Hi there
Just re Mike's offer to host the next national conference - I hadn't quite
read it like that myself, but more that he might try to co-opt the uni in
Staffs and get support there - but just to say, am happy to be part of the
support crew with Mike and hopefully persuade others round here to do
likewise.
Penny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Annie Mitchell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] European community psychology conference,
Paris 2009
Thanks Paul.
I think we could do better than this in the UK.
First - why do we want to organise -? I think, so we can a) share mutual
support as diversely like-minded people, all critically concerned about
how psychology may contribute to, or impede, social justice and 2) act
together in critically engaged ways to promote social justice and 3) so we
can speak out collectively locally, nationally and internationally, with
some authority, about issues that concern us and our communities.
I suggest we do the following:
1. Hold an " away day" ( as suggested by Wendy) say in the spring, in the
middle of the UK, somewhere reasonable accessible, with an experienced
facilitator with no vested interests, to include someone who knows how to
set up a collective ( a community development worker/ activist) to advise us
about how to set up the UK community psychology network as a collective/
co-operative of some sort. making special efforts to include as many people
interested in community psych out there who are NOT academics and
professionals, making special efforts to shut up those of us who are. And
making special efforts to share some fun/ creativity together while we are
doing this. This needs someone/ some group to offer to organise it. Any
volunteers?
2. Ensure that we build in a way that this proposed collective/
co-operative can influence ( even control?) the proposed new British
Psychological Society community psychology section - so that the latter
doesn't become to professional and exclusive.
3. Think at some later point about our collective relationship with Europe
once we have set up our UK organisation - meantime individuals and/or local
community psychology networks can have their own relationship with Europe
if/ as they wish, and we can as an informal grouping send the previously
discussed message of support since no-one has objected to doing so and
several have agreed.
4. Accept Mike's offer to host the next national conference, as long as we
can muster with him enough of a support group of local people and national
enthusiasts. At that conference, those who are interested but not so
interested that they want to get actively involved at this level can hear
what's been done
5. We keep the discussion list going compassionately, and respectfully as
well as critically, with suggestions about action as well as about ideas/
principles
Good wishes,
Annie
Annie Mitchell
Clinical Director,
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology,
School of Applied Psychosocial Studies,
Faculty of Health and Social Work,
University of Plymouth,
Peninsula Allied Health Collaboration,
Derriford Road,
Plymouth,
Devon
PL6 8BH
Phone Programme Administrators:
Jane Murch, Emma Hellingsworth
01752 233786
Please note I work 3 days per week:
usually Monday, Tuesday & either Wednesday or Thursday.
-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul@home
Sent: 02 October 2008 16:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] European community psychology conference,
Paris 2009
Dear all,
If we are going to go to the polls on joining the European Association of
COmmunity Psychology (EACP), I just wanted to flesh out some details on what
that organisation is (in my view) and see if we can have a bit of a debate
and stimulate some interest before we have a vote. Here is my contribution
Sorry it is a bit long, because EACP is a bit complex and I think we need to
get a fuller picture of what the EACP is (my view, will of course, be
partial). If you haven't time to read all of my email, all I am saying is
that teh EACP is organisationally weak, potentially corruptible and maybe,
even, acting a little bit illegally (but not in a good way!!)
I think the EACP gives the spectre of being organised, but actually may be
even more of a disorganised rabble than our network and may contain some
risks for our network if we chose to join either as individuals or as a
collective.
The spectre of organisation that surrounds the EACP is mostly related to the
fact that it has a written constitution (which means it is legally
recognised as an association under Belgian law) and the fact that is has the
semblance of a "democratic" process to vote on the membership of the Board.
I say "semblance" because so far the role of president has been occupied
solely by members of the old boys club known as the European Network of
Community Psychology (the professor's friendship group who used to
'run/represent' CP in Europe) and because the election is decided by a
majority decision of the association's general membership irrespective of
the number of members present or represented at the vote - i.e.., you can
win the vote to become president, treasurer or board member by only one
vote, even if only one person votes!).
The 'Board' (aka the 'executive'), which is made up of a President, a
Treasurer and three other board members, has been organised. However, as far
as I can tell, the 'general assembly' (the members at large) largely remains
un/disorganised - certainly I have not seen much attention given to how the
general assembly are structured (other than the establishment of special
interest groups). Indeed, attention given to their organisation looks rather
impoverished compared to the attention paid to creating and filling the
offices of the executive (the Board). EACP looks quite exciting because the
Board are answerable to the general assembly and have to follow the will of
the general assembly. The problem is with the general assembly having little
discernable structure or little sense of themselves as a constituted group
who have power over the executive (this is my impression as a member of the
general assembly), they presently seem to function at the will of the
executive and act as little more than the executive members' proxy voters.
Not only does the organisation of the general assembly appear to have been
neglected , their power has been demonstrably undermined. The general
assembly is constitutionally required to meet twice a year (as is the Board)
so that Board can be regularly held to account by the general assembly. The
executive decided that it would be sufficient for the general assembly to
meet once a year (at the EACP annual conference) and that to satisfy the
requirements of the constitution that one meeting would be split into two
(by a short break in proceedings). So, rather than meeting twice a year (as
most people would understand the term 'twice yearly'), it would effectively
meet only once a year (with the one meeting split into two) resulting in the
executive only being held to account to the general assembly on an annual
rather than a biannual basis. Now, there were good logistical reasons for
this (difficult to get everyone from across Europe together twice a year -
though not impossible [ie., when mediated through ICT]. Both the lack of
organisation of the general assembly and the restriction imposed upon the
opportunities it has to meet considerably restricts the power of the
association's members at large. This puts the association (both politically
and legally) on fragile ground and thus considerable weakened (and
vulnerable to attack from anyone with a grudge against it). For example, in
the latest EACP newsletter (included in the Edinburgh conference packs) ,
the 'two general assembly meetings' held at the Lisbon conference (which was
not actually an EACP conference) are actually described as part one and part
two (rather than meeting one and meeting two). Unless the EACP corrects
this, the association's activities last year could be deemed
unconstitutional. I missed the general assembly meeting this year so have no
idea whether things have changed since I was last present at an assembly
meeting (in 2007) - but I have not detected any seismic shifts in how the
general assembly are organised or in how and when the general assembly meets
So, unfortunately important parts of the EACP constitution are being
ignored. However, it is fortunate that other parts of the EACP's
constitution are being ignored (so far) such as the Board's power to appoint
honoury members, protective members, supporting members and advisory members
and paid staff (creating the risk of the privileged (the exec) giving jobs
to their pals) - the general assembly do not have these powers. The Board
also has the power to decide who is to be a member of the association as you
can only become a member once the Board recommends you to the general
assembly and if you want to become a member of EACP you must write a letter
to the board. So, the membership is not (according to its constitution) as
open as it is described - there is a small group who have license to act as
gatekeepers of the association. Though you do not have to be a psychologist
to join, you do (according to the EACP's constitution) have to win the
favour of (ie., be recommended by) the EACP's executive. The general
assembly does have the power to re-write the constitution and the
association's aims, but unlike the lack of a quorate imposed on electing
(and indeed firing) the Board, here quorates of two thirds and three
quarters of all members being present is required).
Now, I don't think we should worry that EACP will take a fascist turn and it
should be noted that the constitution adopted by the EACP was one
plagiarised/adapted from elsewhere rather than homegrown and is seen by some
of the exec. as a piece of paperwork that can be filed away and forgotten
(even though they are actually legally obliged to honour it). Though what
has happened with EACP in regards to the organisation of the Board and
disorganisation of the general assembly provides a perfect recipe as to how
to establish autocracy under the camouflage of a democracy (through giving
the general assembly power on paper but ensuring they are sufficiently
disorganised which prevents them actually using it ), I don't think EACP
intended this (though that is not to say they are not enjoying the benefits
of this). The old boys club (ENCP) and the new boys club (EACP) might best
be described as mostly a bunch of mild mannered philanthropists and I do
feel a little pained for criticising them. However, my criticism is not
about the individuals involved but about the organisational structure that
has beenc created for them in the form of the EACP which is is far from
perfect, indeed, I would say it is somewhat problematic. So, if our
'network' joined EACP, we could become part of a disorganised largely
invisible general assembly that has had it's power denuded though neglect
and disorganisation and a touch of vandalism of the association's
constitution by the association's Board (past and present) and vulnerable to
legal challenge. We might also find ourselves subjected to an association
whose rules allow for the very hierarchical 'boys-club' membership that we
want to avoid and EACP had hoped to avoid.
What we (our 'network') have at present actually resembles what EACP has.
Where they have a largely invisible, mostly silent general assembly we have
an largely invisible, mostly silent (list) membership. While they have an
executive whose names are stamped all over the association's activities, we
have a self-appointed executive (made up of those who shout loudest and
longest on the list and at conferences - I include myself in this group).
So, when you think of it, UKCP and EACP are perfectly compatible at the
moment as they are mutually, imperfectly formed. So, my question is, can
UKCP do better than the EACP?
p
Paul Duckett
Department of Psychology and Social Change
Manchester Metropolitan University
England
Phone +44 161 247 2552
Fax +44 161 247 6364
email: [log in to unmask]
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___________________________________
COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the UK.
To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK
For any problems or queries, contact the list moderators: Rebekah Pratt ([log in to unmask]) or Grant Jeffrey ([log in to unmask])
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