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Theme A: Counselor Education – Objective 7: All counselor education programs will be encouraged to incorporate into their curriculum the teaching of advocacy for clients and the profession.

Theme E: Research – Objective 2: To assess the outcomes of counselor preparation.

Title of Advocacy Project/Program/Activity: Justice for All: Assessing Advocacy

Justice For All: Collaborating to Advocate for Children and Adolescents

This conference is committed to empowering members of the educational and mental health communities to actively respond to needs for advocacy. This year the focus of the poster presentation is not only to present the advocacy conference, but also to present an evaluation of the conference.

Description of Activity:

The day-long conference is dedicated to providing graduate students, education and mental health professionals, and community members information about the need for professional and social advocacy. Two breakout sessions which included a choice of two speakers followed opening remarks. The conference concluded with the keynote address. The speakers presented on their specific focus of advocacy and offered ways in which attendees might become an advocate themselves. Professionals and students connected with local agencies at an agency fair. This provided attendees employment and internship information, as well as opportunities to connect with services relevant to client needs.

A subcommittee of Chi Sigma Iota: Upsilon Nu Kappa has developed an advocacy model for its members, known as the T. R. A. I. N. E. R. model. The model includes several steps, one of which is evaluation. The focus of the post-conference evaluation was to assess the awareness, knowledge, and skills of the conference attendees in the areas of the advocacy sessions.

Resources helpful for developing Activity:

Funding: UPFF grant, UNK Counseling & School Psychology Department, Pepsi, Nebraska Counseling Association mini-grant
Contacts: agency and professional, counselors and educators, media for publicity
Publicity: Local news station, University home page/newspaper/E-mail, flyers, conference informational packets, class announcements, Nebraska Counseling Association E-mail

People needed for implementation:

Speakers
Chapter officers: organize conference, publicity, events, volunteers
School Psychology organization (GrASP): collaborate funding, organizing, publicity, volunteers
Chapter members: prepare conference packets, assist speakers, registration, distribute CEU’s, photography, videography, assist special needs attendees
Nebraska Counseling Association District 4/5 chairperson: provide contacts and publicity
Department Secretary: organize and supervise registration table
Area agency contacts: commitment to being part of the agency fair

Timeline for developing and implementing activity

Five-Six Months prior: select and contact speakers, apply for funding, make reservations for conference location, reserve speaker lodging, secure catering,
Two-Four Months prior: correspond with speakers, contact agencies, create and distribute informational posters and brochures
Two weeks-One Month prior: reserve technology, prepare conference packets, submit university publicity materials, mail/deliver flyers and brochures, secure volunteers
One week after: post conference meeting, assess evaluations, prepare “thank you” notes

Name of Chapter and person to be credited with project:

Upsilon Nu Kappa: Dr. David Hof (hofdd@unk.edu), Jessica Reinsch, Brooke Wright, Aimeé Oelke