IAC Europe News: Advocacy for Counselling -- Meeting the President of the European Parliament.

A meeting has been confirmed with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in Brussels, in April 2023. 

As part of the important push for better recognition of the counselling profession in the European region, IAC Europe is embarking on renewed advocacy efforts. This activity sees IAC representatives meet with leaders of European institutions, intergovernmental bodies, government representatives, and other stakeholders. A region-wide strategy for IAC Europe is being developed and will identify best practice for advocacy policy and promotion. The associations participating in IAC Europe have an excellent opportunity to learn from each other.

The counselling profession also has much to learn from kindred professions that have successfully advocated for their professions (e.g. social work, mental health nursing, psychology). All research shows that advocacy is always more effective when associations -- with the same agendas and priorities -- collaborate rather than work individually. Active engagement with, and input to, European mental health and social policy will have a positive impact on the counselling profession. Being successful in regional public policy arenas, means associations being aware of current issues at both national and regional levels and knowing how to advocate effectively on issues that affect counsellors. 

The meeting with President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, is a significant high-level advocacy development and will be reported on in detail. A clear pathway for the formal recognition of the counselling profession in Europe needs to be identified.  

Türkiye and Syria Earthquakes

On 6 February 2023, a series of massive earthquakes struck south-eastern Türkiye near the border with the Syrian Arab Republic. These and hundreds of aftershocks caused significant destruction on each side of the border, claiming tens of thousands of lives, and leaving over one hundred thousand injured, across both countries. Much of the essential infrastructure, including health facilities, has been damaged or destroyed.

As an association, IAC wishes to extend a message of support and solidarity for the victims of the earthquakes that have devastated the region. All counsellors everywhere are thinking of those suffering through this terrible crisis. We particularly think of our many Turkish friends and counselling colleagues. We join in the United Nations call for sustained and safe access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Syria. We will offer all and any support we can in the mental health and psychosocial response. Follow updates from the International Red Cross HERE, and World Health Organization HERE.

IAC welcomes Ethan Weston as our new IAC Regions and Roundtables Coordinator. Ethan comes on part-time secondment from the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), where he serves as a project coordinator. Ethan's work will engage counselling associations worldwide by bringing association leaders and officials together in each of the six IAC regions to help advance the profession. This work supports unified region-wide initiatives in the areas of Advocacy (for better recognition of counselling); Standards, Education and Practice; Partnership; Policy Development; and Research.

After graduating from Algonquin College with a specialty in Business Fundamentals, Ethan jointed CCPA as in administrator in the continuing education department. He went on to serve in various roles for CCPA's accrediting body, the Council on Accreditation of Counsellor Education Programs (CACEP), as well as in CCPA's Membership and Accounting Division.

CCPA is generously sponsoring Ethan's IAC work for two days per week for the next two years. If your national association would like to consider a similar placement/secondment of a staff member to IAC, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact ceo@iac-irtac.org.

IAC is partnering with Perkama International, the International Counselling Association of Malaysia, to host the 2022 International Counseling Convention, 1st-4th November, in Kuching Malaysia. The theme of this year’s conference, Standing Alone Together: Managing the Paradox, reflects the universal challenges of social isolation highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic that continue in cultures around the world.

The program includes an associations roundtable meeting with representatives from national counseling associations worldwide, keynote speeches by Perkama International President Dato’ Dr Abd Halim Mohd Hussin and IAC Executive Council President Dr William Borgen, sessions on a variety of counselling issues, Q&A sessions, and community-based and professional development workshops. Other events include dance performances, town hall sessions and awards presentations.

A representative from the United Nations World Health Organization, Dr. James Underhill, will present about WHO's new EQUIP project, a series of resources and tools for the assessment of competencies, enhances training and supervision for improved mental health and psychosocial support services, on November 2. Learn more about EQUIP here or watch a short video on EQUIP here.