Dear Matt,
I am really disappointed that the cost of the conference is putting you off
coming and quite understand that the combined costs of travel and
accommodation are considerable. If you are unable to get any contribution
toward the fee we would be happy to try and offer you a discount, and we
have offered that to others. At every stage we have made decisions to keep
costs as low as we can (eg a very modest venue) and not to charge people who
are unwaged, but there is no budget for the conference or anyone to
underwrite it (in spite of attempts to gain local support).
We would like to encourage people to contact us if affording the conference
is difficult and we do hope we have not put people off.
We are counting on people to support the conference in order to make it
worthwhile and to balance the costs!
Every good wish
Jan Bostock
----- Original Message -----
From: "Horrocks Matthew" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Jan Bostock" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 12:54 PM
Subject: Re: Comm Psy conference 2005
Hi all,
Just wanted to send out a message regarding this years Community Psychology
conference:
The themes and speakers highlighted in the last message from the organising
committee sounds lively and thought provoking, excellent stuff.
I want to say that I am aware how complicated it can be in bringing together
an event like this, in terms of organisation and meeting cost outlays etc.
However, whilst it is great to see free places being offered to members of
community and/or service user groups, I am a little disappointed at the
price of £80 per delegate, (whilst fully recognising that such a conference
if run on a commercial profit oriented basis, could easily charge hundreds
of pounds per delegate) the price is too much for my budget, because as well
as the price for admission there are also potential travel, subsistence and
accommodation costs to consider.
In short, I will struggle financially to attend, this year, whilst I was
able to attend last years conference at Exeter, where the organisers were
able to offer a number of discounted tickets to those on low incomes
(including students/clinical psychology assistants as well as community
groups and activists?).
Last year my colleague Nicola Gawn made an impassioned discourse about the
difficulties (practical, financial and emotional) facing assistant
psychologists, whilst perhaps these need to be considered relative to the
difficulties facing the clients and communities we work with, the
difficulties are real never-the-less.
I have found the recent discussions on the list regarding 'survival' in the
face of oppression or unhelpful dominant discourse illuminating - but it
reinforces for me the feeling that; to take on some of the
activities/battles which community psychologist may encounter in the course
of working with institutional/statutory services, the comparative security
offered from a position of professional strength can be quite enabling. The
struggle for community activists, non-professionals and those who are being
exploited (perhaps in the case of assistant psychologists this might be
viewed as exploitation from an employment perspective? - which granted is a
comparatively privileged position when compared to many people in society),
may make it much harder still to adopt a community psychology approach.
I would ask the UK community psychology network to continue its excellent
work - including organising conferences etc. but please strive to remain
mindful of the comparatively weak and vulnerable position of some members of
our own network.
Cheers, Matt
Matthew D Horrocks
Assistant Psychologist
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