Director`s Report:

Manitoba/Nunavut
Joyce Milligan
October 26, 2016
Abstract
My understanding of both the breadth and depth of the CCPA continues to grow and I
appreciate the easy to use accurate information on the website. I am passionate about
advocating for the role of counsellors and sharing about the CCPA and CCCs. Over the
past few months, I began the process of contacting university counselling programs with
the hope of nurturing strong relationships with the CCPA. I have been looking at the
regional distribution of counsellors as I plan local events to facilitate networking among
counsellors throughout Manitoba and Nunavut, connection to the national CCPA, and
offer culturally relevant professional development.
I participated in monthly directors’ meetings by teleconference as well as the annual
board meeting at the National Conference in Montreal in April. My role as chair of the
Quality Assurance Committee involved organizing four meetings, coordinating ongoing
communication within the committee, seeking additional information as required to
complete our work, and sharing the results the relevant committee and/or head office.
Résumé
Ma compréhension de l’ampleur et de la profondeur de l’ACCP continue de croître et
j’apprécie la facilité de trouver de l’information sur le site web. Je suis passionnée de
défendre le rôle des conseillers et d’échanger à propos de l’ACCP et des CCC. Durant les
derniers mois, j’ai commencé le processus de contacter les programmes de counselling de
différentes universités avec l’espoir de nouer des liens forts avec l’ACCP. J’ai analysé la
distribution des conseillers de la section, vu que je planifie des événements locaux pour
faciliter la communication entre les conseillers au Manitoba et au Nunavut, les connecter
à l’ACCP et offrir du développement professionnel culturellement pertinent.
J’ai participé dans les réunions mensuelles des directeurs par téléconférence, et également
à la réunion du conseil annuelle en avril dernier qui s’est tenue à Montréal. Mon rôle en
tant que présidente du comité de la garantie de la qualité a impliqué quatre réunions, la
coordination de la communication continuelle dans le comité, la recherche d’information
additionnelle, tel que demandé, de compléter notre travail et le partage des résultats au
comité pertinent et/ou au siège social.
Connections and Communications
I continue to speak about the CCPA and CCC, both formally and informally. Promoting
the National Research Conference in our prairie region was an excellent opportunity to
reach out. While at the conference, I was able to build connections between our province
and colleagues active in the counselling field elsewhere, hopefully laying some
groundwork for hosting professional development our region. I look forward to sharing
about the conference in my next newsletter.
As Director for our region, I am the liaison to the Manitoba Chapter and attend executive
as well as general meetings. As such, I am staying up to date and informed on the
regulation process. I have been encouraging CCPA members in the region to join the
chapter to stay up to date and have a voice in the process. Dr. Barbara Woods, the
chapter president, together with a regulation committee have been working very hard on
the regulation process. They represent CCPA counsellors on FACT Manitoba, the group
of interested organizations working toward regulation. In September, Dr. Barbara
MacCallum gave a very informative and community building presentation to a meeting of
representatives from all interested counselling groups in Manitoba.
As Director, I also receive and read the newsletters from all the provincial and special
interest chapters. This helps me stay informed about the various counselling activites
across the country and to pass on or highlight relevant information to interested
individuals and groups.
Building connections with universities is underway. In September, I met with the
counselling group coordinator at the University of Manitoba. We planned a follow up
meeting in December and tentatively decided on January for a presentation to the
students. She is encouraging students to consider becoming a student representative.
During the summer, I met with Dr. Bill Thomas, the CCPA Indigenous Director, to begin
plans for outreach activities in Brandon for members in the Western part of the province
and counselling students at the University of Brandon. The goals include networking with
counsellors in the area, offering regionally relevant professional development, and
hosting an outreach event at the University of Brandon. I spoke to Kimberley Young, SK
Director, at our last board meeting, about inviting counsellors from eastern Saskatchewan
to join us for events in Brandon and possibly opening Saskatchewan events to counsellors
from Western Manitoba. I also spoke informally to one of the Ontario directors about
welcoming counsellors from NW Ontario to events in Winnipeg.
Contributions and Celebrations
We celebrate the forward movement in the regulation process and the hard work being
done by Barbara Woods and several other CCPA counsellors. Candace Reinsch, who
participated in the CCPA Leadership Training program in Ottawa last year November,
has taken on an active role in the regulation work.
Concerns and Challenges
The profile of CCC and the CCPA are slowly growing in the Manitoba/Nunavut region.
Participation in chapter meetings is low and there are currently no student
representatives. Since the counselling programs are included under the umbrella of larger
departments, it is difficult to know who to contact. I am thankful to Barbara for
providing me with a list of starting points. Following a first year of growing knowledge
and understanding of the CCPA, I hope that this will be a year of action.
Coming Attractions
Regional meetings, professional development, university outreach events, and more
letters to spread the awesome work of the CCPA, the diversity of learning opportunities,
and ways to connect!