European Committee News, June, 2006

The aim of ISPA is to promote best practices among school psychologists all over the world for the well-being of our children and youths in schools and for improvement of their academic achievement. Special efforts would be useful especially now when Europe is growing closer together. For this purpose the European Committee was founded.
Please support this work by joining the mailing list of the European Committee. You will receive information, and you are invited to make suggestions and spread information among your colleagues.
You will also help a lot with this cause by filling in the questionnaire and sending it to me. Click here to access and download it.

Below you find the goals for the year 2005/06 and I am glad to inform you that all the planned activities were realized.

Plans for 2005/06:

Goal I: Promote professional exchange among European school psychologists.
So far five Crisis Management Courses sponsored by the EU were organized in 2003 - 2005.
A decision taken at the meeting in Athens was that “crisis intervention and prevention” will be the topic to promote professional exchange among European school psychologists.

Activities planned:
1. A one-week advanced training after the NASP conference in Anaheim, California in 2006.
2. Two more crisis courses in 2007, one in connection with the Colloquium in Finland in July, one in Budapest at the end of September 2007.
3. Gather contents for certification of “Crisis Manager in Schools” for specialization of school psychologists and discuss contents and models for organizing training on international and national levels. Participate in the 2006 NASP conference where PREPaRE (a curriculum for teaching school personnel and school based mental health people how to act in case of school crises) is discussed and organize a symposium about “Crisis Management in European Schools: An International Collaboration Experience” during that conference.
4. Participate in the Rockefeller Project if it is approved (Spring 2007). Experts in the field of crisis intervention (theory and practice) will meet to discuss best practices.

Goal II: Establish effective working structure.
So far addresses of colleagues from European affiliate organizations and colleagues interested in an European network were gathered at the meetings held at colloquia and there is an additional active group of colleagues who participated in the crisis management trainings.
Request to get involved and name liaison person for the defined purpose. They are asked to spread information (and invitation for next crisis courses).

Activities planned
1. Write to affiliate organizations which are not yet represented in the mailing list of the European Committee.
2. Find out who is prepared to be active by doing what: Send a questionnaire.

European Committee Chair - Bernhard Meissner.
Email: bernhard_meissner@web.de
Phone: +1 (270) 843-7563

European Committee News -- September, 2004

European members: please join the European committee and join our listserve!

The European Committee is an 'interest group' in which European ISPA members can discuss topics at heart and share experiences. The main activity in the past year has been a training week on Crisis intervention, organized twice by Bernhard Meissner (In Trento and Nyborg) and funded by the European Union. Also, some members participated in a future conference in Dillingen, Germany. The main goal for the coming year is to come up with some preliminary ideas for a joint (research or training) project in which colleagues from different European countries can collaborate. We then hope to develop a more concrete project proposal during or just before or after the colloquium next year in Athens. The European Union may have funds for this preparatory meeting  (covering travel costs and accommodation)- but we need a concrete plan in order to be able to apply for these funds. There will also be more crisis intervention training weeks (contact Bernhard Meissner for information at bernhard_meissner@web.de ). Finally, we hope to be able to come up with a topic for a symposium or workshop for the Athens colloquium, on current issues, methods or actually anything that may be of European interest, or that may be informative to share with our other colleagues. As you can see, we have enough plans, and we just need you all to help us carry them out!

We would therefore very much like to welcome all European members of ISPA to join our group. If you have any concrete ideas about possible projects or topics for a colloquium activity, please let us know!

Again, it is an interest group, so we welcome all! Becoming a 'member' does not give you any formal responsibility - we just hope you will participate in ongoing discussions, and maybe help us develop ideas for future activities.

The European Committee also recently started its  own listserve. This will allow members to communicate with each other in an easy way. Messages or questions for your ISPA colleagues may be posted through the list. See above for details.
 
The start of this listserve has been slow, but we hope that this year more European colleagues will join. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we can get a European discussion platform going?

Those of you who are already listed as a member of the European committee just need to go to the above site. Those who are not listed yet can also register through the above site, but they need to contact Helen Bakker concurrently at bakkerhe@planet.nl with the request to be put on the list. As soon as they are listed, they will also be accepted in the listserve.

Psychologists in the educational system in Europe: For information about 'school psychology' in Europe, please see the documents of EFPA, the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations:
www.efpa.be: reports (2001: Task Force, 2003 WG Ed Psy)

I hope to hear from you soon!

Helen Bakker, Chair, European Committee.

Report from the European Committee – March, 2003

Meeting of European School Psychologists: Preparatory Meeting on the Basis of the
European Council Program Comenius 

At the meeting of the European Committee of ISPA in Nyborg in July 2002, several topics were suggested for establishing closer cooperation among European school psychologists. These topics were:
•burnout of teachers;
•development school;
•crisis intervention (perhaps this topic may be excluded because of the suggested training course). •social-emotional learning (there is a European project run by the University of Heidelberg of which   Bernhard Meissner was informed recently. Therefore this topic perhaps should be excluded as well, or at least somehow coordinated). 

The aim of cooperation would be to outline plans for closer cooperation among school psychologists in Europe by getting to know:
•programs which school psychologists use in their countries for students, teachers or parents;
•strategies for implementing these programs;
•finally, plans would be made as to how the most successful programs could be implemented in the countries of the participants.

This plan would be put together and submitted as a project to the European Council in Brussels. The expenses for two people from one country are paid for by the European Council through the national agency of the participant, including travel and hotel expenses! Only a brief description of what is intended by that visit has to be handed in to the national agency. The national agencies need the application for a preparatory visit six weeks before the visit in Germany; in some countries it has to be handed in up to three months before.

The meeting could be organized by Bernhard Meissner in Würzburg (which is just one-hour by train from Frankfurt airport). Hotel rooms at reasonable prices and rooms in schools for meeting and working could be easily obtained.

 The following is needed from you if you are interested in participating:
•find a partner with whom you would like to attend;•ask your national or regional school psychology association or other institution, (e.g., school psychological service or university) that you can go on their behalf;
• contact with your national agency and find out about the special requirements for such a visit. 

You would have to tell Bernhard Meissner as soon as possible whether
•you want to participate;
•with whom;
•on behalf of which association or institution;
•what your main interest (which topic) would be;
•how long before the visit you would have to apply in your country. 

As soon as you have this information, Bernhard can inform you about the possible date for a meeting. As soon your application has been accepted by your national agency, concrete plans concerning date and other details can be made. 

Click here for the application form

Bernhard Meissner, e-mail: bernhard_meissner@web.de

______________________________________________________________

 National Agencies for Comenius Projects 

Danmark
Cirius, Hesseløgade 16, DK- 2100 København Ø. Tel: 33 95.77.00.
E-mail: cirius@ciriusmail.dk 

Deutschland
Pädagogischer Austauschdienst der Kultusministerkonferenz (PAD), Lennnestr.6´, 53113 Bonn.
Tel.: +49 228 501 298/251.
Email: pad.comenius@kmk.org

Ellas
I. K. Y., Directorate of Special Programmes and International Scholarships, Unit for European Union
Programmes. Lyssicratous 14, GR- 10558 Athinai. Tel: 1 32.36.690/ 32.54.385-9.
E-mail: grikyeok@ath.fortnet.gr 

France
Agence Socrates - Leonardo da Vinci
Programme Socrates, 10, Place de la Bourse, F- 33080, Bordeaux Cedex, Tel: 5 56.79.44.00.
E-mail: a.bozec@socrates-france.org 

Italia
Agenzia Nazionale Socrates Italia. Biblioteca die Documentazione Pedagogica, Via Michelangelo
Buonarroti, 10, I- 50122 Firenze, Tel: 055 2380.326/ 328/ 387/ 388/ 389.
E-mail: comenius1@bdp.it 

Nederland
Comenius, Arion, Europees Platform voor Nederlandse. Onderwijs, Nassauplein 8, NL- 1815,
GM Alkmaar. Tel: 72 511.8502. 

Österreich
Büro für Europäische Bildungskooperation (Österreichischer Akademischer Austauschdienst
Sokrates- Büro, Schreyvogelgasse 2, -ÖAD). A- 1010 Wien. Tel: 1 534.08.10.
E-mail: socrates@oead.ac.at 

Suomi
Centre for International Mobility (CIMO).
Hakaniemenkatu 2/ Hagnäsgatan 2, P.O.Box 343, FIN-00531, Helsinki, Tel: 9 77.47.70.33.
E-mail: sokrates@cimo.fi 

Sverige
International Programme Office for Education and Training.
 Box 220 07, S-10422 Stockholm, Tel: 8453.72.00.
E-mail: info@ programkontoret.se 

United Kingdom
All Socrates Actions. The Central Bureau for International Education and Training, British Council,
10, Spring Gardens, UK- London SW1A 2BN, Tel: 207 389.41.57.
E-mail: socrates@britishcouncil.org 

Ceska Republika
CSVS Socrates Office. U Luzickeho seminare 13, CZ- 11801 Praha. Tel: 2 57.53.05.04.
E-mail: socrates@csvs.cz 

Eesti
Foundation Archimedes. Socrates Estonian National Agency, Kohtu 6, EE- 10130 Talin. Tel: 96.24.13.
E-mail: socrates@euedu.ee 

Latvija
Academic Programme Agency. Valnu lela 2, LV- 1050, Riga. Tel: 7 223.983.
E- mail: socrates@apa.lv 

Lietuva
ES Socrates programos koordinavimo paramos fondas. Gelezinio Vilko g. 12, LT- 2600 Vilnius.
Tel: 2 61.05.92.
E-mail: socrates@socrates.lt 

Magyarorszag
Tempus Public Foundation, Socrates Nemzeti Iroda Üllöi ut 82, H- 1082 Budapest.
Postal Address: H- 1438 Budapest 70 POB 510. Tel: 1 210.97.00.
E-mail: socrates@tpf.hu 

Polska
Fundacja Rozwoju Systemu Edukacij Al. Szucha 25, PL- 00918 Warszawa. Tel: 22 622.37.12.
E-mail: socrates@men.waw.pl 

Slovenija
EU Programmes Agency. Kavciceva 66, SL- 1000 Lubljana, Tel: 1 5864.240.
E-mail: Socrates@cpi.si 

Slovenska Republika
Slovak Academic Association for International Cooperation. SOCRATES National Agency, Stare Grunty 52, SK- 84244 Bratislava. Tel: 7 654.24.383.
E-mail: socrates@saaic.sk

European Committee Report, February, 2003 

Goal I: Develop a proposal for a (transnational) project that can be submitted for funding by EU under the Socrates program

 Activities:                                          
 1. Investigate project ideas by committee members.     
 2. Inform committee members of ideas and mediate in setting up partnerships.     
 3. Apply for a preparatory visit to develop project proposals (e-mail and mail, visit to local EU representative).                                                         

Progress so far:
We have sent out a newsletter in Fall 2002. Some committee members have shown interest in participating in a project.

Bernhard Meissner has taken the initiative to organize a preparatory visit. Some invitational emails have been sent out. No date has been set yet (most likely early summer). 

Goal II: Set up an email network (or a listserv).

Activities:  
Have been delayed due to changing jobs and switching computers and network. (Planned for spring.)

Helen E. Bakker, Chair

Newsletter ISPA European Committee, October 2002

Dear colleagues,
After a hectic start of the academic year I finally have time to sit down and write the first newsletter of the ISPA European Committee of this year. 
I think we did have a very constructive, inspiring and interactive meeting at the colloquium in Nyborg, with a good attendance. I believe we are all a step further than we were last year, and ready to get this group really going. 
Since Nyborg, I have submitted a call for participation to the World Go Round, so hopefully that will even attract some more colleagues interested in cooperating in projects.
In Nyborg, we confirmed our intention (or more than that: plan) to develop partnerships for EU-projects, and to set up an informal network of European colleagues. 
This 'newsletter' is a first attempt in accomplishing this goal. I hope that in the future, we will be able to use email as a more direct means of communication amongst our committee members. We tried updating our address list, so I hope this time you all will receive the information. As soon as I have current problems with my computer at work solved, I will try to set up a listserv for this group, so we can communicate more directly by mail. Unfortunately, right now I cannot really use our network… (don't ask why..)
In the meantime, I think this newsletter may be a way to communicate and inform you on our activities. 
Since our email communication last year did not really work, I am incorporating some of the information from last year's newsletter again. 
Together with this newsletter, you will find some attachments I got from the EU website: www.europa.eu.int (activities – education – Eur. Commission -Socrates – Comenius). All information on EU projects, requirements, call for proposal etc. can be found here. I strongly suggest those of you interested in developing a project go directly to this website for more complete information. I am including the English documents - on the website you will also find the documents in the other EU languages.
I do hope we will be able to at least develop some concrete plans during the coming months. The deadline for submitting proposals under Comenius 2 is March 1, 2003. I think it should be possible to get at least one proposal together by then. 
If you have any suggestions about how to go about our activities, or information you would like to share with your colleagues, please send me an email. I will include your question or message in the next 'newsletter.'

I am looking forward to an active and productive year!
Warmest greetings, 

Helen E. Bakker
bakkerhe@planet.nl

Goals for this coming year, as agreed in Nyborg:
- investigate possibilities for EU-projects 
- develop at least one project proposal
- set up partnerships
- investigate possibilities for funding for a workshop at the 2004 colloquium in Exeter

EU-projects under Socrates: Comenius
As school psychologists, the projects we can most likely be involved in are the Comenius 2 projects (partnership projects, involving institutions and all personnel involved in education). At a different level, we may be involved in Comenius 1 projects (between schools, involving teachers) or Comenius 3 (networks).
I am enclosing the call for proposals for all project lines in English (call03), and the general application guidelines. If you cannot open it, or prefer the guidelines in another language, you can find them on the website, mentioned above.

In the call for pre-proposals (not relevant for Comenius 2, as I understand it) the EU provides a list of topics to be covered. I suggest we use this amongst ourselves as a framework to exchange project ideas. 
In short, this includes the following:
1. Summary of the proposed project
2. Objectives and methods of the proposed project
3. Expected outputs / products and impact (also: who will benefit?)
4. Partnership contribution (what expertise is provided or required by partners?)
5. Monitoring and evaluation (what methods will be used to monitor and evaluate project progress?)
6. Dissemination (how will others be able to profit from the project?)
7. Planning of activities
8. Other aspects 

Priorities
Each year, the European Union formulates some priorities for projects. Projects covering these areas will receive special consideration (source: call for proposals, EC, 2002).
For 2003, some of the priorities seem to be of particular relevance to us.
'Horizontal' priorities (i.e. priorities for all Socrates programs):
A. Preparation for the enlargement of the EU (which means projects in which candidate countries are involved will get priority)
B. Sustainable development
C. Stability and security (deepening intercultural dialogue and cooperation)
D. The future challenges to education and training systems (including new technologies, basis skills, mathematics, science and technology)

E. Promoting equal opportunity: 
The last topic includes addressing the needs of disabled people. 
Because of the European Year of Disabled People, in 2003, activities designed to eliminate barriers that prevent people with disabilities from full participation in education, to promote their fullest possible inclusion in society and to help to change attitudes and mentalities will receive special consideration from the EU.
As school psychologists, this should be in particular an area in which we can (and should!) be involved!
F. Lifelong learning (including guidance and counseling, investment in learning, learners and learning opportunities, basic skills, innovative pedagogy).
G. The e-Learning Action Plan (integration and use of ICT).

Priorities for Comenius: school education
- Comenius 1: school partnerships
Language projects and School development projects
- Comenius 2, 2.1: European co-operation projects
Projects making significant contribution to innovation in training of school edu-cation staff (esp. new aspects of the role of the teacher), e.g. (as relevant to us):
- preparing teachers to use ICT
- role of teacher as 'facilitator'
- school leadership teams (e.g. changing role of school in society, importance of evaluation and quality assurance systems, strategies for a safe school)
- strengthening links with working life/transition school-work
- developing support network, both inside and outside school (educational staff, parents, counselors, health services, social services etc), including development of teams
- developing methods for improving attendance and achievement levels (part. attention to needs of children of migrants, gypsies, travelers and occupational travelers)
- Comenius 3: Networks
Priority for networks:
- designed to promote European citizenship, 
- focusing on interdisciplinary topics, e.g. basic skills, science and technology, environmental education, art education, stimulation of creativity
- focusing on aspects of school improvement, e.g. involving parents in schools, management of schools, future role of teacher, education and integration of specific target groups (e.g. special educational needs, children at risk of social exclusion)

Call for project suggestions
During our meeting in Nyborg, some colleagues already came up with some ideas. The following topics were suggested:
1. Teacher burnout
2. Crisis intervention
3. Social-emotional learning (e.g. Second Step) , in collaboration with the Child 
Development Committee
4. School development
5. Learning disabilities (assessment, methods) 

If any of you is interested in actively participating in a project around one of these topics, and/or have any concrete ideas please send an email to both Bernhard Meissner (for topic 1- 4; bernhard_meissner@web.de) or Elke Krüll (for 5: learning disabilities; elke.kruell@t-online.de), with a copy to me. That way I can keep track of what is happening…
Also, we are inviting all of you who have other ideas about possible projects to write a brief summary, describing your ideas, using the format described above.
Of course, at this stage, the ideas may be tentative and still general. However, trying to at least think along those terms will help us develop concrete and realistic projects, within a reasonable time frame and will allow efficient communication, given the fact that we will not be able to do actual face-to-face brainstorming. Please try to at least think about the first three aspects (general summary, objectives and methods, output). 
Project suggestions can be mailed back to me (bakkerhe@planet.nl). I will then make sure they are disseminated amongst all committee members.
Because it will be quite a job to actually develop a concrete proposal, I would like to have these suggestions sent to me before October 15. I will collect the information and mail it back to you by the end of October.

Preparatory visit:
In some cases it is possible to receive (EU) funding for preparatory visits, aimed towards writing a project proposal. Bernhard Meissner has mailed a request, asking if anybody would be interested in getting together for exchanging ideas and developing a proposal. This would be a logical next step for those interested in participating. 
Because it may take up to 4-6 weeks after applying to actually receive a decision and - in the positive scenario - the funding, it is important to start the application procedure as soon as possible. Applications should be made through the national agencies (for addresses see the aforementioned website). As soon as we know if there are interested colleagues, I will be in touch with these members to make sure we will get the appropriate information. Last year in Dinan, Mr.Yves Beernaert promised us he would be a liaison and provide us with help and support if needed. Once we get to the concrete application stage I therefore suggest we get in touch with him.

Email addresses:
This information will be sent to all committee members, in a group file. That means that the e-mail addresses will become available to all. If you have a problem with that, please let me know, so I can take you out of the 'public' list.