MEANINGFUL OCCUPATION FEATURE
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guidance for . But I have also drawn on my professional perspective of occupational justice and participation to strengthen the case to have these fantastic wheelchairs as part of the national park programme , and to find opportunities to develop the project .
Not only do these chairs help the national park deliver on inclusion and diversity , but they also make it possible for individuals to participate on family days out to the seaside , which without the specialist chairs would be out of the question .
We have recently had the chairs featured in an ‘ inclusive foraging ’ film and are working with a schools-based occupational therapist to help children with disabilities participate in outdoor learning .
We received Welsh Government funding for three all-terrain wheelchairs and are in the process of developing walking routes that are ‘ wild and wobbly ’ with our inclusive walking project .
My recent engagement with online occupational therapy platforms , including the RCOT Specialist Section – Children , Young People and Families , has found that there are number of occupational therapists across the UK who would be interested in networking and sharing information and resources about naturebased therapeutic interventions , be this around using nature-based experiences for sensory interventions , or how a ‘ green gym ’ can be part of a physical rehabilitation programme that helps to motivate individuals through opportunities in conservation , or even how relaxation and mindfulness might be achieved through butterfly surveys or star gazing .
In addition , the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance for people to be connected to nature . Many people were able to discover or rediscover the outdoors , as restrictions meant that opportunities for local walking was the one of the few recreational activities they could lawfully engage in , while others found themselves shielding and isolated from the outdoors .
Inequalities relating to access to green space emerged , and the issue of health inequalities around the social determinants of health came into sharp focus .
Some occupational therapy services may have been able to take their service outdoors and found that their interventions took on new dimensions being in outdoor and nature-based settings . Some services may have found that their patients flourished in these new environments , while others may have found that outdoor environments were alien or even upsetting for their clients .
Some occupational therapy services encourage staff to engage with continuing professional development opportunities in nature and health , such as through organisations that can offer certified training , for example Circle of Life , where practitioners can gain skills and learn about the evidence , as well as build confidence in offering therapeutic interventions outdoors and in nature .
I would really like to hear from members of RCOT about their nature-based occupational therapy . If you would like to share your work with me or would like to join an online network of occupational therapists working with and in nature , please get in touch .
Reference
Holmberg V and Ringsberg KC ( 2014 ) Occupational therapists as contributors to health promotion , Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy , 21:2 : 82-89 . DOI :
10.3109 / 11038128.2013.877069
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