Earlier this month Dave Partington visited Kazakhstan in order to discuss the possibility of an ISAAC regional conference taking place their in 2009. The visit was at the invitation of Teen Challenge Kazakhstan (TCK) whose leader, Doug Boyle, had expressed an interest in hosting such an event at the ISAAC Regional Leaders Training and Networking conference in Kyrgyzstan earlier in the year.

At a meeting of the TCK Leadership Team at their HQ, in Almaty, the following outline of a conference emerged:-

• The conference would take place sometime in June 2009.

• The primary language of the conference (with translation) would be in Russian in order to reflect its regional focus.

• Speakers and Workshop leaders from Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine etc. would be invited

• International speakers and delegates would also be invited.

• A working title for the conference would be ‘Presence, Power and Professionalism.’

The Teen Challenge Kazakhstan has generously agreed to provide not only an auditorium for the conference but to make available suitable accommodation, for delegates, in their rehab centres.

Whilst there is much more planning to take place more news of this conference will be placed on the ISAAC web site as soon as possible.