Since its foundation as a subdivision of the Korean Psychological Association (KPA) 45 years ago, the Korean Counseling Psychological Association (KCPA) has continuously grown to become a massive academic society with regular members as well as associate members.
This is the result of devoted efforts by former presidents and executive committee members. Moreover, passion and dedication of each and every member, and their active participation in the programs also contributed to such accomplishment.
With the expectation to reach over 10,000 members in the year of 2010, our association is looking forward to becoming the top academic society for research in the field of counseling psychology and training counselors. Therefore, the first priority of our association will be to intensify the development of counselor's expertise and to achieve this goal, several actions will be launched as follows. |
 |
First, the association's monthly meeting will be modified into an expansive form. Also, the research society for counseling of each domain will be activated.
At present, the association is comprised of several research groups for counseling from various areas. In addition to reorganizing and activating those existing research groups, it will be greatly encouraged to establish diverse new research groups (the military, an enterprise, and the elderly). Each research group will take the lead in the monthly meeting through the presentation of the research, as well as workshops and case studies. We will do our best to satisfy all members by making the monthly meeting on every third Saturday at a friendly place so that all members may want to participate despite the huge size of the association.
Furthermore, a branch system with more internal stability will be established and operated by intensifying and stimulating the existing local branches in order to allow all members to gain access to the training program with case studies of higher quality.
Such revitalization and enrichment of research groups and local branches will give our members more changes to be exposed to various areas of interest and develop themselves. Subsequently, preparing our members with special expertise through education programs of higher quality will not only contribute to society in general but also create new careers for them.
Second, education for supervisors and reeducation concerning supervisors will be promoted to supplement the supervision process. This new education program will also focus on strengthening vocational ethics of counselors. We, as counselors, should be equipped with expertise and passion, as well as self-confidence and humility. Moreover, counselors should be more serious with themselves in terms of ethics than professionals of any other field and set an example for them as well.
Third, the special committees, established in the 32nd term, will continue to develop through collaborations with the aforementioned research groups. There are 9 special committees such as committees for married couple and family, suicide and prevention, school counseling, and more.
Even in our society, the public awareness for the importance of counselors has risen due to anxiety for the uncertainty, high unemployment rate, conflicts between social classes and increased suicide rate, led by rapid change of global economy and the vagueness of the future. Prompt and active approach to these social needs may extend the career opportunity for our members. From this point of view, the role of special committees becomes increasingly important. Thus, we will be more concerned in supporting and activating the special committees so that they can demonstrate the expertise of our association by maintaining strong relationships with the society.
Finally, we will try our utmost to collaborate with not only national institutions but also related associations abroad as well in order to enhance our expertise and qualifications to increase the status of the association, and to create new jobs for our members. Such actions mentioned above will be progressed gradually, but actively, by considering the demands of our members for further development of our association.
Along with affection and self-confidence you have shown for our association up to now, I expect all of you to continue to take an active part in all programs offered by the association and to share your opinions with us for the development of our association.
We will continually focus on the social needs to make the association "our institution, by us, for us".
Your devotion and active participation in the activities of the association are warranted and will be greatly appreciated for the second leap for our association in the year of 2010.
Thank you.
|
