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From the editor

Welcome to the post-conference edition of the journal; some 150 delegatesÌýattended two programme-packed days last June covering a veritableÌýcornucopia of topics. These included the state of mind we are in,Ìýorganisationally as a profession, by Julian Lousada; the pervasive impact of pornographyÌýand how some therapists may want to dodge the issue, by Duncan E Stafford; a newÌýcomputer-based resource for mental wellbeing under the auspices of the Tavistock, byÌýJenny Hyatt; and creative responses to stress – our clients and our own – throughÌýbreathing (Dawnie Brown) or working with clay (Lynne Souter-Anderson).

This year, most participants were from universities, as unfortunately all too many ofÌýour FE colleagues were concentrating on weathering what proved to be a difficult yearÌýafter seeing several colleagues lose their jobs (see Dawn Hastings’ report, ‘Riding theÌýStorm’). And this despite a recent Government White Paper, entitledÌý‘Students at the Heart of the System’ which seems to acknowledge that good pastoralÌýcare can at times ‘make the difference between completing a course and dropping out’.

Few would disagree that education holds the key to solving problems ranging fromÌýlong-term poverty to domestic violence. It is education that will prepare the nextÌýgeneration for future unpredictability that we, as practitioners from various andÌýsometimes conflicting modalities, struggle to grasp.

Julian Lousada, a university teacher before he became a clinician, set the tone forÌýthe conference with his opening keynote address. While articulating salient aspects ofÌýthe unpredictability of current conditions, Julian posed searching questions for theÌýpositions, both personal and professional, that we adopt. That same rallying call to usÌýas professionals to take our heads out of the sand emerged in several of theÌýworkshops as well as in the final plenary session (see Mary Dailey’s ConferenceÌýQuestions and Answers report).

Could, should, we, in relatively rural Staffordshire in June, have anticipated the civilÌýunrest, riots and ‘ventings of spleen’ that were to follow in August? Apparently, highendÌýtrainers and personal digital assistants – symbols of wealthÌý and status – wereÌýwhat looters particularly craved; a powerful indicator of the perils of commodification.ÌýIf we accept that the disaffected youth who took their grievances to the street includedÌýsome of our students, then we mustÌý surely ask ourselves, how we as a profession canÌýbe robust enough to contribute effectively to the aftermath. As eminent historian EPÌýThompson once said, in a world where the powerless are generally invisible, the riotÌýis a form of ‘collective bargaining’. Despite the anxiety provoked by this form of directÌýaction, how do we think about the emotional as well as material deprivation that liesÌýbehind what happened, the tension between engagement and punishment and whatÌýwe can do to help facilitate a return to the idea of ‘a relatedness between the self andÌýother, the citizen and the social context’ as Lousada put it so prophetically?

For those who could not be there,Ìýwe thought you might like to savourÌýsome of the flavour in pictures, andÌýfor those who were there, aÌýmemento of pictures – please seeÌýthe inside back cover. We hope you enjoy this issue of the journal at theÌýstart of another academic year andÌýwill be driven to present your views.ÌýWe are the sum of our members soÌýplease do get in touch and shareÌýyour ideas through the AUCC journal.

Dani Singer
Editor

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