THE BIRKBECK COUNSELLING ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
(As amended at the 2015 AGM)
1. NAME
The Association shall be known as THE BIRKBECK COUNSELLING ASSOCIATION.
2. ADDRESS
Department of Psychosocial Studies, Birkbeck, University of London, 30 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DT.
3. PURPOSES

(a) To provide a range of meetings and events for the purposes of ongoing learning and continuing professional development (“CPD”).
(b) To promote the application of psychodynamic/psychoanalytic ideas to a variety of occupational and professional settings, drawing upon the knowledge of individual, group and organisational processes which are unique aspects of the counselling training at Birkbeck, and/or relevant Birkbeck courses.
(c) To help members sustain and develop contacts and networks both socially, and for professional purposes, including the possibility of client referrals.
(d) To share and reflect on the experience of good practice in a broad range of work settings.
(e) The BCA is accredited by the BPC (British Psychoanalytic Council) and acts as ‘gatekeeper’ for individual BCA members who wish to apply for BPC registration as psychodynamic counsellors. There is an application process for which fees (reviewed periodically) are payable to BCA in addition to the annual BPC membership fee.

4. MEMBERSHIP
(a) Full Membership shall be open to people who are current students on or who have successfully completed a relevant Birkbeck course included in the list below, together with the staff and former staff of the listed courses and staff and former staff of the Birkbeck counselling certificate courses, upon payment of an annual subscription to be decided from time to time by the Executive Committee. This means that current students on the courses listed below have the option of becoming full members of the association on payment of a membership fee. Only full members will be entitled to vote or become full members of the Executive Committee.

• Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy (MSc / Graduate Diploma)
• Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents (MSc / Graduate Diploma)
• Psychodynamic Counselling (MSc / Graduate Diploma)
• Psychodynamic Counselling with Children and Adolescents (MSc / Graduate Diploma)
• Post-graduate diploma in Student Counselling
• Post-graduate diploma in Adult Counselling, and Post-graduate diploma in Psychodynamic Counselling
• Foundation Degree in Psychodynamic Counselling and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
• Psychodynamic Counselling and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (BSc)

(b) Student Membership shall be open, free of charge, to all students registered on any of the relevant Birkbeck courses listed under 4(a), until they are no longer a student on a listed course. The Executive Committee shall be entitled to co-opt student members as a non-voting representative on the Executive Committee. Student members may be entitled to conference discounts, but this will be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.