Venue: Swarcliff Baptist Church

ACC Board Meeting Wednesday 27 July 2016

(Meeting commenced at 10 am)

In attendance: Peter Barraclough, Julia Everett, David Depledge, Sue Monkton-Rickett, Tony Ruddle, Phil Weare, Teresa Onions, David Depledge.

Apologies:Chris Williams, Marlene Forsythe-Gidharry.

New members to the board were welcomed

The meeting opened with prayer time togetherby Tony based on Hebrews 11, Jude and Ephesians 3

Title
The background and history of ACC were explained by TR and DD. In 1989, Roger Altman and Mervyn Suffield called a meeting in Reading to which independent Christian counselling centres were invited. There were 44 attendees at this meeting. The ACC offices were opened in an attic room above a church in Reading in 1991. At the time, there were rumours that the EU would force counsellors to be registered. With 12 months, ACC had 1,100 members, though within two years, there were financial issues, because costs went out of control. DD was asked to use his experience as an accountant to sort out the finances. At this time, supervision and insurance in counselling were unknown.
In 2001, DD was invited to become Chief Executive and to move the office to Momus Boulevard, Coventry. As well as DD, the staff included a general administrator, training administrator, a bookkeeper, and a membership secretary. Just before the move to Coventry, the government started to fund counselling for training: most of this went to the training organisations while a portion went to ACC. At its peak, this was over £100,000 a year, and with students on these courses becoming ACC members, membership grew to 2,900. This funding, was worth £30,000 - £40,000 a year to ACC and lasted for 9-10 years until it ceased almost completely five years ago.
The Board of Trustees used to be composed of 8 Board members and 8 Regional/Network reps. However, this number was unwieldy and a Governance review led by TR recommended a reduction to the level suggested by the Charity Commission. This was accepted.
When DD decided to step back from being Chief Executive, Greta Randle became CEO until she retired, when TR took over as Executive Chair. When Greta left, ACC decided it would fill some senior roles with contractors.
Since the Director of Counselling post contract ended it was decided that this might be a good time to look again at all roles.
Group work on ACC roles, priority and identifying gaps
See PowerPoint slide in Appendix for the ideas generated from two breakout groups.
Current financial position of ACC
To set the financial background, SMR explained the financial position for ACC during the current and next financial years, and the position on reserves.
ACC may be in a contracting market, but ACC hasn’t touched as many people as possible in the existing market in the Christian community. There is a large proportion that has not heard of ACC.
TR and TS pointed out that many ministers see counselling as their own prerogative, because this is what they have been told. Therefore, ACC needs to position itself as not a threat but a potential benefit and help to them.
Ask all Board and Exec to write down what they believe the vision and mission for ACC is in the future and send to Tony so he can take to a future Board meeting.
Current Exec and Staff
Discussion on the skills of current Exec and Staff – question was raised whether we are using people to the best of their gifting. Can we bring together people’s skills and the requirements of the roles?
The possibility of an assessment of the office roles was mooted. The suggestion was made that this was a process rather than a one-off event. TR suggested that PW is the only person in a position to manage this. PW to carry out a review of tasks and skills, with the idea of keeping individuals focussed. A process improvement suggested by TR would be for Exec and Board responding to questions from staff in the form of an FAQ (Frequently Asked Question). Admin support to remote directors to be considered within this review, including identifying the pattern of support that is needed by the Director of Counselling and Director of Pastoral Care. It was recognised that there may well be a training need, particularly on prioritisation of responses by admin staff. Monthly reports of new members – can we get HB to produce these?
Fiona Sherburn to be approached to conduct a review of the Board members and their portfolios, perhaps spending an hour in conversation with each of them.
PowerPoint presentations were shown on each of the current Exec team roles.
A short discussion took place on the role of the Training Development Group and the Accreditation Committee. Their roles to be considered and documented.
OK for PW to have shredded the HR files for any previous employees. Have a general front page in the folder of the date when it was shredded and the reason. Decided that ACC should not keep past HR files of staff for longer than 2 years.
TR asked if the current Board roles should be changed or to remain the same. Decision not to change the current roles. SMR said that Board members need to be clear on their own individual responsibilities. MFG is likely to become the Board member to take responsibility for Pastoral Care. TS will hold the Counselling.
TR asked whether ACC should have a dedicated CEO at this point, or whether it could be combined with another function? CEO would provide day-to-day leadership role in the organisation. It was decided to continue with the current arrangement at this time as the need for a Director of Counselling was paramount. TS said that the best way to improve our finances would be to encourage the hundreds of counsellors into membership and this would take the majority of the individual’s time.
SMR: the biggest gap is that for a long time no-one has been thinking how we could grow the counselling side of the organisation. The primary function would be to work with the networks, affiliates and the student arena.
Agreed that ACC find a new director of counselling and recruited with specific abilities to promote counselling, ACC as a professional organisation and to handle the forthcoming renewal of the Accredited Register from the PSA. Dynamic, able, energetic, relational, experienced counsellor, able to work in a team, not necessarily office-based, doesn’t necessarily think in straight lines.
TS was asked, as a new member of the Board, to look at the job description of the Director of Counselling role and to circulate his recommendations to the Board. It was stated that if, at interview stage, there were no suitable candidate, then ACC would not appoint. The Board is considering a combination of advertising and using personal networks to research potential candidates.
TO suggested that a future CEO needs to cover both counselling and pastoral care. This principle was agreed.
Aims and goals of ACC
Suggestions included:
Survival
To grow sufficiently so that we break even each year
Encouraging members to stay (Using Friends and PCUK where appropriate)
Promoting Christian counselling
Develop counselling practice (we need papers on the website on how to develop their practice)
That ACC/PCUK are the first people churches think of when they think about pastoral care and counselling
An ACC approved counsellor/registrant in every church
To encourage Christian counselling as a career path, particularly for young people in churches (they are more mental health aware)
To get into the denominational training establishments – many are offering modules in counselling, even if not specifically Christian
Possibility raised of promoting counselling training in ACC materials and website while making a link with denominational training establishments and the ACC student register
Possibility of introducing a stream of “biblical coaching” that might have appeal to churches
Network Champions
Agreed to the Exec’s proposal to extend the Network Champion pilot by a further year to April 2018. A review to take place after Conference 2017 and its focus on promoting Networks.
Debit card from CAF Bank
Board agreed for these to be entrusted to named members of Staff and Exec.
Date of next meetings: 14 September at Momus Boulevard, Coventry

Appendix

ACC ROLES

Governance Group - minimum 3 director / Co Sec / ANO – overlap with Exec – be specific about board responsibility

Executive –

•Professional Credibility – counselling, (training stds & accreditation) /

•pastoral care /

•promotional (incl Accord, denominational contact & others) , engage groups where not known, educational establishments / students

•promotion– out there keeping existing members engaged

•Professional guidance and counselling

Administrative hub – finance function, web / database function / membership administration / register functions

Development of links to related fields i.e. coaching

Conference & Event organiser

Member care – affiliates (champion) / individuals / PC & counselling

Networks

Contact / Development relationships Affiliate / international connections

Consultation dialogue – other professional bodies, wider spiritual groups, public face / exposure management