SATURDAY 13th March 2021
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF AUSSIE UKES!
THE INAUGURAL PROGRAM FOR “PRACTICAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SKILLS FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS” COMMENCES IN UKRAINE TODAY
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO), partnering with the School of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences Curtin University, The Ukrainian Ergotherapy (Occupational) Therapy Society and The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv, are pleased to announce that 45 rehabilitation workers across Ukraine will participate in 12 online half-day problem-based learning workshops commencing Saturday 13th March 2021. A 2-week intensive practical course will follow this to apply their skills in July 2021. Australian occupational therapists will coach local Ukrainian trainers skilled in occupation-based treatment to deliver these in-person sessions.
The AFUO and its Humanitarian Aid Initiatives (HIA) team congratulate and thank the Ukrainian Studies Foundation in Australia and our community for the generous donations to the AFUO “Ukraine Crisis Appeal” in support of the inaugural “Practical Occupational Therapy Skills for Health Professionals” course.
This program’s motivator is Kirrily Manning – an Occupational Therapist at Curtin School of Allied Health, WA. The course was developed by Involving a team of Curtin University Occupational Therapists with over 150 years of combined OT experience.
Ms Manning said, “The Ukrainian Ergotherapy Association has enabled the content to be adapted to a Ukrainian context. It will cover key introductory areas of practice, including occupation as a therapeutic medium (activity analysis, grading, adapting); neurology, paediatrics, physical rehabilitation, mental health and vocational rehabilitation. The program is focused on equipping health professionals with practical, occupation-based therapy skills. As preliminary qualitative research has indicated, it will change and challenge the therapist’s mindset to follow a ‘recipe’ of intervention and actively tailor their intervention plans to centre on the patient’s priorities. This is known as both the science (evidence-based) and art (person-centred) occupational therapy approach. (American Occupational Therapy Association, 1972)”.
Given over 80 health professionals applied for this course (numbers for in-person sessions are COVID restricted), there are already plans to refine and repeat the course later in 2021 or 2022.
Occupational therapy is an emerging profession in Ukraine. Given it will be at least a generation before university-qualified OTs are sufficient in number to impact health development in Ukraine, there remains a need for scaffolding skills for health professionals already working in various rehabilitation facilities. Thousands of Ukrainians will benefit from these interventions who otherwise would have never received any occupational intervention.
“You treat a disease: you win, you lose. You treat a person, and I guarantee you win no matter what the outcome.”
— Patch Adams
FOR MORE INFORMATION: DARKA SENKO – CHAIR, AFUO HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVES 0417 237 938
IF IMPROVING LIFE IN UKRAINE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU PLEASE MAKE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION OF ANY AMOUNT at www.ukrainecrisisappeal.org
