US embassy cable - 05GENEVA2807

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 GENEVA 002807 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR FLO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT, KFLO, CLO 
SUBJECT: May16 - October 31, 2005 CLO ACTIVITY REPORT - 
U.S. MISSION GENEVA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 216175 
 
SECTION ONE: NAMES OF CLO COORDINATORS 
-- Jackie Graves, FP-06, 30 hours per week 
-- Adriana Birdsall, FP-06, 24 hours per week 
 
SECTION TWO:  ADDITIONAL STAFF 
     No additional staff 
 
SECTION THREE:  POST PROFILE 
 
1. CLO serves the following agencies: 
  Department of State, Office of the U.S. Trade 
  Representative, Department of Agriculture, 
  Department of Defense, Center for Disease Control, 
  Health and Human Services, Census Bureau, USAID, 
  Army, Air Force and Environmental Protection Agency. 
 
2. Post Constituency as of 11/15/04: 
   A.  Employees at Post: 
 
   Breakdown:  w/children -- w/o children 
 
   Marines:  6 
   Singles:  5 -- 32 
   Married:  39 --40 
  Individuals with Tandem Assignments (number already 
  included in married):  4 -- 3 
 
   Total Employees with Children: 44 
   Total Employees w/o Children: 78 
   Total Employees Represented Above: 122 
 
   B.  Family Members on Orders: 152 
 
   Spouses: 79 -- At Post: 78 -- Away from Post: 1 
 
   Elder Family Members: 0 
 
   Children:73 
 
   Ages 0-5 (not yet in school): Total # of Children: 
23 
 
   Grades K-6: Total # of Children: 21 
    1- Number of Children Attending the Office of 
       Overseas Schools Assisted* Schools (schools in 
Geneva are not assisted by the U.S. Government, but the 
education allowance is based on International School of 
Geneva and College du Leman): 20 
    2- Number of Children Attending Another School at 
       Post: 1 
    3- Number Receiving Special Education Allowance: 1 
    4- Number Being Home Schooled: 0 
       Home Schooling Program(s) Being Used: 
    5- Number Attending School Away from Post, 
Receiving 
       an Education Allowance: 0 
       a. Name(s) of Boarding School Attended: n/a 
    6- Number Not Living with Parent at Post, Not 
       Receiving an Education Allowance: 0 
 
   Grades 7-8:  Total # of Children: 12 
    1- Number of Children Attending the Office of 
       Overseas Schools Assisted Schools: 12 
    2- Number of Children Attending Another School at 
       Post: 
    3- Number Receiving Special Education Allowance:  0 
    4- Number Being Home Schooled: 
       A. Home Schooling Program(s) Being Used: N/A 
    5- Number Attending School Away from Post, 
Receiving 
       an Education Allowance: 
       A. Name(s) of Boarding School Attended: N/A 
    6- Number Not Living with Parent at Post, Not 
       Receiving an Education Allowance: 0 
 
   Grades 9-12: Total # of Children: 11 
    1- Number of Children Attending the Office of 
       Overseas Schools Assisted School: 8 
    2- Number of Children Attending Another School at 
       Post: 2 
    3- Number Receiving Special Education Allowance: 0 
    4- Number Being Home Schooled: 0 
       A. Home Schooling Program(s) Being Used: N/A 
    5- Number Attending School Away from Post, 
Receiving 
       an Education Allowance: 1 
       A. Name(s) of Boarding School Attended: N/A 
    6- Number Not Living with Parent at Post, Not 
       Receiving an Education Allowance: 
 
   Family Members who are High School graduates but 
under 
   the age of 21 (23 if still in college): 6 
    1- Number at Post: 1 
    2- Number attending School Away from Post: 5 
 
   Total Family Members on Orders at Post: 145 
   Total Family Members on Orders Away from Post: 7 
   Total Family Members Represented Above: 152 
   C.  Total Number of Members of Household (not on 
orders): 0 
 
   D.  Total Client Population: 274 
 
SECTION FOUR:  EIGHT CATEGORIES OF CLO RESPONSIBILITIES 
 
A.  Family Member Employment: 
Objective:  To promote and facilitate family member 
employment inside and outside the Mission, work 
agreement permitting. 
      (1) CLO works closely with LEA, Stormy Berney. 
Stormy has found positions for eleven community members 
and assists spouses with networking opportunities that 
have proven beneficial in areas other than employment 
as well. The LEA pilot project finishes this year. We 
are hoping that ICASS will take over funding the 
program. 
 
   (2) We continue to provide Mission EFM's information 
on employment opportunities by posting announcements in 
central locations throughout the building and in the 
weekly newsletter. 
 
  (3) The office supported a workshop on Understanding 
Interactions given by spouse Sybille Young, on June 29. 
The workshop was attended by 10 participants. 
 
B.  Security Liaison and Crisis Management: 
Objective: To provide a channel of information between 
community members and the official Mission, which 
raises security awareness and represents community 
security concerns. 
 
   (1) CLO is in close contact with the RSO and 
advertises any security concerns to the community 
 
   (2) CLO regularly attends EAC meetings 
 
 
C.  Education Liaison: 
Objective: To maintain contact with schools at post and 
provide resource information about education. 
 
   (1) Assists newcomers by liaising with schools 
regarding registration and enrollment. 
 
   (2) Publicizes events at local schools in the 
Mission newsletter. 
 
   (3) Maintains current collection of school catalogs 
describing education options in Geneva, including 
information on pre-schools, French speaking private 
schools, and education beyond high school (Webster 
University, business school courses, hotel management, 
Geneva University courses, etc). 
 
   (4) CLO's met with the Principal of the 
International School of Geneva's newest campus - the 
Campus des Nations - in May to discuss the new school. 
The campus opened in September and greatly improved, at 
least for a time, the space problems.  However, some 
parents may still not be able to find space for all 
their children at the same school or at a school near 
their home. 
 
 
D.  Information and Resource Management: 
Objective: To gather and organize information to be 
distributed or made available to the Mission community 
and FLO Washington. 
 
  (1)  The CLO office now produces the weekly 
       newsletter," The Geneva Talks". 
 
   (2) Publications of organizations in the Geneva area 
are available for the community to read in the office. 
We advertise major events and programs in the Geneva 
Talks and on bulletin boards. 
 
   (3) The office maintains two bulletin boards: one 
for children's events & activities and one for the 
general public. There is also a brochure case outside 
the office for brochures and pamphlets on cultural and 
educational activities. 
 
   (4) Maintain and continue to update the two lending 
libraries: one inside the office divided into two 
parts; one part for CLO/FLO related publications and 
another with travel and resource books.  The travel 
books are very well used and popular with the 
community.  The second lending library is located in a 
public area of the Mission and contains donated books, 
current catalogs, magazines and brochures on area 
events. 
 
    (5) The office maintains a current family member e- 
mail distribution list. 
 
E.  Guidance and Referral: 
Objective: To listen to individual and collective 
concerns and offer appropriate resources and referrals. 
 
   (1) Community member Kathy Weed passed away in May 
from Breast Cancer. The Office assisted the family 
during this time and arranged for a memorial service 
for her, which was attended by the Mission community as 
well as her friends and family. 
 
   (2) CLO visits all community members in the 
hospital. There have been several births here this 
year, so CLO has visited all of the hospitals in the 
Geneva area. 
 
 
F.  Welcoming and Orientation 
Objective: To assist the individual's adjustment to the 
new environment. 
 
      (1) CLO arranged sponsors for 19 incoming families 
during the transfer season. 
 
  (2)  We worked with the Marines to organize the Welcome 
       Potluck at the Marine House on August 28. The event was 
       well attended by all. 
 
  (3)  The CLO office facilitated an orientation program 
       for new comers with lunch provided by AGEA on September 
       19. 
 
  (4)  There was a Welcome Coffee for new spouses at CLO 
       Jackie Graves' house. 
 
  (5)  CLO Patty Birdsall took 8 newcomers to lunch at a 
       local restaurant in September. 
 
 
G.  Community Liaison: 
Objective: To maintain contact with official Mission, 
host country and community groups. 
 
  (1)  The office maintains contact with and advertises 
       for events at various organizations such as the 
       American Women's Clubs of Geneva and Nyon; the Geneva 
       Diplomatic Spouses Circle; the UN Women's Guild; and 
       various other organizations, in an effort to keep the 
       community apprised of upcoming events. 
 
   (2) CLO has been assisting the Marines by inviting 
other missions to weekly Happy Hours at the US Mission. 
 
   (3) CLO is a non-voting member of the American 
Government Employees' Association (AGEA) and is in 
close working contact with its manager and board.  CLO 
attends all AGEA meetings. 
 
   (4) Attends weekly admin and country team meetings. 
 
   (5) Maintains contact with all ICASS members who 
work outside the Mission by keeping in e-mail contact 
with them. 
 
   (6) CLO continues to work with the Geneva business 
and diplomatic community by corresponding with and 
advertising specials for diplomatic personnel with 
businesses such as the Elizabeth Arden store. We are 
expanding our contacts to include other businesses and 
missions. 
 
   (7) CLO is assisting Mrs. Dorothy Moley with the 
United Nations Women's Guild Bazaar by recruiting 
community members to work at the booths, etc. 
 
   (8) As there are now many families with small 
children here, we are helping to form a mom and tots 
playgroup. 
 
H.  Events Planning: 
Objective: To develop and implement programs for all 
segments of Mission population, which introduce host 
culture, maintain familiar traditions or respond to 
needs expressed at post. 
 
    (1) CLO Patty Birdsall held a drinks and tapas 
party at her house after work on July 8. Approximately 
40 people attended. 
 
    (2) CLO Jackie Graves organized a trip to hike the 
Durnand Gorge on August 20. 17 parents and children 
attended. 
 
    (3) CLO arranged for a Brown Bag photography 
workshop with a mission member's visiting mother who is 
a professional photographer on September 20. 
Approximately 15 people attended. This kicked off the 
mission wide photography contest. Sixty-five photos 
were submitted by American and LES employees and the 
judging was held at a vernissage on October 14. DCM 
Lynn Cassel provided refreshments for the event. The 
Mission will professionally mat and frame the winning 
photos. 
 
 
 
   (4)  CLO Patty Birdsall organized a trip to Lavey-les- 
        Bains, a hot springs spa not far from Geneva on 
        Columbus Day. 5 people attended. 
 
   (5)  CLO recruited a community member who is also a 
        personal trainer to give a workshop on fitness on 
        October 20. 15 people attended and found the seminar 
        very informative. 
 
   (6)  CLO has worked very closely with the Marines to 
        put on a Halloween Party at the Marine House on October 
        29. The event was well attended by the Mission 
        children. 
 
 
 
SECTION FIVE:  ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES 
 
1.  The CLO office is open to the public five days a 
week from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday - Friday. 
Newcomers, employees and Mission families frequently 
visit the office. 
 
2.  Geneva receives 6000 official visitors annually. 
CLO often works with the portion of the TDY population 
that uses US Mission office space providing information 
on the Geneva region. In addition, we will have 
approximately 8 interns this year. Each year, we 
provide information and advertise for housing for the 
interns. 
 
 
SECTION SIX:  OVERVIEW OF LIFE AT POST 
 
1. Morale in general is good, and most employees and 
their families enjoy life in Geneva.  The lack of 
childcare and bureaucratic difficulty in employing 
domestic help remains an issue for parents with young 
children. 
 
2.  Although the International School of Geneva has 
opened the new Campus des Nations, demand for spaces in 
schools will probably soon exceed supply again. We urge 
all people coming to Geneva to contact the schools as 
soon as they know of their assignment. 
 
3. Housing continues to be tight. As Geneva is an LQA 
post, people are ultimately responsible for their own 
housing. If it is possible, we encourage people to come 
to Geneva before their assignment for a housing trip. 
 
5.  For many people, Geneva conjures up visions of 
"Heidi" houses, looming Alps, top quality education, 
and health care comparable to the U.S.  The Mission 
(and especially the CLO office) can assist bidders and 
newly assigned personnel to research the realities of 
life in Switzerland before they arrive. 
 
MOLEY