One of the main goals of Div. 31 is to increase communication among our SPTAs and with APA. While each SPTA has very specific issues associated with aspects of advocacy, practice, education, and training, there are some areas where they can all find common grounds. One way to learn this is by increasing the communication among SPTAs. It is important that each association knows what is being done in other association in similar situations. While APA and SPTAs executive directors have mechanisms to do this, we see our role as joining their efforts to increase communication.
Div. 31 understands that one way of doing this is by reaching out to as many APA and SPTA active leaders as we can. The hope is that the more leaders are in the communication loop the less opportunity will exist to be kept in a silo. Towards that goal, Div. 31 and the Membership Committee have developed a few initiatives aimed at increasing leaders’ representation in our division.
- SPTAs Executive Directors
This was the first initiative of Div. 31 to increase communication with SPTAs. With the help of our board CESPPA representative, each year we reach out to every SPTA executive director. Overall, we get 100 percent participation every year.
- APA Council Representatives
This initiative began a few years ago, as a result, we have many council members on our roster, many whom are longstanding members. However, we have not reached our goal of having all council members included in our membership, particularly the new council reps. On the most recent council meeting on March 8th-10th, we disseminated information and an application to each council rep. in the hope that those that have not joined us will do.
- Complimentary one-year membership to SPTA Presidents
This recent initiative is aimed at reaching out to all SPTAs presidents. Presidents are invited to join our listserve and receive our newsletter complimentary during their year as presidents. They are invited to become members the following year. The first year, 75 percent of then past-presidents became members of our division the following year.
- Complimentary one-year membership for Presidents-elect
This new initiative was approved on March 23, 2018. The goal is to recruit our SPTAs leaders earlier in their leadership.
In addition to these initiatives, each year, Div. 31 has active participation at PLC and at APA Annual Convention in an effort to increase our visibility and our membership. We thank many of our members that served as ambassadors disseminating information and recruiting.
Ours is a team effort!