COTEC Europe | all news

News from Greece 2008/2009

News from Greece February 2007 www.ergotherapists.gr

Contact at:

For information about the national association in Greece please click here

On the 11^th of November 2006, on the day of the General Assembly of our Association, we celebrated the 20^th Anniversary of COTEC. The International Affairs Group organized a cocktail party open for all our members, students and other professionals. This social event was an excellent opportunity to present a short history of COTEC and its contribution for the development of the profession. Our members found the chance to ask many questions and learn about the activities of the Council, as well as to share visions and ideas about the future. Old and new COTEC delegates and their alternates were invited and they were specially awarded. This was also an opportunity to remember, propose ideas and celebrate the new age of our association and COTEC.

As an additional action for the 20 years of COTEC, the last journal “Ergotherapia” of 2006 was published in a special edition. This includes: a history of COTEC and some information about the organization, information about the other national OT associations from the summary of the profession, links to the websites of other associations, stories and personal experiences of old delegates and alternates and photographic material.

Also on that day the General Assembly agreed to the establishment of National Conferences every two years. Since then an Organizing Committee was created and the date of the National Conference decided to be the end of 2007.

At the beginning of 2007 the association moved to new offices. The new offices are at a busy central square of Athens easily accessible by our members. As the Board of our Association puts an effort to improve the equipment of the office and develop new procedures and actions for the Association, there is the hope that soon the offices are going to be ready to host more meetings, new workshops and social events.

A new Special Interest Group for Neurological and Orthopedic OT was formed and developed the last six months as an initiative of dynamic members of the association. Many dynamic practitioners joined this group and their aim is to establish activities towards research, continuing professional education and promotion of the profession.

The first part of Basic NDT-Bobath Course was held in Athens from 3^rd to 28^th of July 2006. For another year there was great interest by occupational therapy and physiotherapy professionals.

For more information about Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists visit our NEW WEB-SITE

Year 2008 for Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists was a very productive year. A new Action Plan Agenda was adopted including the following main areas of practice:
a)Management – Organization – Finances
b)Promotion of the Profession
c)Professional Practice
This action plan came in practice since February 2008, it will be evaluated at the end of 2009 and it will be revised in the beginning of 2010.

According to the action plan a new Special Interest Group for Social Inclusion was formed in November 2008. Aim of the group is the promotion of the social inclusion of socially vulnerable groups and individuals through οccupational therapy. Members are occupational therapists who work or wish to work with community groups or services, and the group will:
-          Explore the role of occupational therapy and the required skills and competences required for working with communities
-          Facilitate the exchange of experiences, support and good practice both within Greece and in Europe
-          Promote inclusion and equal opportunities for all

In December 2008 Kate Sheenan from UK was invited to present two workshops on “Inclusive Design and Occupational Therapy”. This was the first time that the theme was presented in Greece and attracted the interest not only of ots that are working in physical rehabilitation, but also, of ots working in pediatrics as well as students.

The next National conference will be held in Athens at the end of November or the beginning of December 2009. The organizing committee has already been working since autumn 2008 for the implementation of this important event. Theme of the National Conference is “Human Ergo: from Creativity to Innovation”. The program this time intends to have a multidisciplinary participation including presentations of other disciplines that are working in partnership with occupational therapists.

At the end of December the organizing group of “Learning to Learn”- the Continuing Professional Development Program for new professionals has implemented the preparation of its project after 1 and a half year of intensive work. The programme will last for the year 2009 with regular contact days once per month. Main characteristics of this program will be the student centered approach, the focus on tuning competencies and the work in clinical groups.

__________________________

Information at: www.ergotherapists.gr

NEWS FROM GREECE:

September 2008

On the 10^th of May 2008 was a critical day for the General Assembly of our Association. The new Board, through an interactive workshop opened for all our members, students and other professionals, concluded to the basic principles of the Action Plan. The Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists Action Plan is an initiation of the board for our country and proposes actions for the below areas:

Management – Organization – Finances
1. Managing the offices
2. Function of the board
3. Managing information
4. Members
5. Financial affairs
Promotion of the Profession
1. Political actions
2. Journal
3. Public Relations
4. Promotion to organizations and other agencies
5. National Affairs
6. Celebrating the Day of Occupational Therapy
Professional Practice
1. Professional standards of practice
2. Education
3. Research

Aim of the HAOT Action Program is to coordinate our activities and support decision making procedures in all areas of our actions.

According to the proposed action plan for 2008-2009:

The Organization Committee for the National Conference has already been established. Their initial meeting is expected to conclude to the central theme of the conference.
A workshop on “Inclusive Design” will be held on the 6^th of December 2008 by Kate Sheehan
A workshop on “Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Movement ABC” will be held on 17^th of January 2009 by A.Milioti.
A Continuing Professional Development Program for New Professionals is organized for next year 2009. This program was developed the last 10 months as an initiative of new dynamic members of our Association. The program is based on expressed needs of new practitioners that joined this group and its aim is to establish activities towards research, continuing professional education and promotion of the profession.

As the Board of our Association puts a great effort to be more proactive towards ministries and other organizations, more work is done for developing documents, establishing political dialogues and creating alliances. Under this spirit, on the 5^th of October 2008 a new meeting with the North Greece Association of Ergotherapists and the Crete Association of Ergotherapists will take place in Athens.

Next General Assembly will be on the 22^nd of November 2008.

For more information about Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists visit our NEW WEB-SITE:

www.ergotherapists.gr

Contact at: info@ergotherapists.gr

Spring 2008

At the beginning of February 2008 Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists held the National elections (every 2 years). The synthesis of the new board is:

President: Kyriaki Keramiotou

Vice-President: Maria Kouloumpi

General Secretary: Soula Zacharaki

Special Secretary: Sarah Kantartzis

Treasurer: Fotini Zografou

Members: Mary Karambetsou & Christos Sarantopoulos

During the last one year great emphasis was given to the preparation and implementation of our 4^th National Conference, as well as to the continuation and support of our Special Interests Groups. More specific:

- Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists organized the 4^th National Conference of Ergotherapy on the 2^nd and 3^rd of February 2008. The conference was a major event that attracted the interest of almost over 300 occupational therapists and occupational therapy students. The program included pre-congress workshops on pediatrics, ergonomics and neurological ot. The main program had several sessions such as mental health, elderly, neurological ot, splint making, pediatrics, politics, education. Next conference is plan to be in 2010.

- The International Affairs Group has implemented the Standing Orders of the group. This is planned to be presented for voting to the next General Assembly in May of 2008.

- The Evaluation Tools Group has managed to prepare and distribute a questionnaire to our members in order to explore how often ot’s in Greece use assessment in their practice and what kind of tools they consider more useful. Their experience was presented in the 46h National Conference of Ergotherapists in Athens.

- The Neurological OT Group was working very hard those last months and managed to create special guidelines for ot’s working in neurology. This is going to be published soon and be distributed to our members. More members are interested in joining this specific special group.

- A new group focusing on CPD for new practitioners is under development. This new group will be typically formed in the next general Assembly and is expected to implement a special educational course for the year 2009.

The attempt to unify the three different OT Associations in Greece will be again in the new agenda of the Associaton. This is a central aim for the new Board for 2008-9, as there is an urge to be more involved in the political matters and promote a respectable profile between other disciplines.

For information about Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists:

www.ergotherapists.gr

Contact at: info@ergotherapists.gr

Maria Kouloumpi

COTEC delegate for Hellenic Association of Ergotherapists

10.04.2012.

3.04.2012.

22.03.2012.