Two prestigious awards have been presented to occupational therapists in recognition for their contributions to improving the lives of service users.
The awards were presented by to the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI).
Sarah Quinn, Assistant Professor in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy in Trinity College Dublin and Leonie Boland, Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist the HSE Programme for the Homeless, Dublin North City Mental Health Service, have received the Ann Beckett Award by Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland.
The Ann Beckett Award is the highest annual award presented by the AOTI and it recognises innovative, creative and practical Occupational Therapy interventions that demonstrate the core principles of Occupational Therapy.
Their award-winning project pairs people with experience of mental health issues and homelessness with student Occupational Therapists. This initiative provides support by helping them gain volunteer experience in local charity shops. Using this model, first year OT students gained the opportunity to mentor and build trust with volunteers. The result being an increased appreciation among students of their own and their volunteers’ vulnerability and strengths, while the volunteers all reported improvements in self-confidence.
The Eve Duggan Award was presented to Miriam Crennan, Senior Occupational Therapist with the Children’s Disability Network Team in Kilkenny. Her team’s project focuses on promoting positive oral hygiene practices in children with sensory processing difficulties. Through this initiative, parents and caregivers are taught sensory techniques to help children tolerate brushing their teeth, fostering independent oral hygiene skills.
The Eve Duggan Award celebrates excellence in practice-based research in paediatric Occupational Therapy, particularly projects that emphasize meaningful occupation and client involvement.
