MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

This information sheet is intended as a guide for practitioners wanting to apply for membership of GANZ either as a Member or College Member under the Grandparent Clause. Applications for unencumbered membership in all three categories will be invited as soon as Training Programs are accredited as meeting the GANZ minimum standards as stated in the Training Standards Document.

CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP

Two categories of graduate membership have been agreed upon to make it possible for GANZ to join The Psychotherapists and Counsellors Federation of Australia (PACFA) as a College Member rather than a Member Association. The GANZ Member category reflects the training standards of the ten training providers who helped develop the Training Standards Document and exceeds the PACFA minimum training standard. While still under discussion it is almost certain that eligibility for the proposed national PACFA Register will involve training and experience in addition to the GANZ minimum standards, hence the GANZ College Member category

GRANDPARENT CLAUSE

Membership of GANZ as a Member will also be granted to those who completed their training prior to 1999 and who satisfy the following criteria:

1. Five years full-time experience as a Gestalt Therapist (or equivalent) during the 10 year period prior to 1999 and
2. Completion of a Gestalt Therapy training program of minimum standard 250 hours over a minimum of 2 years (i.e. the PACFA minimum standard ) and
3. Application is made within 2 years August 1 1999.

Membership of GANZ as a College Member will also be granted to those who completed their training prior to 1999 who satisfy the following criteria:

1. Five years full-time experience as a Gestalt Therapist (or equivalent) during the 10 year period prior to 1999 and
2. Completion of a Gestalt Therapy training program of minimum standard 250 hours over a minimum of 2 years (i.e. the PACFA minimum standard) and
3. Completion of a further 100 hours of Gestalt Therapy training (e.g. short courses, workshops, conferences, etc.) and supervision (25 hours of the 100 hours is to comprise supervision) and
4. Application is made within 2 years of August 1 1999.

UNENCUMBERED MEMBERSHIP

Graduates of training programs accredited by GANZ will be automatically eligible for either Member or College Member membership as determined by hours and years of training and supervision received. See categories of membership above. Graduates of a GANZ approved training program, prior to its approval will also be eligible for membership where their training program only minimally varies from the GANZ approved program.

APPLICATION THROUGH OTHER CRITERIA

Where applicants for membership of GANZ (Member or College Member) do not qualify under the Grandparent Clause or Unencumbered Membership practitioners will need to specify what additional training and/or experience they have that bridges the gap between their training course and the category of membership for which they are applying.

OVERSEAS QUALIFIED APPLICANTS

Applications from overseas trained Gestalt Therapists will be assessed on an individual basis. Applicants may apply under the Grandparent Clause for a period of two years after August 1 1999 or may submit documentation to enable the Membership committee and/or the GANZ Council to deteremine whether the qualifications are equivalent to the GANZ minimum standards.

FEES

The annual fee for Member and College Memberships is Aus$150.00 or NZ$150.00 payable in Australian dollars. In the event of an application being unsuccessful this fee less $25.00 administration fee will be returned to the applicant..

The process of assessing membership applications will be based on a spirit of goodwill and trust rather than be overly legalistic.

See application form and GANZ brochure for more information.