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The First Annual Convening of Crisis Intervention Personnel took place in 1976. It was probably a bit brash to include the word "annual" since we had no idea whether the first conference would ever fly no less whether there would be a second.. At that time, the volunteers of the In Touch Hotline--a relatively new crisis service--felt the need to connect with others who were doing the same type of work.
In Touch was a hotline sponsored by the Counseling Service of the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was staffed entirely by college students who had been trained to deal with a broad spectrum of problems. Its only professional staff member was Dr. Barry Greenwald who was a clinical psychologist on the Counseling Center's staff.
Initially, Convening was conceived of as a local event in which hotlines and crisis services in the Chicago Metropolitan Area would have the chance to come together to share information and to network. The conference welcomed volunteers as well as professionals and attempted to provide a forum where all voices would be heard. In like manner, the conference was designed to encourage cross discipline interactions. There seemed little to be gained if psychologists only talked to psychologists, social workers talked only to social workers, etc. We were all in this together and we could only improve the quality of services we provided if we talked to each other.
Convening I was enthusiastically received. Clearly, there was a need for a conference dedicated to crisis work. Crisis workers were hungry for the opportunity to talk about their experiences and to break down the isolation that is all too often a part of our work. Little by little the scope of Convening expanded. It moved from an evening and one day conference to a full weekend. Within a few years, the mailing list grew to include most of the Midwestern states and now encompasses all fifty states, Canada and few European addresses. Each year announcements of the conference reach more that 5400 individuals and organizations. Despite all this change, some things have remained constant over the past 23 years. It is always in Chicago and it remains volunteer driven. No one who has ever worked on Convening has ever been salaried or paid for his or her efforts. Former members of the In Touch Hotline who have long since graduated from The University of Illinois at Chicago return each year to staff the conference. Their presence along with many new volunteers insures a very special atmosphere that is unique to Convening.
Over the years, the quality of the presentations has become better and better. Every presentation submitted is juried by the Convening Planning Committee. We look for topics of general interest and appropriateness to the field of crisis intervention. We encourage presenters to submit ideas in progress. Presentations that have pragmatic value and illustrate a hands-on approach to difficult or challenging problems are always welcome. We will consider more esoteric topics that may have a more limited audience because these ideas also need a forum where they may be explored and discussed. Convening defines crisis work very broadly and encourages presenters to respond to our Call for Papers when it appears.
Convening remains one of the few conferences that deals with crises in general. In this age of specialization, we have attempted to remain generalists. Every year in April about 250 people come to Chicago for the annual conference. From Friday night to Sunday, they attend sessions, mingle, network, see Chicago and eat heartily. Convening has a tradition of providing the best food of any conference around. Much of it is prepared and donated by our volunteer staff. Local restaurants and bakeries have also provided donations and Ben and Jerry's have provided ice cream treats that evoke the child in all of us.
Convening serves many purposes. It helps crisis workers stay abreast of the latest happenings in the field. It provides an opportunity to connect with others who are committed to help troubled individuals make it through the night. And it restores the soul, making it possible to return to our respective agencies refreshed and ready for the year ahead.
We hope you will consider submitting a presentation or to just attending. We look forward to welcoming you to Chicago in April.
Sigmund Burdin and. Barry Greenwald, Ph.D.
CONVENING Coordinators