IPCAP 1st National Convention Plenaries & Process

For the upcoming IPCAP 1st National Convention on Nov. 21-22, 2008, we have designed 4 Plenary sessions, an organizational process and one workshop to stir the participants to realize the theme: “The Professional Guidance Counselor & The Law: Status & Prospects.” It is just right that we look into our status as Registered (PRC-licensed) Guidance Counselors always in the light of the law, the R.A. No. 9258 or the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004.

Plenary I: Implications of the Law from Varied Perspectives

Among our speakers include the following (to be revealed on the day itself - suspense!):

- a private school Guidance Counselor who will share with us what effects the law has on the practice of Guidance and Counseling in the private school setting;

- a representative from the Department of Education (DepEd) who will share with us the qualification standards for the public school;

- a private practitioner to share us the effects and implications of the law on his practice;

- a physician working with victims of abuse in a hospital setting will help us see what the law means for her and us;

- an assessment-provider will let us see what this law has for school assessment.

Plenary II (130-230PM): Legal Aid for RGCs
A lawyer will share with us on what to do if and when we need legal assistance.

Then we will have our organizational process: history of the IPCAP, our IPCAP Constitution, something which we will work ourselves from the one we constructed last year and then ratify. Only IPCAP members will be voting, although non-members may participate in the process. This would be an interesting process. I hope we can be ready to elect the officers for the incoming year.

Plenary III: Legal and Professional Accountabilities
For this second day, we will hear a legal expert share with us our legal and professional accountabilities on the 1st plenary of the day.

Plenary IV: The RGC and Human Rights
And since we are now professionals, we will be hearing what being an RGC means in the light of the laws of the land as regards the protection and defense of victims of human rights, abuse, as well as the report protocols as these impact on our practice in the schools and in community.

In the afternoon of the second day, we shall have a workshop on Career Path and Linkages facilitated by some Board of Trustees members and Officers.

This event is one full of surprises. Give-aways are right now being readied, and I hope we can achieve what we would like to see in a Convention of PROFESSIONALS, the first of what we should have on a constant basis for our ongoing development. I am actually excited to see everyone getting so much while paying so little. If this is not God's grace we are being offered, then what is it?

All Registered and Licensed Guidance Counselors, do feel free to come and attend this first for the Guidance and Counseling profession.