Sport for Confidence Calls on Occupational Therapy Students To Drive Change

Sport For Confidence CIC, the award winning organisation known for its pioneering work placing physical activity at the heart of occupational therapy practice, is recruiting students to join a steering group focused on raising awareness of the role physical activity can play in clinical practice. 

 

Heading up the project is Liz Fletcher, Sport For Confidence Occupational Therapist and Education Lead. She explains: “It is an unfortunate fact that people with a disability are less than half as likely to engage in physical activity as the rest of the population and that often, people with a long term health condition, are not able to access the support and facilities they need to be physically active. All this despite the comment from Chris Whitty Chief Medical Officer for England earlier this year that: “There is no situation, there is no age and no condition where exercise is not a good thing’. 

 

“At Sport For Confidence, based on the evidence gathered from 6 years of working alongside sports coaches in mainstream leisure centres, we believe occupational therapists have a vital role to play in the levelling up of inequalities that exist in sport and physical activity. Our recent ‘Moving Occupational Therapists’ national strategy outlines how we intend to work collaboratively with the health, sport and leisure sectors, to break down barriers and create a more active and equitable society. The creation of this student led steering group is part of this strategy.” 

 

Students interested in joining the steering group should demonstrate a keen interest in promoting access to physical activity for marginalised populations and in driving awareness of the potential impact occupational therapists could have on the health of the nation if physical activity outcomes were part of standard clinical practice. 

 

Initially, the steering group will focus on the creation of a national occupational therapy workbook which links occupational therapy practice to physical in/activity. This resource will then be made available to occupational therapists across the country, providing vital education to help them understand the role of physical in/activity in their practice and drive its integration. The group, which will be managed by Sport for Confidence but led by the group itself, will meet once a month. 

 

Students will also be given an opportunity to contribute and help explore local opportunities where occupational therapists could break down barriers for marginalised groups participating in sport and physical activity. 

 

The steering group will be made up of 10 students, Charlie Nuland, an Occupational Therapy Masters student at Derby University will initially chair the group. She says: “The work of the steering group will provide valuable insight into the role physical activity can play in the attainment of positive occupational outcomes, helping cement its practice as a valuable inclusion in clinical practice. Students involved will have a rare opportunity to shape the future of our profession” 

 

The term of the steering group is from Jan 2022-Jan 2023. Occupational Therapy students interested in finding out more can download a leaflet here, contact c.nuland1@unimail.derby.ac.uk and liz@sportforconfidence.com or contact us on Twitter: @MovingOTs