Georgia National OT News

News from Georgia, 2017

For the last period of time, Georgian Occupational Therapist’s association –GEOTA, was engaged in productive and educative activities and events, including engagement in World Occupational Therapy Day.

With the support of Tbilisi State University, on September 19th, were organized the lectures on Participatory Occupational Justice Framework and on Practice-Based Enquiry (an approach to researching/transforming practice). Lectures were presented by Professor Gail Whitefold and were open to all Georgian occupational therapists and students. Professor Gail Whitefold also had a lecture for a wider audience – Lecture on Widening Participation for Disadvantaged Students.

On October 1st, the president of GEOTA, Rusudan Lortkipanidze, had an opportunity to represent Georgia among 25 COTEC Member Associations at the COTEC 6th General Assembly, in Vienna. That was a great opportunity for GEOTA to share the experience, make new contacts with other association, and being involved in developing occupational therapy around the World.

Georgian Occupational Therapist’s Association prepared their student members for the 23rd ENOTHE Annual Meeting. The theme of student’s project, that will be represent at the Conference, is “Universal Design” and has a few main aims, as: to share experience between volunteer OT students and students from architecture/design faculty; to design local park in capital city of Georgia, Tbilisi, according to the Seven principles of Universal Design, in order to make local environment inclusive for everyone; to promote Occupational Therapy in Georgia. More information about the project you can find here:

https://www.facebook.com/Parks-for-All- 430104097355294/?hc_ref=ARTAmUVjyzT25NGatPwOpJ3eRbTpPLSmOeXrdIRQdznjTl5EGkPzH TTB1n3ywzuaZzQ

GEOTA had an opportunity to meet the first lady of Georgia, Maka Chichua, in order to discuss occupational therapy development and teaching; GEOTA is also now involved in radio project which will discuss OT profession, benefits and challenges.

As the whole world, GEOTA was celebrating the World OT Day, on October 27. All association members shared photos with logos on social networks; the students created the video clip “mannequin challenge” at the university, to share with the people the routine of OT students Video is shared at GEOTA’s Facebook page, you can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjlJoGSEAlI. For World OT day, a lot of nongovernmental organization were offering free OT consultation and Lectures for the open audience. One of the lectures was organized for high school teachers, in order to promote Occupational Therapy among the graduating students, in a friendly cosy environment.

Among all activities that were described, GEOTA is planning to stay active, to renew strategic plan for the year 2018, and be involved in activities with COTEC and other international organisations.

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