Early career psychiatrists corner: Third young psychiatrists’ network meeting: Stigma in YPs’ perspective

Abstract

The movement of the young psychiatrists’ (YPs) network (YPN) was born in 2009 and has developed substantially since then. The idea of network collaboration was suggested by the Swedish Eastern Europe Committee (Assoc. Professor Jerker Hanson) and found approval of YPs from Lithuania, Sweden, Belarus, and Russia in Kaliningrad in May 2009. Next 2 meetings took place in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2010 devoted to neuropsychiatry and diagnostic scales and Riga, Latvia in 2011 with the main topics of personality disorders and coercive care. The number of countries-delegates has increased from 4 in 2009 to 18 (90 YPs) in 2011. YPN is open to all interested YPs all over the world and supports any activity of participants in the field of professional development. YPN preferentially focuses on international exchange of recent evidence-based knowledge about mental health and treatment focusing on patient’s rights, national diversities and cultural traditions and working toward destigmatizing psychiatrists and mental disorders in society using the creative ideas of young minds and innovative technologies. The interaction between in YPN is based on mutual respect, openness and already friendship. The activity of organization includes both on-line collaboration and annual conferences with publishing of abstract booklets of young researchers. Programmes of YPN Meetings include not only lectures by prominent professors but maintain workshops and social program as a way to increase activity and involvement of young participants. After each conference all YPs are welcomed to take part in organizing committee of the future meeting. The forthcoming Meeting is supported by European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees and will take place in Minsk, Belarus, 27–29th September 2012. The project is oriented on the development of new perspectives in understanding of phenomenon of stigma of mental disorders in patients, professionals and society, as it seems to be a real substantial obstacle in contemporary psychiatry. The program of the conference is accessible at www.ypsnet. org and includes lectures by Professors N. Sartorius (Switzerland), Sir D. Goldberg (UK), W. Gaebel (Germany), W. Rutz (Sweden), R. D’Souza, A. Janca (Australia), E. Mohandas, Anu Kant Mital (India), R. Evsegneev, O. Skugarevsky, S. Igumnov (Belarus). Members of early career psychiatrists’ organizations such as EFPT, WPA ECPC, AFECP, Russian ECPC and others will discuss their collaboration during the meeting of YPN without involvement or creation of any new organization. YPN is just the unity of early career psychiatrists from all countries of Europe and Russia. YPN is not an organization of any hierarchy but collaboration of enthusiastic YPs from Europe and Russia who encourage each other in an open dialogue and a brainstorming fostering atmosphere. The importance of meeting is emphasized by first participation of young colleagues from AFECP and their involvement in activities of organizing committees of future annual Meetings. It is an important step for AFECP to promote itself on the international level among ECPs organizations, demonstrate the opinion, share experience and make a contribution into networking on behalf of Asia. Members of AFECP are welcomed to provide the ideas of networking worldwide through the countries of Asia and strengthen collaboration between European and Asian YPs for further assistance in solving current professional problems and mutual benefits of early career psychiatrists in their own countries. YPN is sincerely grateful to Elsevier who kindly supported the process of developing and publishing of promoting materials about the Meeting.