Call for new ECF Committee Members

We are calling for new Committee Members to the Early Careers Forum (ECF) of the European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR)1 (euspr.org). The term of the current committee is ending this year, and so we are looking for early-career2 preventionists (researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and other professionals active in the field of prevention3) to take over this important work and continue the Forum activities.

Please consider applying if you are eligible, and feel free to forward this call to colleagues, students or friends who might be interested.

Details of the Call

What is the EUSPR Early Careers Forum?

The Early Careers Forum is the European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) (euspr.org) platform committed to supporting and representing early-career preventionists in Europe. Our activities include a well-respected blog reporting on early-career issues and prevention research, an email listserve to facilitate exchange among early-career preventionists, as well as a number of early-career themed activities at the EUSPR’s annual conference. Currently, the Early Careers Forum of the EUSPR has about 70 members. More information about the Forum can be found here.

Who should apply?

Work on the ECF Committee is ideal for people who have recently (within the last 8 years) embarked on a career in prevention and prevention research through work or studies, including but not limited to current Masters and doctoral students in a prevention-related discipline (e.g. prevention science, public health, psychology, sociology, medicine) as well as those who are about to start studies or work in prevention. Where possible, we seek to have a range of disciplines, geographies, career stages and so on represented in the Committee.

No specialist knowledge or background are required to become active on the ECF Committee. All new Committee Members will be supported by the current Committee Members for the first couple of months. Just bring your enthusiasm for prevention research and a bit of time (min. 2 hours per month).

Why should you apply?

Amongst other things, work on the ECF Committee is a fantastic opportunity to develop one’s skills and international networks further, and to become involved in scientific society and conference organisation.

There are eight different roles available within the Committee, to suit different interests and time budgets. Most roles require only 2-3 hours per month, but are nevertheless extremely rewarding. You can find all information about the different roles in this PDF document as well as directly in the form. You can sign up for one or more roles, and roles can be shared among several people. You can also indicate on the form that you have no preference and are happy to take on any role; in that case, your role within the Committee will be discussed and agreed at a later date.

How to apply?

Please sign up to join the Committee using the online application form available at https://ljmu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/ecf-committee-call-2017 (also embedded below). Applications by email will not be considered.

Completion of the application form is straightforward and will take about 5-15 minutes. Submission of a curriculum vitae (CV) or other supporting documentation is not required.

The call will be open until 31st May in the first instance.

All further details are provided within the application form. If you have any questions, the form also gives contact addresses that can be used for informal enquiries.

A personal note from the current ECF Lead

Time flies, doesn’t it! I started work on the Board of the EUSPR in 2014, set to increase the visibility of, as well as the support offered to early-career preventionists in Europe. I felt that this would be a good opportunity to keep in touch with the international prevention research community and avoid becoming too lonely and isolated whilst doing my doctorate in sociology in Austria.

I was very fortunate to have Kimberley Hill, a lecturer based in England who had recently completed her doctoral studies in psychology, join me after a few weeks on our adventure to set up a platform dedicated to early-career issues: the “EUSPR Early Careers Forum” was born! Among our first tasks were to conduct a needs assessment survey, set up our own website and a mailing list.

A  year later, we were already able to officially launch the Forum with a series of events at the EUSPR’s annual conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia! The launch went great and we were very happy that Aniek van Herwaarden, a Masters student based in the Netherlands specialising in the development of children and adolescents, signed up during the conference to become active in the Forum, too. Aniek felt that we needed a better presence on social media and so one of the things she did was to set up a Facebook page, which is a perfect addition to the EUSPR account on Twitter. With much enthusiasm and determination, we also launched this blog in early 2016, which has received fantastic feedback from within the prevention community. (If you don’t know our blog, please feel free to browse through it!)

We’ve always tried to involve the early-career Membership of the EUSPR in our work, for example, by inviting them to join our teleconferences or collecting their views through online surveys and at our face-to-face networking events. When we asked the ECF Membership for help with organising the early-career events at the annual conference, Dijana Jerković, having recently obtained her PhD in prevention science in Croatia, kindly volunteered to become the ECF Conference Officer for 2016. Dijana successfully negotiated with the EUSPR’s conference planning committee to ensure we have all the space, money and time necessary for our early-career events. We were all very pleased when Dijana continued her participation on the committee after the conference.

… and so it goes! Now the year is 2017. My term is coming to an end, and Kimberley, Aniek and Dijana also need to move on to new pastures. But what about the future? What will the Forum look like in a couple of years? Who will keep it going and maybe even develop it further? This is your chance to make a difference! 

Besides, we really need your help to ensure that activities such as the early-careers networking event at the annual conference and this blog can continue. A few months ago, thankfully Larissa Maier, a postdoctoral researcher from Switzerland, joined the editorial team for our blog, but more hands and heads are needed to ensure the sustainability of the Forum. So, if you have enjoyed the activities of the EUSPR Early Careers Forum, or you are interested to undertake this kind of work, please consider applying to become a Committee Member and keep the Forum alive.

We look forward very much to hearing from you! 🙂

On behalf of the EUSPR Early Careers Form,

Angelina Brotherhood
EUSPR Board Member, ECF Lead (2014-2017)

 

Supplementary information:

  1. The European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) is a scientific society, aiming to “advance the science base of environmental, universal, selective and indicated prevention aimed at improving human health and well-being and addressing health inequalities. Cornerstones of this advancement are: cross-disciplinary networks of scientists, policy makers and practitioners, methodology development, promotion of higher education and career development in prevention and implementation research”. See: http://euspr.org/about-the-euspr/ []
  2.  For this call, early career means:

    • You entered the prevention field within the last 8 years (i.e. in 2009 or later) (e.g. through a job related to prevention research or by commencing doctoral studies) OR
    • You are currently studying for a Masters or doctoral degree in a prevention-related discipline (full-time or part-time) OR
    • You are starting your first job or studies in a prevention-related discipline within the next six months.

    []

  3. In the context of this work, prevention typically addresses topics such as alcohol, tobacco and other substance use, gambling and other addictive behaviours, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, risky sexual behaviours, violence, suicide, and so on. []

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