Post 6: Of National and International involvement, swansongs and a final goodbye

So, the previous post left me on my way to Chile to present at the World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress 2010 and to meet my fellow contributors for the first time in real world. A great adventure only marred by the fact that Sarah's case didn't turn up in Chile the whole time we were there - I wrote a poem about it. Thank goodness I always overpack and was able to share my wardrobe with her. I documented our exploits on our professional blog - can be found in the link below if you are interested

http://frederickroad.blogspot.com/2010/05/of-earthquakes-lost-baggage-and-world.html

http://frederickroad.blogspot.com/2010/05/problem-shared-makes-two.html

http://frederickroad.blogspot.com/2010/05/of-planning-networking-and-fond.html

How fantastic it was to finally meet Anita Hamilton (Australia), Karen Jacobs (USA) and of course to see Merrolee Penman again (Aotearoa/New Zealand - but now in Sydney). Unfortunately Susan Burwash (Canada) was unable to make it this time - but we did finally meet up in Japan in 2014 (more of that later).

The Congress was a major eye opener - to see and hear so many occupational therapists from around the world talk about their diverse and exciting work was inspiring. The 5 of us spent time together and began to form an idea. Realising how fortunate we were to be in attendance we wondered how others across the world could ever be in a situation to attend and have the same experience either due to financial, geographical or work constraints. We decided to do something about it -and we formed

- online technology for occupational therapists. Using our combined knowledge, experience and privileged positions of being in education with access to a variety of platforms - and inspired by Sarah Stewart, who had been running a Virtual day of the Midwife for a time in a similar way, we decided to run a Virtual Conference.

So, after we got home, a whirlwind of activity ensued and a 24 hour virtual exchange (OT24Vx) was organised to coincide with World OT Day in October 2010. Speakers were invited for each of the 24 hour slots, we supported and trained them in the technology and each of us acted as moderators/ hosts in the room sharing out the time zones between the 6 of us. We also set up a facebook group for OT4OT and one for the OT24Vx. We are now over 31000 members worldwide.

On the day -every hour a new speaker was platformed in the online environment ensuring that across all world time zones, any OT would be able to attend some of the session outside of their work commitments. It was free to attend. There were only a few minor technical hitches (which we hope on screen were smooth - but backstage was a different story - click the link of you want a read!) however, overall it was a great success and in fact one of the sessions resulted in the beginning of the 4OT suite of groups with Politics4OT on facebook - and as far as I am aware to date we have over 50 groups in the suite (eg Pain4OT, MH4OT, Neuro4OT). These are all managed by volunteer admins who are supported by each other and the OT4OT founders in a back channel to discuss any issues of moderation etc. Over the years some have remained more active than others - but the vast numbers of occupational therapists now using social media and online technology for professional development means that OT4OT achieved our goal of encouraging and connecting occupational therapists to engage online.

The OT24Vx ran for almost 10 years before it was clear that many other opportunities had caught up and we were no longer reaching the audience numbers. We are currently looking at other gaps and needs and this is something I am pleased to remain a part of as I step away from other roles.

The 6 of us (The zero budget 6 as we became known) met up finally all together at the WFOT Congress in Japan in 2014 where we were asked to form an International Advisory group with WFOT on the use of technology and social media for professional development.

Meanwhile, back at the University in my "day job" I received the VC Distinguished Teacher award (2012 and 2017) and became a Fellow and then a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Not resting on our laurels, following the seed of an idea back in 2010 (blogpost linked here), Sarah and I also wanted to address the gap in public health awareness of the impact of what you do on how you feel. Over the period of a few years and various web versions we finally got funding to develop an app for wellbeing. Occubuzz was born and over the next few years was trialled in a number or areas of practice and education. The app helped you to identify those things you do on a daily basis and how you feel about them. It then helped you to analyse these and offered strategies for gaining balance and wellbeing.

We even featured in a National newspaper.

Unfortunately due to lack of continued funding the app became unsustainable and this year we had to make the really hard decision to abort it. However, we may still have future plans for resurrection and we still have a lot of data that might one day get analysed!

In 2015 I joined the Royal College of Occupational Therapists English board, orginally as a co-opted member, then full member and finally Vice-Chair before completing my term of office in 2019. Again, another great experience that gave me insight into wider issues and gave me a voice within the profession. Just before I left they asked if they could showcase my Leadership journey on their website as an example as to how other could plot their experience within leadership.

(maybe I should have just posted this and not made you read all 6 posts!).

I was seconded again in 2016/17 for a few days a week to a local Manchester University to work on a project commissioned by Health Education England on Reimagining the future of Health and Social Care Undergraduate Education. This involved being part of a Steering group that included other professional from practice and education, local commissioners, councils and HEE. Action research techniques were used to consider current and potential future requirements. I welcomed the opportunity to be involved. The report was well received and I understand that some of the recommendations were forwarded to the Council of Deans for consideration. A number of presentation and publication came from this project.

In 2017 I was given the opportunity by the Pro-Vice Chancellor to attend a weekend in Nottingham at he University Alliance. Wow - what an experience. Using a technique I had never experienced before we were put into groups and given short bursts of time to respond to tasks given - which together made up the design of a new academic programme. Our group won both the Judge's and the Participant's vote on Best Programme Design. It was this experience that finally gave me confidence to know that curriculum design was my thing (took a while!).

With my newly gained confidence I asked to be the lead for the development of a 2 year accelerated pre-registration Master's degree in occupational therapy, and was finally given the go ahead - following market insight reports. Of course, I did not do any of this in isolation and many of my colleagues had input as either sounding boards for ideas, critical friends or development of specific areas of the programme. The programme received HCPC approval and RCOT accreditation in March 2019 and our first intake was September 2019. I guess this was to become my swansong as I leave, the first intake of students are about to enter their final year on what to date has been a very successful first year.

I've been asked in the process of writing this suite of posts how I can remember everything. I think partly it is my nature to observe and record, I like to tell a story and I am passionate about saving stories and records for future generations. I know that it is 40 years worth of memories and documents, but I guess my career has been my "child". I have had no breaks for maternity, no major competing demands for my time, no time off for Luke's first days at school or Matilda Kay's nativity (yes, I know who they are and have had their names from me being very young- they were just unable to be born into this life). I have never had to worry about their health, their progress and whether I was paying enough attention to them- a blessing and a curse perhaps.

I have also had people subtly (and not so subtly) ask my age. The answer is - yes I am retiring early (only by a little - if you really want to work it out there are a number of clues around - there's even a blog post on my turning 50 if you want to take a look through the archives of my blog). Why am I going? Let me just say this:

It's become noticeable (to me anyway) as I write these posts that as time moves on they get less and less humourous and enjoyable and more and more factual and "soul-less". I think that is indicative of how things have become for me.

There was a meme recently doing the rounds in social media that said "Pick your battles.......pick fewer than that.......put some battles back". The University has been good to me over the years as you can see from my blogs - but things change, management style changes, culture changes and dynamics within a team changes over time and there are only so many re-structures one can go through before you see things come around again!

I've already noted in another post the change to more business like approaches - which I totally understand. However, when the system starts to rule the pedagogy; there is an acceptance that decisions are made using flawed data ("yes we know but you have to start somewhere" - I'd have thought starting with getting the data correct would be the place but not so) ; you find yourself saying "we tried that before......;" "we used to.....; " and you get fed up hearing yourself moan about everything but seemingly impotent to do anything about it - it's time to put some battles back.

It's time to practice what I have "preached" for so many years - balance of those things we have to, want to and need to do to enhance wellbeing. I'm off to regain some occupational balance .

Thanks for reading.