I have been off-line for a while, hence my delayed response to this
discussion thread
Maybe it is not too late to do something before the newcastle conference.
For those of us who are paying out of our institution's funds rather than
our own pockets, perhaps we can offer to pay a little more. This may not be
easy to do for all of us who have access to such funds (some of us have
overly zealous financial auditors and ethically challenged fund-holders who
woudl prefer us to spend a grand on a new super-dooper flat screen TFT than
to support local community groups), but for those who can, it might be worth
considering. I am, however, mindful that this might create problems the
Newcastle end as it could double or triple the time spent on administrating
the financial side of the conference, so might actually set up a false
economy. It also might not be possible to pool together the money in time to
offer guarantees that some delegates expenses can be subsidised/paid. On the
other hand, 'if not now, then when?!'
If it is possible, I think a 50% tax for those who have access to
institutional funds / top earners would seem fair, but we could leave this
up to individual discretion. If, for example, ten of us could add 50%, we
could pay the conference and/or accommodation and/or travel fees for five
un/under waged delegates. I think that if any of us chose to offer to do so,
we should email Jan privately so that the we don't establish circles of
shame and adulation between the flat taxed and progressively taxed - I think
most of us want to remove rather than reinforce our power hierarchies.
Moreover, I think it would be nice to redistribute the wealth around our
network a bit seeing as the UK government seems determined to continue doing
exactly the opposite.
Most conferences I go to waive the conference, accommodation and travel
expenses for their most senior and highest and most securely paid delegates
(the keynote speaker phenomena). I find this pretty disgusting. I know
because I have milked this myself at one point and felt dutifully ashamed.
The conference organisers know that if they don't offer these freebies they
can't attract the 'big names' to their conferences (my one invitation as a
keynote was, I think, a clerical error in this regard!) and unfortunately a
lot of conferences only attract big numbers of delegates if they have 'big'
names on the billing. I think our CPUK conferences are much more about
attracting people who think 'big' rather than feel 'big'.
Money cuts deep and leaves nasty scars.
Lastly, wouldn't it be ironic if people couldn't attend one of the CPUK
conference session that involves discussion of poverty, because they have
immediate experience of poverty?!
p
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of BostockHush
Sent: 12 September 2005 22:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Comm Psy conference 2005
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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