Hi Everyone
Thank you for such an informative and challenging discussion - In Australia
we are in the early stages of planning the next Trans-Tasman community psych
conference (scheduled for Easter 2006 in Sydney if anyone can make it) and
costs and exclusion issues are on my mind. The issues raised on the UK list
have been really useful as a reminder of the positions we adopt and the
(unrealised) messages we convey. I like David's suggestion of a sliding
scale based on ability to pay. Good luck with the organising and thank you
for such an open conversation
Dawn
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Fryer
Sent: 13 September 2005 23:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Comm Psy conference 2005
Dear Matt,
I think you make important points and I am glad you spoke out like this
although it probably meant taking up what might have felt like quite an
exposed position. I appreciate that you are raising an important issue about
exclusion without impugning the motives and hard work of anyone.
I appreciate that 80 pounds is a lot of money for people to find who do not
have the financial support of their employers and I take your point that
having to find travel and accommodation costs on top of this effectively
excludes many people on low incomes. I suggest it is worth us all thinking
together sometime soon about the logic of charging different rates to
different conference goers and in particular exempting some (community
members) completely and charging others the same whether highly paid
academics like me or poorly assistants. I think it would be useful to think
divergently in future. Would it be possible to have a sliding scale whereby
the size of conference fee was related to income and thus ability to pay? I
think it would and I would be prepared to pay more if it meant others could
be charged less.
This message by no means meant to be a criticism of the Newcastle organisers
who I know to be doing their very best with very limited resources of time
and money and I freely admit that when I organised the UK CP meeting in
Scotland a few years ago I did not address this issue well either but I
think we all collectively need to think 'outside the cashbox' and support
each other in implementing what we say rhetorically as community
psychologists about relative poverty and exclusion with our practical
actions.
Thanks again for raising this
David
David Fryer
Community Psychology Group
University of Stirling
FK9 4LA
Scotland
+44 (0) 1786 467650 (tel)
+44 (0) 1786 467641 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BostockHush
Sent: 12 September 2005 10:44 pm
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: 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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