Now Available: First Edition of Journal of Social and Political Psychology

We read about the launch of the first edition of the Journal of Social and Political Psychology on the Southern Psychologies blog. To read more, visit the blog at http://feedly.com/k/16JQXrv

Notes on the AGM of the COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (CaSP) Division held at 12h30 to 13h15, Wednesday, 25 September 2013 at Venue Claudius, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg

Welcome

Eduard Fourie welcomed all present and provided a brief overview of the history and current status of the Division.

Apologies

Received from Ronelle Carolissen, Gillian Finchilescu, Kopano Ratele, Sally John and Bronwen Combrink

In attendance

Puleng Segalo, Wiehann Rademann, Nkateko Manabe,  Carmelitia De Bruin, Khonzi Mbatha, Suntosh PIllay, Jennifer Graham, Lavanya Pillay, Eduard Fourie, Nolwazi Somtsewu, Christabella Maluleka, Shahnaaz Suffla and Agenlo Fynn

Towards an agenda

Actions to promote psychological insight and well-being in communities

(proposed by Wiehann Rademan)

-       Intern psychologists and other members to actively recruit blog followers through further awareness raising  - use of existing network contacts

-       The recruitment and contracting of intern project leaders for pilot projects

-       Intern psychologists to be involved in the planning of small scale community projects

-       Intern psychologist and mentors to engage with identified key stake holders in communities and launch activities

-       Psychologists and other interested individuals to consider engagement with forums in communities to introduce positive and healing psycho-educational opportunities and collaboration

Co-creation and sharing of information

The Division’s blog - http://psyssacns.blogspot.com/ - to be further developed and marketed as engagement space for the sharing of community and social psychology projects, training, workshops, events, publications etc.

Registrar of community and social psychology projects and publications

The Division to create a registrar of current community and social psychology projects and publications.

To engage with other PsySSA Divisions, with academic departments and with individuals and community organisations.

5^th International Conference of Community Psychology – September 2014

Conference to be held early September 2014 in Fortaleza, Brazil. Call for Papers to be posted on the CaSP blog.

20^th PsySSA Congress – September 2014

The Division to identify symposia themes for inclusion in the20th PsySSA Congress to be held in Durban in September 2014.

One proposal is a symposium on prison studies. For more information visit the inside out – outside in prison studies interest group at http://insideoutoutsidein.co.za/

Amendments to the CaSP constitution

(submitted by Wiehann Rademan)

“Full members shall be persons who are either registered students in psychology, at a recognised university at the undergraduate, Honours or Masters Level, and registered interns; or persons with a degree in any registration category in Psychology; or persons with an interest in or working in communities or who are involved in social interventions, social change or policy development.” 

[Are we sure of the latter, can members of public be members of CaSP? Suggestion that we create more engagement by raising external memberships. How would this effect payment methodology if any?  - to be discussed with Council]

“CaSP will consist of a group of 6 people who will decide who will take responsibility for different tasks related to its functions and will be referred to as an organisation committee.” The Executive Team to be expanded

“The term of office of all members is two years. Office bearers shall not hold office in the same position for more than two consecutive terms.”  To be revised in order for Team members to participate in the Executive functioning for more than two years.

“A nominated person shall represent CaSP on the council of PsySSA. The executive shall appoint the alternate when necessary.” Chair to give feedback during meetings.

“The division shall submit an audited income and expenditure statement to council for purposes of financial control.” How do we administer possible sponsorships and the like (income) from community members in the future? – Follow up with Council.

The revised constitution to be submitted to Council.

Further priorities

Marketing of the Division, Liaise with other PsySSA Divisions, Recruit members for the Division, involvement with the 4^th Southern African Students’ Psychology Conference with the theme ‘community engagement’ to be held in June 2015.

Elections of CASP Exec Members for 2014

Chair: Eduard Fourie

Vice-Chair and Treasurer: Puleng Segalo

Secretary: Wiehann Rademan

Additional members: Nkateko Manabe, Carmelitia De Bruin, Suntosh PIllay, Jennifer Graham and Lavanya Pillay

Minutes compiled by Wiehann Rademann and Eduard Fourie

26 September 2013

Invitation to a guest lecture by Prof Ian Lubeck at the Department of Psychology, Unisa

Psychology's "health": Tracing "health psychology's" growth in the context of neighboring developments in "social psychology", "mental health", "behavioural medicine" and "public health".

Tuesday, 15 October, 12:00-13:00, Room 5-94 TvW

Prof Lubek is currently in the country and has agreed to come give a talk in our Department. Ian Lubek is Professor (Adjunct) of Psychology at University of Guelph (Canada). His research interests have included theory, meta-theory and epistemology; gender issues in scientific mentoring and career productivity; the social psychology of science; violence and media; the history of social psychology; and, most recently, problems of participatory action research, community health issues concerning the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Cambodia, and multi-sectorial health intervention programs.

Please RSVP asap at meiril@unisa.ac.za.

Should you have any queries, contact Janice Moodley (moodljk@unisa.ac.za).

Hope to see you there!

Janice Moodley and Leana Meiring

1000 Hills and nearby waiting for interns

Message From Sally John:

I have been reading with interest the suggestions of this committee. I think 
there are some such good ideas. I heartily endorse involving interns in 
community as there is such a shortage of intern sites and such a shortage of 
service in underprivileged communities.I have sites around me in the rural area of 1000 Hills and nearby waiting for interns and I or other psychologists in this area would gladly supervise. Thanks and I hope the PsySSA conference was most enjoyable and interesting.
Kindly
Sally

Please send any contributions or comments to Eduard at fourime@unisa.ac.za

A quick update on the Division’s AGM held on Wednesday, 26 September 2013

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you to all who have attended and participated in the annual meeting held during the PsySSA Congress yesterday.  We have received apologies from a number of members of the Division and have been joined by a number of new members. 

We will soon post more details about the points of discussions. For now, I want to welcome Dr Nkateko Manabe, Carmelitia de Bruin, Suntosh Pillay, Lavanya Pillay and Jennifer Graham who have joined Wiehann Rademan, Puleng Segalo, and myself, Eduard Fourie, on the Executive Team of the Division.

We hope and trust that the blog will continue to develop into a vibrant interactive space for sharing community and social psychology activities, projects, training, publications and more. Watch this space and contribute!

Eduard

fourime@unisa.ac.za

Ideas for consideration at the CaSP AGM scheduled for 12h30 to 13h15 on Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Dear Colleagues and Members

The Community and Social Psychology Division's mission is to promote an understanding of the fields of community and social psychology.  Work in this area through the advancement of scientific research, professional education and formal conversations proofed to be valuable. A further aspect of the mission is social collaboration. The goals derived from the mission are amongst others to be achieved in cooperation with the general public or communities. To gain further background of the above aspects, the series of round table discussions on Scholarly Development at 19th PsySSA Congress in September 2013 should be closely followed.

I would like to suggest that we consider building on CaSP’s mission by interacting directly with communities and engage in specific projects and activities. The following actions to promote psychological insight and well-being in communities can be considered and discussed at the divisions’ yearly AGM:

1.     Intern psychologists and other members to actively recruit blog followers through further awareness raising  - use of existing network contacts

2.     The recruitment and contracting of intern project leaders for pilot projects

3.     Intern psychologists to be involved in the planning of small scale community projects

4.     Intern psychologist and mentors to engage with identified key stake holders in communities and launch activities

5.     Psychologists and other interested individuals to consider engagement with forums in communities to introduce positive and healing psycho-educational opportunities and collaboration

b.    Regarding constitutional matters, the following:

i.        “Full members shall be persons who are either registered students in psychology, at a recognised university at the undergraduate, Honours or Masters Level, and registered interns; or persons with a degree in any registration category in Psychology; or persons with an interest in or working in communities or who are involved in social interventions, social change or policy development.” Are we sure of the latter, can members of public be members of CaSP? I suggest we do create more engagement by raising external memberships? How would this effect payment methodology if any? 

ii.        “CaSP will consist of a group of 6 people who will decide who will take responsibility for different tasks related to its functions and will be referred to as an organisation committee.” Shall we try and expand the committee? As indicated before, we should consider building capacity. Furthermore, should we recommend regional representatives?

iii.        “The term of office of all members is two years. Office bearers shall not hold office in the same position for more than two consecutive terms.”  I suggest we open for discussion.

iv.        “A nominated person shall represent CaSP on the council of PsySSA. The executive shall appoint the alternate when necessary.” Chair to give any feedback of meetings

v.        “The division shall submit an audited income and expenditure statement to council for purposes of financial control.” How do we administer possible sponsorships and the like (income) from community members in the future?

vi.        Finally I suggest we consider if any amendments to the constitution are needed.

Compiled by Wiehann Rademan

Invitation to attend the Community and Social Psychology Division's AGM on Wednesday 25 September 2013

Dear Colleagues,

Hope to see you at the PsySSA Congress during the upcoming week. If you are going to be there please join us at the Community and Social Psychology Division's AGM on Wednesday, 25 Sept from 12h30 to 13h15 in Room Claudius.

For a copy of the programme of this year's congress, go to http://www.psyssa.com/

You are also welcome to contact me at fourime@unisa.ac.za

Kind regards
Eduard