News & Current Issues

Ongoing agenda issues:

  • Forthcoming Special Issue of Australian Psychologist & other opportunities
  • National representation of the interest group (how, who, local resources and benefits)
  • Need for a newsletter (web-based)?
  • Role in forthcoming International Cross-Cultural Psychology Conference
  • Forthcoming APS conference workshops
  • Collaborative workshops with other Interest Groups
  • Involvement & encouragement of students
  • Media Processes & Releases
  • National Interest Projects
    - Australian Psychology Training on Cultural/Cross-Cultural Issues
    - Multilingual Psychological Instruments and Measures Library

Interest Group Positions Open

Expressions of interest are welcomed for the positions of State/Territory conveners, other office bearers or ‘contact’ people. While some effort has been made to develop representation in different States and Territories the interest group (IG) has yet to be successful in developing a national representation.Historically the IG executive group has been in Melbourne but membership represents all States and Territories. If there are to be local benefits there is a need for local people to become involved in the IG.

Those interested may contact Steven Klimidis s.klimidis@unimelb.edu.au, Prasuna Reddy p.reddy@unimelb.edu.au or Winifred Cunningham Winifred.Cunningham@adm.monash.edu.au

Working Groups

Researchers for Asylum Seekers (RAS) is a group of psychologists and researchers from other disciplines who have come together to prepare a document on the effects of long-term detention on brain development and associated psychosocial development. The group also aims to raise awareness of the plight of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia through forums and conferences. For details and meeting times contact Jackie Bornstein: jborn@unimelb.edu.au

The Board of Directors established Cultural Issues Working Group to address strategies for cultural diversity within the policies of the APS.

The working group consists of the:

- Director of Social Issues (Convener)
- Director of Science (or nominee)
- Director of Communications (or nominee)
- Chair of the Interest Group on Psychology and Cultures (or nominee)
- Chair of the Interest Group on Aboriginal, Aboriginal Issues and Psychology (or nominee)

Several meetings of the group contributed to a review of the APS strategic plan with recommendations form APS units towards accommodating cultural diversity within annual operations and reporting. It was evident during the course of meetings that a wide range of documentation, including mission statements, barely mentioned cultural diversity somewhat out of kilter with the Australian demographic context. The progress of the work halted with the departure of Prof. Graham Davidson as convener of the working group and will recommence when a new appointment is made to this position in the near future.

For more information regarding this working group contact Dr Prasuna Reddy p.reddy@unimelb.edu.au in her role as Director of Social Issues.

The Cultural Resources for Psychologists Working Group is focusing on the development of web-based information that may be of interest to all psychologists including students of psychology. This project is an important one for the Psychology and Cultures Interest Group as it provides ‘nationally’ accessible cultural materials to psychologists. This resource incorporates several hundred links to Australian and international websites whose subject matter includes, refugees and asylum seekers, migration, migration, culture and health and mental health, reports & other publications, multilingual clinical & research instruments, relevant organisations (where practicing psychologists may access support & information), local ongoing training programs, among other topics.

The primary link will be on the APS website, within the Social Issues section and the Psychology & Cultures Interest Group home page, while the formal linkage structure will be housed within the website of the Centre for International Mental Health, at the School of Population Health, University of Melbourne. We invite those using this resource to alert us to any information that may be useful to incorporate. The resource will be available from June 2004. For details contact Steven Klimidis s.klimidis@unimelb.edu.au or Jackie Bornstein jborn@unimelb.edu.au