Each year on October 27, people all over the globe celebrate World Occupational Therapy Day. Every year the event has a different theme, and this year’s is “Celebrating Our Global Community.” The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) started the event in 2010 to help increase the awareness of occupational therapists and society of the global impact of occupational therapy. Keep reading to find out how you can celebrate this special event!
Celebrate World Occupational Therapy Day 2018
What is World Occupational Therapy Day?
The first World Occupational Therapy Day was on October 27, 2010. Since then, it’s become an important date in the allied health calendar to promote and celebrate occupational therapy as a profession. The goal of World OT day is to increase the visibility of occupational therapists around the world. This includes educating the general public on what OTs do, as well as promoting the mission and goals of occupational therapy itself.
Promoting and Celebrating the Event
There are all kinds of ways to celebrate World Occupational Therapy Day. Luckily, the WFOT provides a range of resources that OTs and their supporters can use to promote the event. Some of the resources they offer are:
- A guide to World Occupational Therapy Day that helps you plan and organize the event.
- A free download of the World OT Day 2018 official logo.
- Posters in different languages to print or share online.
- A social media pack with artwork and designs to use for announcements.
- The opportunity to join the Occupational Therapy International Online Network (OTION) and network with people across the globe to share news and ideas about World OT Day.
The OT Global Day of Service
Along with World OT Day, the OT Global Day of Service will also take place on October 27. This day is a chance for occupational therapists and students to volunteer community service to an individual or organization. According to the WFOT, “service is not always about direct action – it can be providing free professional, creative and organizational services which can have a profound effect on the programs and causes that need your help.” There’s no right or wrong way to volunteer, so feel free to get creative!
World OT Day Activities
When it comes to activities to celebrate and promote World OT Day, the options are endless. Here are some ideas to get you started, courtesy of the WFOT:
- Participate in the WFOT Virtual Exchange
- Volunteer your time to your community and register for the Occupational Therapy Global Day of Service
- Use hashtags #WorldOTDay and #wfotvx on social media to help spread the word
- Write a press release about World OT Day and send it to your local hospital or university newsletter, or the newspaper
- Host a fundraising event to support a WFOT project
- Organize an event in a local school or shopping mall to promote occupational therapy as a career
- Encourage your local library to subscribe to the WFOT Bulletin. It comes out twice a year and is a great way to share and promote the occupational therapy profession
Occupational Therapy Quotes
To celebrate occupational therapists and the work they do, here are some inspirational quotes for you to share:
- “Occupational therapy is more than a job. It’s a calling. We felt drawn to it.” – Amy Lamb, AOTA President
- “Occupational therapy practitioners know that hope still glimmers in the darkest hour…” – Anonymous
- “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” – Plato
- “Occupational therapy is where science, creativity, and compassion collide.” – Anonymous
- “Occupational therapy practitioners ask, ‘what matters to you’ not, ‘what’s the matter with you?'” – Ginny Stoffel, AOTA President
That’s a wrap! How are you celebrating World Occupational Therapy Day? Share with us in the comments section below!
