hands on deck, so to speak!
Current and future returnees need advocates who are ready to support, mentor, and facilitate meaningful re-entry processing everywhere there are returnees.
That’s why I want to create a world-wide cohort of Re-entry Advocates!
There are 3 ways you can be a Re-entry Advocate. I’ll share my full vision and how you can get involved soon but here’s a quick introduction. There’s space for everyone…where do you see yourself now and in the future?
1. Re-entry Supporter:
The Re-entry Supporter recognizes the importance of re-entry and amplifies existing and developing efforts to provide meaningful re-entry processing, even though they may not currently have the bandwidth or opportunity to work directly with returnees.
2. Re-entry Mentor:
The Re-entry Mentor has direct contact with returnees and supports them with processing as opportunities arise organically (e.g. in conversations, coaching, meetings, and in existing workshops, courses and programs).
3. Re-entry Facilitator:
The Re-entry Facilitator is ready to lead innovative re-entry workshops, courses, and coaching programs. The Re-entry Facilitator has deeply processed their own re-entry experience(s), has an in-depth understanding of re-entry language, concepts and tools, and a solid marketing/business plan for working with their ideal returnees.
Whether you see yourself now or in the future as a Supporter, Mentor or Facilitator, there are so many returnees that need you! This work isn’t easy but it is so, so needed.
That’s why I’m working to create a cohort of Re-entry Advocates who can support returnees in a variety of contexts all over the world.
This is an on-going project I’ll be working on in the coming months, and I’d love for you to be part of it as things grow and evolve.
To get us started, I’m setting up some “working sessions” in the coming weeks where we can meet in small groups (in Zoom) to discuss, brainstorm, and generate solutions around pressing re-entry topics.
Got a topic suggestion for one these sessions? Click here to tell me about it!