Editorial

August 2017 • Issue 3

PsySSA President: Prof Sumaya Laher

Announcements

Lead Article

Click on the images to select and view the full article…

On Earth Day, April 22, 2017, concerned citizens around the world marched on behalf of science. This global support for the scientific endeavour provided an opportunity to recognize that science and access to the benefits of science, are human rights. Along with numerous scientific organizations including AAAS, the American Psychological Association endorsed the march and encouraged psychologists to advocate on behalf of science. One aspect of that advocacy is to articulate the benefits to society of psychological science. Read more…

South African Federation for Mental Health Initiative

Every year March is commemorated as Intellectual Disability Awareness Month, and this year the South African Federation for Mental Health focused on creating awareness around the right that persons with intellectual disabilities have to access employment opportunities. People with intellectual disability are often marginalised and excluded from various aspects of life due to the perception that they are unable to contribute or play a meaningful role due to their disability. However, with the correct support and training there are people with intellectual disabilities who can be empowered to enter the open labour market.

SAFMH has created an empowerment tool called the Right to Employment DVD, focusing on empowering persons with mental disabilities (including those with intellectual disabilities) to access employment opportunities. Although copies of the DVDS will be distributed to partners, SAFMH has decided to upload the educational videos to YouTube so that they can be accessed by anyone who needs to make use of them. The DVD and videos are divided into two sections: Section 1 is focused on persons with mental disabilities who want to find employment. The video includes information such as practical tips on how to create a CV, how to prepare for a job interview, what reasonable accommodation is and what labour laws exist in South Africa that protect the rights of persons with disabilities

Section 2 is focused on prospective employers of persons with mental disabilities. It aims to educate companies and organisations about what is meant by mental disability, what the various benefits are of employing persons with disabilities, what can be expected of companies with regards to reasonable accommodation, and what labour laws protect persons with disabilities in South Africa.

It is our hope that tools such as the Right to Employment education resources will empower persons with intellectual disabilities to access employment opportunities, as well as help to combat the stigma and discrimination that people with intellectual disability often face.

Upcoming Events

1st Pan-African Psychology Congress

The Pan-African Psychology Union (PAPU) and the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA), together with PAPU members in Africa, look forward to welcoming you to the first-ever continental psychology congress from 18 to 21 September 2017 in Durban, South Africa.

Congress Programme (Draft)

Looking Back… INS Mid-Year Congress 2017

HPCSA News and Updates

This national survey was commissioned by a Task Team of the Psychology Board and conducted by Quantify Research (Pty) Ltd, as independent service provider. Data was collected by means of an online survey,  sent to all registered psychology practitioners on the HPCSA database. Click on the image to download the HPCSA survey findings

SAJP

2017 Issue 3 not available…

Updates to be released soon.

Click on the image above. If you are not already logged into your PsySSA account you will be asked to do so. Now you will be taken to the PsySSA SAJP page where you again need to click on the SAJP logo to access the latest issue.

Mail&Guardian

Read the latest article on PsySSA’s Mail & Guardian’s ThoughLeader. Click on the image to visit the page.