VOLUNTEERING FEATURE
Emma says the key is ‘ to get our communications right ’ and that ‘ continuing with a blended approach of online and face-to-face meetings will help , as some Regions have large geographical areas to cover and so offering the chance to attend an online meeting may be more appealing to people ’.
Haley ’ s advice is to ‘ start small and encourage the people currently volunteering to tell colleagues about the experience and recommend it to them ’, as ‘ personal stories mean a lot ’.
Denise is the committee member who suggested writing an article about RCOTs ’ volunteering opportunities , as ‘ OTnews is a valued resource , which I look forward to reading each month ’. She says : ‘ This is definitely where I keep up to date with what ’ s happening in the occupational therapy world and with RCOT .
‘ I was only vaguely aware of the committee before making contact with RCOT . I think the more people know about the committee and what we do , the more people would consider being involved .’
‘ Confidence in sending the first email and feeling like you belong were my personal challenges to getting involved ,’ Emma says . ‘ But once you make that first contact you realise you were already part of the community and of course do belong , as you are a member of the occupational therapy profession .’
Denise wholeheartedly agrees with that sentiment : ‘ Initially , I was the anomaly , having to link in via speaker phone to committee meetings , as travelling from Shetland meant a lot of time away from work .
‘ However , during the pandemic it is of course normal to have Microsoft Teams meetings , rather than meeting in person . During the pandemic , the committee members were having to adjust to new ways of working , and indeed new roles , and this impacted on our ability to connect with the professional community . However , with support from RCOT we were still able to put on some events .’
And of course there is recognition that volunteers may also need the additional support of their employers . ‘ I think one of the main challenges is getting support from your line manager to attend the various events and commitments ,’ Haley chimes in .
‘ I have been lucky to have the support that I have needed and my professional registration , although not essential , is valued for my role . As I work in a non-occupational therapy role , I have not had the issues of juggling clinic times and have a lot of flexibility to manage my workload and schedule . I appreciate that I am in a fortunate position from this perspective .’
So if you are thinking of putting yourself forward when nominations open this year , Haley says : ‘ Be brave and go for it . I have found the experience rewarding and have enjoyed doing the work required , which is not at all arduous . The support from RCOT is exceptional and provided with warmth and compassion and I have never felt on my own or overwhelmed – really it has been a joy .’
While Denise adds : ‘ There is a real acknowledgement from RCOT that we are all working in busy , pressured environments and the amount of time we can commit to the committee will vary .
‘ I have felt very valued in my volunteer role . Joining the committee has made me feel less isolated from the wider occupational therapy community , which was why I contacted RCOT in the first place .
‘ I feel I was only vaguely aware of what RCOT did and now I have a much greater understanding of the benefits of membership .’
When it comes to Specialist Sections , RCOT has 10 , all of which have the same aim ; to raise awareness and promote the development of knowledge and skills , CPD and research , and support the use of evidence to inform practice .
They are a conduit to disseminate information and provide communication networks and function as a resource to provide expertise at national and local levels . And crucially , they act as advisers and influencers for and on behalf of the profession and the Royal College .
Ed Sum volunteers on the RCOT Specialist Section – Neurological Practice Long-term Conditions Forum , in the research and development role . ‘ I felt I needed to be networking and contributing more to the profession for my career development , and this seemed to be a good opportunity ,’ he says about why he initially got involved .
‘ There have been so many things I have gained from the experience , but one of the most important was learning how evidence is used to develop standards and clinical guidance in health and social care and the involvement of the RCOT in endorsing them .
‘ I wonder how many of us feel we are not expert enough , not good enough , or clever enough , to be a volunteer ? But what we need are members who want to take action to improve things for all our members and the profession ; we are all capable of this , whatever stage in our careers .
‘ You get to work with others who will support and encourage you ; these roles offer so much in terms of personal and professional development and it can lead to further opportunities .’
Ed ’ s main advice is ‘ don ’ t overthink it ’. He says that ‘ thinking you don ’ t belong , having nothing to offer and that your opinion doesn ’ t matter ’ are all challenges to getting more involved in the professional community ’, before concluding : ‘ We need more diversity of ideas and more voices representing us in all fields , so your contribution will make a difference .’
Rebecca Power , social media and podcast lead for the RCOT Specialist Section – People with Learning Disabilities , backs this up . ‘ I think some newly-qualified occupational therapists – certainly some I have spoken to – think to get involved in the professional community you have to have loads of experience and sometimes people can feel intimidated to join things . However , my experience has always been that of being so welcomed and supported . So why not get involved ?
‘ Particularly for newly qualified occupational therapists it ’ s a really good way of broadening your professional support network . You experience and learn about things you just wouldn ’ t find out about from your bubble of work .’
If these reflections have inspired you , all the Region committee vacancies can be found at : www . rcot . co . uk / regions-committeevacancies ; and the Specialist Section committee vacancies can be found at : www . rcot . co . uk / specialist-sections-committee-vacancies .
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