SAN SALVADOR'S CLO REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SAN SALVADOR 003222 SIPDIS FOR M/DGHR/FLO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLO AMGT ES SUBJECT: SAN SALVADOR'S CLO REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF MAY 1 - OCTOBER 31, 2005 ¶1. Co-CLO Coordinator Monique Reyes FP-6 and other Co-CLO position is currently vacant recruitment is in process; 25 hours per week each. ¶2. Additional staff: Part-time CLO Assistant Milagros Root FP-9, 20 hours per week. ¶3. Post Profile ¶A. Agencies served: State (Public Diplomacy, HR, MNGT, HU, GSO, FMO, FAC) USAID Operating Expenses, USAID Programs, RIG, Department of Defense (DAO, MILGP, DAO FAO, FOL, Corps of Engineers),Department of Justice (DEA, FBI, Justice Criminal Division, TAT),FCS, Peace Corps, CDC, AGRF/FAS, DHS. ¶B. Employees at Post: Number of USDH with/without children at Post: Without With Marines: 11 1 Singles: 16 8 Married: 21 46 Individuals w/tandem assignments: 6 8 Total employees with children: 63 Total employees w/o children: 54 Total employees represented above: 117 ¶C. Family members: At Post Away From Post spouses: 64 3 Children under age 19: 105 3 Children ages 19 - 23: 1 8 Children at boarding school:0 2 Elder family members on orders: 2 Elder family members at Post: Not on orders: 1 0 Total family members on orders at Post: 172 Total family members on orders away from Post: 16 Total family members represented above: 188 ¶D. Children: Ages 0-5 (not yet in kindergarten): 35 Child using Special Educational Allowance: Grades K through 6: Total: 47 Number attending A/Office of Overseas Schools assisted schools: 29 (1) Number attending other schools at Post: 17 (2) Children using educational allowance: 4 (3) Number attending school away from Post: 0 (4) Number living with other parent in the US: 1 Grades 7 and 8: Total: 14 (1) Number attending A/Office of Overseas Schools assisted schools: 14 (2) Number attending other schools at Post: 0 (3) Children using educational allowance:0 (4) Number attending school away from Post:0 (5) Number living with other parent in the US:0 Grades 9 through 12: Total: 12 (1) Number attending A/Office of Overseas Schools assisted schools: 8 (2) Number attending other schools at Post: 0 (3) Children using special educational allowance: 1 (4) Number attending schools away from Post: 2 (5) Number living with other parent in the US: 2 Total number of children using special educational allowance: 5 Total number of children being home schooled: 0 Total family members on orders at Post: 172 Total family members on orders away from Post: 16 College students away from Post (under age 23): 8 College students at Post (under age 23): 1 Other dependents away from Post (under age 23): 0 Dependents working at Post (under age 23): 0 Total family members represented above: 202 ¶E. Total client population: 117 + 188 = 305(employees + family members) ¶4. Eight Areas of Community Liaison Office Responsibility: ¶A. Welcoming and Orientation Objective: To assist newcomers' adjustment to their new community and host country. In support of these objectives, the CLO: -- Actively contacts newcomers, sending welcome documents and information as requested. CLO has posted a welcome package consisting of a welcome letter, shopping guide, restaurant guide, and other information on the San Salvador intranet site. CLO also sends copies of the community newsletter and Post Photo Album to newly assigned employees; -- Seeks out and organizes volunteers to serve as social sponsors for newcomers. CLO attempts to assign sponsors with similar demographics and interests, and works with Post's Housing Board to insure that sponsors and newcomers live in close proximity; -- During the busy summer months, CLO conducted three newcomer orientation tours. The tours eased newcomers' entry to San Salvador, introducing them to key medical, shopping and dining facilities. Employees and family members attended the tours which is a great networking opportunity for them; -- Held Hail and Farewell events in May and September 2005 to welcome newcomers and bid farewell to departing employees. September's event featured local organizations (Boy and Girl Scouts, American Society, American Women's Association) that gave information to the newcomers and their families. The event also featured a jungle theme, entitled "Welcome to Your New Adventure;" -- Worked with IRM to provide two computers in the Mission cafeteria with Internet access for use by the Mission community. This gave newly arrived community members awaiting their home computers instant access to e-mail and the Net; -- In conjunction with a local clinic, hosted a seminar on "Making and Keeping Friends" for new arriving children in August ¶2005. The seminar taught skills for making new friends and handling bullies, and was so popular that the Escuela Americana is seeking to conduct the seminar; and -- Solicited donations of toys and board games from the community to create a toy lending library for new community members awaiting their shipments. CLO also continues to keep a fairly extensive community library of fiction, nonfiction, and children's books. ¶B. Community Liaison: Objective: To maintain contact with official mission, host country and community groups. In support of these objectives: -- CLO attends and contributes to the following meetings: Country Team (weekly),Management Staff (weekly),meets with the DCM (bi- monthly),Inter-Agency Housing Board and Emergency Action Committee; -- CLO serves as a non-voting member on the following boards: American Employees Association of El Salvador (AEAES),Post Employment Committee (PEC),and the Inter-Agency Housing Board. The CLO is an active participant on these boards; -- CLO serves as an advisor to the boards of the American Society of San Salvador and the American Women's Association. CLO has offered the community newsletter as a means for these associations to announce upcoming community events, and works to provide forms and information to new community members interested in joining; -- CLO provides updated outings, restaurant, school and local health resource guides, and information regarding community and cultural events from the Embassy's cultural section. A database of all business cards, brochures and e-mails received in recent years has been established to provide "push button" information on vendors in a quick and efficient manner. Database reports can also be e-mailed directly to customers seeking information; -- CLO maintains office hours of 8-4, Monday-Friday in its continuing efforts to service the Mission community; -- CLO maintains contact with the four schools attended by Mission children, and all regularly contact the CLO to share concerns. Recent rains in El Salvador caused the closing of school for close to two weeks, at which time each kept CLO informed of all pertinent information; -- CLO is again promoting the "Adopt a Peace Corps Volunteer" program, which finds Mission homes where PCVs can join in the Thanksgiving holiday. This was a tremendous success last year; -- CLO will work with various local charities over the December holidays to coordinate donations of food, clothes and toys. CLO recently held a bake sale and coordinated donations for victims of a volcano eruption and Tropical Storm Stan. This important event demonstrated the Mission's concern for the people of El Salvador. The CLO also assisted the local DHS Office to coordinate toy donations for "El Dia de Ninos, the toys were donated to the children of Salvadorian Police officers; and -- CLO is working with Post Management to create a "Quality of Life" committee. The purpose of this committee is to solicit ideas from the Mission community to improve the work and home environments of all of our employees. ¶C. Events Planning Objective: To develop and implement programs to enhance post morale in the following areas: U.S traditions; host country culture; and social, educational and recreational activities. In support of these objectives the CLO: U.S. Traditions -- Organized volunteers for decorating the Ambassador's residence for the Mission's 4th of July celebration; -- Coordinated the annual Halloween event for Embassy (American and Salvadoran) kids that included an office decoration contest, trick or treating, a haunted house and a Halloween skit; and -- Assisted with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds first-ever Air Show in El Salvador. CLO promoted the event and coordinated the Mission's tent set-up and decoration for what was a great day for the American community. Host Country Culture CLO works closely with Post's PAO to provide the community with information on cultural events in San Salvador. Concerts, art exhibits and plays are all advertised via the community newsletter, CLO bulletin boards and broadcast announcements. Social, Educational and Recreational Activities -- With the Mission's Recreation Association, CLO organized and promoted a very well attended community pool party to celebrate the pool's re-opening; -- CLO organizes an ongoing interactive storytelling program for children, book club for adults and children and "Game Nights;" -- CLO also has assisted in developing different interest groups such as bowling league, spousal coffees, embassy co-ed sports, and a male spouse group; -- CLO organizes various recreation activities such as hiking, beach club trips, water park trips, paintball and shopping tours; and -- On a regular basis, CLO works closely with the local Marine Detachment to design and promote Marine TGIF Happy Hours and special events such as "Family Fun Day" at the Marine house. It was a day of fund games and events. ¶D. Information and Resource Management Objective: To gather, maintain and disseminate information to the community, Post Management and FLO. In support of this objective, the CLO: -- Publishes the Embassy newsletter, "Volcano Views". The newsletter includes a "CLO Corner" and "Tips for the Community" that announce events, local community resources, and other important community information; -- CLO has recently completed a Post Video to be posted on the intranet and distributed to the OBC; -- Created and maintains the following databases: Domestic Employees, Community Tips, Children and Schools, and Employees and Family Members. CLO also publishes the names of available domestic helpers recommended by Embassy employers and assists employees with difficulties in connection with domestic employees; -- Collects, updates and posts information from all the area schools and posts on Post's web page and in the newsletter; -- The CLO maintains bulletin boards in the cafeteria area that provide information on upcoming Embassy and cultural events, FLO publications, employment notices, travel and tour information and display artwork/crafts from community children and pictures from community events; -- Maintains a lending library of books, catalogues, magazines, and tapes. Recently, the CLO started carrying English language magazines such as Time, Golf, Rolling Stone, People and Shape; and -- Sends electronic versions of the community newsletter to future community members, FLO and other CLOs in Central America. ¶E. Education Liaison Objective: To maintain contact with schools at post and provide resource information about education. In support of this objective, the CLO: -- Keeps in constant contact with all four local school directors that service the Embassy community. -- Acts as liaison between families and schools, and regularly publishes school calendars and special events; -- Regularly distributes reports from local preschools to families looking for educational opportunities; and -- Publishes/disseminates information from the OBC and FLO regarding educational matters and opportunities. ¶F. Family Member Employment Objective: To promote and facilitate family member employment inside and outside the mission. In support of this object, CLO: -- Recently assisted in the hiring of a new Local Employment Advisor (LEA) for its SNAP Program, and is working closely with her to develop a SNAP client list for San Salvador. The CLO now refers all mission spouses looking for employment to the LEA; -- Publishes job opportunities from the local economy and inside the Mission in the community newsletter; -- CLO has recently attended e-entrepreneur training and, in partnership with LEA, will conduct the training to interested spouses; -- In conjunction with Human Resources, manages the summer hire program for family members; and -- Attempts to promote long term employment opportunities for family members as well as career opportunities with the Department of State, USAID and the Foreign Commercial Service. ¶G. Crisis Management and Security Liaison Objective: Provide information to community members to raise security awareness and represent community security concerns. Because El Salvador is still considered a critical crime post, in support of this objective, CLO: -- Works closely with the RSO to assure the safety of the community when planning events on the Mission compound by providing the names and other personal or vehicle information of all event participants requiring access to the compound; -- Closely consults with the RSO on any possible safety issues when planning outings and trips, and changes plans if the RSO raises safety concerns; -- Serves as a member of the Emergency Action Committee (EAC) and has defined roles in Post's Emergency Action Plan (EAP); and -- Maintains a database of all community children in case of emergencies, with school and emergency contact information for children at Post and in the United States. ¶H. Guidance and Referral Objective: To listen to individual and collective concerns and refer appropriately. In support of this objective, CLO: -- dealt with the first death of a community member over the summer when one of the Marines from the Marine Security Detachment passed away on July 4th. CLO worked with FLO to determine what resources were available to the community to help cope with the grief from this loss. CLO worked with Post's Medical Officer to arrange a visit from the Regional Mental Health Officer, and assisted in arranging a memorial service; -- Maintains an "open-door" policy for those seeking access to resources within the community. CLO also has had many closed-door meetings to discuss sensitive issues, which have earned the community's trust. CLO follows, and keeps posted, the Notice of Confidentiality; SIPDIS -- Maintains a list of local health and mental health resources, as well as literature and videos for families to borrow; -- Works with the Health Unit to provide regular Health information through the community newsletter; and -- Publishes information in the newsletter from State's Medical and the Family Liaison Offices on recent health initiatives. ¶5. Administrative Notes Rick Sarrano departed as Co-CLO in November 2005 after serving as a Co-CLO Coordinator for the past year. Rick not only enjoyed the work but also the quality training received from FLO in April ¶2005. Monique Reyes, who became the Co-CLO Coordinator in July 2005, recently returned from Washington, DC where she took part in the "Professional Skills Development for CLO Coordinators" training course and a seminar on E-Business opportunties for family members. A new CLO Assistant, Milagos Root was just recently hired as well. Recruitment is underway for a Co-CLO Coordinator to replace Rick. San Salvador's CLO has remodeled its existing office space over the last few months. The office has been repainted in warm and inviting colors and new office furniture and carpet were installed. This remodeling effort makes for a more welcoming atmosphere and creates a more professional environment. The community's response has been very positive. ¶6. Overview of Life at Post San Salvador remains as the best-kept secrets in the Foreign Service. With an inviting tropical climate, the good weather makes the many lakes and the beaches popular weekend destinations for many Embassy families. The country's good roads make the countryside and many tourism opportunities easily accessible, and the number of tour companies is increasing. High quality meats, fruits and vegetables and other staples are abundant, delicious and inexpensive. In addition, many American- made goods and grocery items are available, and are offered at American-style shopping malls and grocery stores. The U.S. dollar- based economy makes shopping here easy and enjoyable. The Mission compound features a commissary, cafeteria, tennis courts, a recently remodeled swimming pool, gym, soccer field, and Marine house. Due to the safety and convenience of the compound, many CLO activities are held there, which contribute to well- attended CLO programs and continuing high morale. Barclay