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ACI History
ACI is a non-profit 501a business association, founded in 1971 as a chapter of the International Association of Applied Social Scientists. ACI was created to establish criteria for competence, develop standards for practitioners, and to support ACI members to meet and exceed those standards.
ACI Goals
- Peer review professionals in our applied disciplines.
- Educate the public about our services.
- Provide opportunities for personal growth and development.
- Provide a collegial social group of professionals who have an appreciation for our professional challenges.
- Serve as a network for work and developmental activities.
- Provide a stimulus to integrate the disenfranchised into our work.
Mission of ACI
- We work in various capacities as agents of organizational effectiveness and societal change.
- We are committed to the highest standards of professional ethical practices.
- We are dedicated to serving and encouraging what is positive in the human spirit – in our clients, our communities and us.
Diversity Statement
We seek to attract, embrace, and uplift our members who reflect the larger community* where each member’s differences and commonalities are included, explored and honored.
*Larger community includes differences in race, gender, age, sexual orientation, people with disabilities, culture, religion, etc.
Our Members
Our members work in various capacities – as counselors, internal and external organization development specialists, as well as line and staff managers who see their roles as facilitators of change and organizational effectiveness. The largest concentration of ACI members resides in the front range of Colorado; however, there are members throughout Colorado and the nation. Professionals throughout the USA and other countries may join as long as they meet the ACI standards and are committed to the implementation of the ACI mission.
To download a printable trifold brochure about ACI Click Here (requires Adobe Acrobat).
Our Activities
- Provide a social and collegial group for personal growth.
- Conduct peer review for local professionals.
- Provide a stimulus to integrate the disenfranchised into our work.
- Educate the public.
- Serve as a network for work and developmental activities.
ACI Governance
ACI is a distributed leadership organization, with committees doing all of the volunteer work. One person from each committee attends the "Coordinating Council" (CC) where decisions for the body as a whole are made. The officers of ACI are members of the CC. Every two years we hold a "Whither ACI?" meeting for full membership. We plan the program themes and handle other governance matters in the one-day retreats.
Professional Development
ACI is dedicated to professional development. We offer educational programs, open to all comers, often presented by our members, plus a once a year "Big Event" with a well-known national expert. Often the programs are on leading-edge ideas and best practices of the field, and unique clients or interventions. Feedback is vigorous and participation is continuous and active.
Peer Review and Peer Consultation
Peer review is another benefit of membership in ACI. For ACI membership, the willingness to be reviewed and to review others is key. In a peer review, the member reviews his or her practice, or role within a larger organization, and explores new directions with a selected panel of other members whose tasks include asking provocative questions and offering encouraging suggestions and ideas. In this way, we learn from one another. We listen and vocalize our reflections about skills, professional values and ethics. Every person completes a peer review process to become a member of the organization, and a re-review every four years thereafter. In addition, any member can request a special issue peer review or peer consultation at any time.
We are neither a leads group nor a work brokering organization.
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