Ruth Mullally
The Psychological Society of Ireland's (PSI) Division of Work and Organisational Psychology (DWOP) set up a Coaching Psychology Group (CPG) at its Annual General Meeting in April, 2008. The DWOP CPG inaugural meeting took place on Saturday, 31st May, in Dublin where an enthusiastic group gathered to share their vision and expectations for the new group. The main expectations of the group focused on the areas of regulation, scientific rigour, accreditation criteria, ethics, supervision and Continued Professional Development (CPD) skill-sets.
After a general introduction, the Chair (Carmel O’Neill) updated the group on feedback received following the launch of the Coaching Psychology Group. There has been huge support from our coaching psychology colleagues in the UK. Their support and active inclusion into the coaching psychology community has been most welcome and encouraging. Membership categories were also discussed. It was agreed that the category of Correspondence subscribers (€20) would be included for those non-psychologists who, as coaches, are interested in joining.
During the meeting, Dr Joan Tiernan (School of Psychology, University College Dublin) was elected to the European Editorial Board for The Coaching Psychologist as DWOP’s CPG representative. This follows the invitation from Professor Stephen Palmer (PhD) to have a (DWOP) CPG representative on this Editorial Board.
After the election of committee members and officers, the focus of the meeting returned to our strategies going forward (immediate and long-term) and was facilitated by the Secretary (Ruth Mullally). Five main themes emerged: Membership, Research, External Relations (e.g. target groups, communication, reaching the business community and HR Managers), CPD Events (including a coaching-themed Conference) and, finally, the area of socially committed coaching.
The strategies of DWOP’s CPG were discussed in more detail at a dedicated strategic planning meeting held on Saturday, 19th July, in University College Dublin which was open to all members of DWOP’s CPG. Our inaugural meeting concluded with expressions of enthusiasm for and considerable excitement about the future of coaching psychology in Ireland.
Mission of DWOP’s Coaching Psychology Group (CPG)
The Group’s mission is to provide a forum for professional dialogue between the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) members who are practicing as coaches in various settings. A key driver in creating the CPG is that coaching psychologists are drawn from a diverse range of PSI Divisions including but not restricted to organisational psychology. This means that for psychologists interested in this area to share research and best practice it makes sense to do so within a multi-disciplinary forum that draws on the membership of all the PSI Divisions.
As set out in the terms of reference (see below) the Group also seeks to promote research, professional development and publish papers in the area of coaching psychology, and to engage with the coaching industry generally in Ireland. However, the first priority of CPG is to enhance the professional theory and practice of PSI’s coaching psychologists.
Terms of Reference
1. To enhance the professional identity of coaching psychology within the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and to establish and maintain a linking mechanism for researchers and practitioners throughout Ireland.
2. To provide a forum for discussion and peer contact, and for information sharing between the Group and other PSI members.
3. To facilitate discussion around the definition and nature of coaching psychology.
4. To promote development of appropriate ethical standards and guidelines for the practice of coaching psychology.
5. To foster publications and research into coaching psychology.
6. To organise and promote continuing education for PSI members.
7. To promote best practice professional development within the psychology profession for coaching psychology.
8. To provide expert advice to the Psychological Society of Ireland on issues relating to the nature and practice of coaching psychology.
Correspondence
Ruth Mullally AIB
Group Executive Development & Succession Management, 1 Adelaide Road - 5th Floor,
Dublin 2,
Ireland.
E-mail: [email protected]