News from Universal Access to Counselling and psychoTherapy

Hi uACT supporters,

Here's the latest news from the organising group, mapping out developments since February. At the moment, we are Gavin Robinson, Rebecca Greenslade, Joan Fogel, Jay Beichman, Paul Atkinson, Marsha Oza, Andy Metcalf, Nicola Saunders, Isobel Urquhart, Ruth Jones, Janet Tolan.
 

• We are working at helping people set up local uACT groups. 
  • A London group is meeting on Friday May 13th from 5pm onwards. Rebecca Greenslade (rebeccagreenslade@hotmail.co.uk) is co-ordinating. Here are the details, do come along:  "London uACT will be meeting informally on Friday 13^th May at The Approach Tavern in Bethnal Green from 5pm onwards.  It’s a chance to meet others already involved, or interested in uACT. Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing old and new faces. Hope to see you there! We have two outside tables reserved at The Approach Tavern from 5pm-7.30pm. Address: 47 Approach Road, E2 9LY. It’s a short walk from Bethnal Green tube or Cambridge Heath overground station." 
  • We are currently contacting people to ask if they are willing to be a hub person in their area and offer their email address for people to make initial contact. So far: Tom McAteer (tom.mcateer68@gmail.com) has agreed to be a contact person in Bradford/Keighley; Bolanle Omotunde (bolatunde1@yahoo.co.uk) in the Bedford area; Fiona Goldman (cloudtent@outlook.com) in Swansea/South Wales. Jodi Pilcher (jodipilcher@yahoo.co.uk) is in Cornwall; Jay Beichman (jay.beichman@gmail.com) is in Brighton/Sussex. 
  • If you are interested in becoming the "hub" person in your area, email us.

• The training group (trainees and trainers) met in March. There's a report of the meeting on the website here. Contact Marsha Oza (marsha.uact@gmail.com) if you are interested in joining.

• A website/resources group has met. Laura Spreitzer is administering the website. Other members of the group include Joan Fogel, Tom McAteer, Paul Colley, Rebecca Greenslade. We are now looking to develop content for the site. Please send us any contributions to the uACT campaign project via the uACT email address (ua2counandt@gmail.com). The group will have an editorial function, using the uACT campaign manifesto as the frame of reference. There is a report of our first meeting on the website here.

• A media group is forming, co-ordinated by Janet Tolan (jetolan@aol.com). Caz Binstead and Claire Hershman are members. 

• Paul Atkinson (paulwilliamatkinson@gmail.com)  is working on forming a group in the NE London “Integrated Care System” area, to think about how to develop an alternative, progressive network of people working to promote relationship in the community. Contact him if you live in NE London boroughs and/or want to be involved.

• We are also hoping to launch soon a campaign within uACT aimed at exposing the failures of IAPT services, and the subterfuge of their data. A first step may be a short series of Youtube tutorials on how to analyse IAPT annual data reports to challenge local outcome statistics and hold CCGs to account for the failings of the service. Get in touch if you are interested in this project.

• Finally, we are planning another online meeting for everyone interested in the campaign. It will give us all a chance to talk about where we’ve got to so far and where we want to take the campaign from here. It will especially be an opportunity for everyone to have a say in the priorities and directions of the campaign, as well as a chance to inspire each other and call on each other for support, ideas, and collective action.