W9: Professional Development for Psychologists, Counsellors & Psychosocial Professionals

One of the Foundation’s national initiatives is to co-ordinate, support and further develop the quality of support services offered to international aid workers. By offering a professional development program for mental health professionals, the Foundation aims to improve the provision and standards of professional counselling, briefing and debriefing services for volunteers and aid staff returning from humanitarian deployments.

Further, the Antares Foundation Inc (Australia) has recently established and is maintaining an Australian register of psychologists and counsellors to provide professional psychosocial counselling and debriefing support to staff of international aid agencies. Those interested in being on the register must firstly complete the two day training. This training was taken around Australia in 2008 and received very positive reviews.

THIS TWO-DAY WORKSHOP MAY BE DELIVERED ON REQUEST OF INTERESTED GROUPS OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS BASED INTERSTATE OR OVERSEAS.

Cost: $480.00 + GST

Date: Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th June, 2009 (Canberra)

Workshop Starts: 9am each day    Finishes: 4.30pm each day

Venue: Canberra - Venue to be advised.

Facilitator: Amanda Allan (Operational Director/ Consulting Psychologist Antares Foundation Inc.)

Register by: Tuesday, 16th June, 2009.

Download Registration Form [ PDF Format ]

Professionals undertaking the 2-day Professional Development training with the Antares Foundation will have the opportunity of then applying for annual membership with the Foundation as a Professional Associate.

Prior to being accepted for Professional Associate status, professional applicants will partake in screening interviews; provide CVs; agree to registration & reference checks and undertake to enter a Memorandum of Understanding in good faith with the Foundation.

Services of Associates may then be recommended to humanitarian organizations and individuals requiring psychosocial support around the country.

The 2-day Professional Development program is open to a range of professionals with expertise and /or interest in the support of humanitarian aid work.

Those professionals wishing to apply for Professional Associate status following the 2-day training will need to demonstrate experience and appropriate qualifications in counselling & stress management as well as in one or more specific areas such as:

• Human adjustment psychology
• Trauma psychology
• Humanitarian psychology
• Existential psychology
• Cross-cultural psychology
• Critical incident stress management
• Grief psychology
• Relationship psychology
• Vocational psychology
• Clinical psychology

For more information or registration of interest, please contact the National Professionals Network Coordinator by emailing npn@antaresfoundation.org.au