The support stage for resolutions and motions to be taken forward to the 2022 AGM closed on Friday 9 September. We’re pleased to share that this year, one resolution and 12 motions received the required level of support, and will go forward to the final ballot at this year’s AGM on Friday 11 November.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to show your support for a resolution or motion. This year, the number of members engaging in the process increased to 6.19% compared with 3.2% in 2021. This year also saw a 40% increase of initial submissions of motions and resolutions when compared to 2020 and 2021. We’re delighted to see so many members engaging with the process.
As with previous years, you’ll have seen regular updates about our AGM across our main communication channels including our website, member emails, Therapy Today and social media. This year, as a result of your feedback, we made the decision to separate out the motions and resolutions and Governor nomination and election processes to make them clearer to follow. We also lengthened the submission and voting window for the motions and resolutions to allow members as much time as possible to get involved.
Our Chair, Natalie Bailey said: "I’d like to thank every member who has taken the time to submit motions and resolutions and to those who registered support during the support phase.
"It’s really encouraging to see such an increase in engagement this year and I’m really pleased to see a member resolution progress to the final AGM ballot. This shows how important member engagement is for our democratic processes as an Association and I hope is a trend that continues in the years ahead.
"With regards to the resolution that didn’t achieve the required level of support to proceed to the next stage, I’d like to thank the proposers and seconders for their submission and for being involved in the process. The Board is always keen to hear feedback and we’re committed to listening to our members and continually improve your membership experience and how we work on your behalf.
"The resolutions and motions that have gained the required level of support will now proceed to the final AGM ballot. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at this year’s AGM on Friday 11 November."
Results
Resolutions
Resolutions require the support of 5% of the membership to be put to a vote at the AGM.
Resolution 1
To make the minimum requirement for supervision 1.5 hours per month, average over a year, for the weeks when clients are seen.
Result: 2438 of members (3.83%) supported this resolution and so it did not reach the 5% support required to progress to the final voting stage.
However, we can share some work we have been doing around supervision hours. BACP formed a Supervision Working Group (SWG) in 2021 to review all its supervision requirements. The SWG developed a Supervision Strategy, and the aim is to recruit a Supervision Task and Finish Group later this year to complete and implement the review process and its recommendations.
Resolution 2
Unpaid volunteering jobs aimed at BACP registered and qualified counsellors remain an issue within our profession. We ask BACP to take a firm stance against counsellor exploitation and communicate with organisations advertising such jobs to make them aware of the importance of paying qualified therapists a decent, proportionate wage.
Result: 3304 (5.19%) of members supported this resolution and so it did reach the 5% support required to progress to the final voting stage.
Motions
Motions require the support of 0.1% of the membership to be put to a vote at the AGM.
The following motions all received the required support to progress to the voting stage.
Motion 1
I would like to remove the word 'from' in regards to advertised fees so that all therapists, not just those with a sliding scale, are able to advertise on the BACP therapist directory congruently and with transparency. Clients will then be able to have a clearer understanding of the fees.
1526 members (2.40%) supported this motion.
Motion 2
The publicity materials used by BACP should show due regard to the presence of male counsellors among the membership, and particularly older male counsellors, who are almost never depicted.
1707 members (2.68%) supported this motion.
Motion 3
To stop sending out paper copies of Therapy Today and encourage online usage so that BACP is doing its part for the environment. Therapists could individually request paper copies if they wish to receive them.
1412 of members (2.22%) supported this motion.
Motion 4
BACP to thoroughly review the impact of the Complaints process for:
- effectively identifying valid/invalid complaints
- its impact on Members
- its sensitivity and safeguarding for Complainants
- BACP to establish a confidential feedback unit for Members to report experiences outside the process to identify issues and instigate change
1929 members (3.03%) supported this motion
Motion 5
Please stop a one cap fits all BACP handling of complaints.
I am asking for: special measures are given to stalked members (transparency policy stopped); member support available; complaints lacking evidence is closed within four weeks; terrorised member's cases are examined by experts in personality disorders, harassment and stalking.
1737 members (2.73%) supported this motion
Motion 6
To continue pressure on the Treasury to take VAT off counselling and psychotherapy.
2066 members (3.25%) supported this motion
Motion 7
I ask BACP, to consider, that adoption might be included in counselling and psychotherapy modules and courses in colleges and universities.
The outcome would enable adoptees and women who lost babies to adoption to have better access to therapy, and, educate those in training towards a better understanding of adoption trauma.
1707 members (2.68%) supported this motion
Motion 8
Therapy Today magazine is unrepresentative of sufficient practitioner experiences and viewpoints. It presents with an obvious pro-corporate bias and blocks member viewpoints that its editorial disagrees with. I therefore propose the magazine makes clearer distinctions between strategic strategy that the magazine is promoting and other viewpoints, including member articles and viewpoints. Furthermore, that it includes and is more equally weighted overall with noneditorial and/or corporate paraphernalia.
998 members (1.57%) supported this motion
Motion 9
A temporary reduction in membership fees for individual members, students and charities, in light of the current cost of living crisis.
1786 members (2.81%) supported this motion
Motion 10
Member engagement is frequently low in e.g. SCoPEd project and questionnaires. BACP could do more to engage members including reaching out through different media. This motion asks for more podcasts so members can listen to a wider range of subject input in their own timescales, including member viewpoints.
1125 members (1.77%) supported this motion
Motion 11
BACP website and any other potential client facing paraphernalia should improve its communication with social media outlets. For example, both Facebook and Twitter social media outlets frequently have un-answered questions and queries and this presents with poor engagement, reflecting unnecessarily detrimentally on BACP.
954 members (1.50%) supported this motion
Motion 12
That BACP help to increase paid work opportunities for BACP Registered Members by highlighting to organisations such as Employee Assistance Programmes and third sector organisations that the PSA Accredited Registers Scheme is a guarantee of the integrity of the Register and therefore the competence of its members.
1611 members (2.53%) supported this motion
Next steps
Voting for the final stage of the motions and resolutions process will open on Monday 10 October and will now go forward to a member vote with results announced at the AGM on Friday 11 November. Similarly, our Governor elections process will open Monday 10 October, when members can choose to vote for those candidates who’ve nominated themselves for consideration as a future BACP Trustee.
This year's AGM will take place on Friday 11 November. We’d like to invite all of you to get involved and help shape the future of the profession. This year we’re offering members a hybrid event so you’ll be able to attend in person at Mercure Leicester, The Grand Hotel or online.
A recording of the AGM will be available afterwards through our catch-up service.
Book to attend the AGM in person or to attend online.
Natalie Bailey, BACP Chair
