Barcelona; EPCA

anima@devi.demon.co.uk
Wed, 9 Nov 1994 22:00:52 +0000

Gwyneth Cheeseman's mailing prompts me to make an announcement about
Barcelona, and about something nearly as exciting, the European Personal
Construct Association (EPCA) and its Newsletter. This is in my capacity=
as
outgoing Secretary of EPCA, and as a member of the team which produces=
the
Newsletter. Its all of general interest, Gwyneth, so do please pardon=
the
apparent formality (I don't have a personal e-mail number by which=
to
contact you direct!) but do please get in touch with me or, someone=
closer
to home, Pam Denicolo who is fully au fait with Barcelona developments=
as
Hon Treasurer of EPCA and convener of your southern interest group.

=46irst EPCA, then Barcelona.

Right. Be it know that EPCA is the only trans-European networking
organisation for PCP, and comprises over 12 separate country groups=
and,
currently, just over 100 members. It has supported the development=
of
strong national groups in Germany (membership varies between 60 and=
100)
and Ireland (currently 40 strong) who tend to branch off from its=
services
as the national dimension develops. It has some 60-odd UK members,=
and
fulfils a particularly valuable service for smaller country groupings=
like
Spain & Portugal, Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the Yugoslav regions,
acting through a group of national representatives. EPCA conference
surpluses, if any, are used to provide a float for subsequent EPCA
conferences, and bursaries for eastern European and other members=
to
facilitate conference attendance through the Gavin Dunnet Memorial=
Fund.
The funds are currently very healthy, and will in part be devoted=
to the
preparation of the 3rd EPCA Conference to be held in the University=
of
Reading, UK, in 1996.

We offer a European conference every two years (last one was in St.
Andreasberg, Germany in April 1994), held in alternate years to the
International Congresses, (organised independently of EPCA of course),=
of
which Barcelona is the next. We produce a Newsletter (which is developing
more into a Bulletin) twice a year, and are about to produce a datapack=
for
new members as an introduction into EPCA services worldwide (we even=
have
one Australian member!) One of the most valuable services has been=
to act
as a link between national groups which have developed policy documents=
on
the national accreditation of personal construct therapies (Ireland)=
and
national groups seeking to develop the same (Yugoslav regions), though=
it
could be said we could be doing more in this regard. In the UK, local
members of the EPCA Guidance Panel also act as a networking body=
between
the Southern group based round the University of Surrey (Gwynneth's
outfit!), the Northern group based round Helen Jones in York, and=
smaller
but no less lively groups such as the University of Huddersfield=
set.

The next Newsletter, some 30 pages long, is due to appear next week,=
with a
report on the St. Andreasberg Conference, articles by Phillida Salmon,=
Finn
Tschudi, A.T. Ravenette, networking details and personal interests=
of all
members, and tri-lingual book reviews (English, Spanish and German)=
of two
recent publications, Salmon's "Psychology for Teachers: an Alternative
Approach" and "European Perspectives in Personal Construct Psychology",=
a
collection of papers from the EPCA inaugural conference of 1992.=
And lots
more.

A reference copy gets sent to the Neimeyers in the USA (subsequently,=
now
we know who runs it, to Rod Klion of NAPCN!), and to the Australian=
group
in Wollongong. But why not join, and find out for yourself? It only=
costs
=A310 to new members and students whether new or rejoining, for=
the two
years 1994-96; =A330 for non-student rejoiners. UK currency or bank=
drafts
only please.

And now, a direct reply to Gwyneth's query as well as to all other
colleagues interested in the Barcelona Congress.

It takes place in that city on July 3rd to 7th 1995, being located=
in the
Sol Apollo Hotel (Avenida Paral.lel, 57-59, Barcelona) which is within
close striking distance of the city centre and the sea, 4 miles from=
the
airport. Full particulars will be provided in the November EPCA Newsletter
to members, and no doubt the organisers have written to the US and
Australian associations as well. They have issued a request for early
expressions of interest (please send to Luis Botella, Dept. of Psychology,
Ramon Llull University, Cister, 24-34, 08022-Barcelona, Spain, fax.
34-3-4188527) and are currently calling for abstracts of papers,=
plenaries,
workshops, symposia, posters, video and computer presentations to=
be
submitted (send to the same address before 30th March 1995). Fees=
have not
yet been announced but will be shortly, by means of the Conference=
Brochure
to be issued soon, which will include a submission and registration=
form.
Come one, come all!

Queries about EPCA membership, please, to the Membership Secretary,=
Ann
Howard, Kent Cottage, The Drive, Belmont, Surrey SM2 7DH; about EPCA
overall to the General Secretary, Lynn Benson, University House,=
University
of Teesside, Borough Road, Middlesbrough, Cleveland; and about the
Newsletter to me at the above e-mail address.

Kindest regards,

Devi Jankowicz
(member, EPCA Newsletter group, and outgoing Secretary 1992-94, EPCA)