Strengthening Communities in Europe: Human Rights

Purpose: To encourage occupational therapists to consider involving communities in helping vulnerable people live better and be healthier. Rationale: In everyday practice, occupational therapists meet people who are not doing... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose: To encourage occupational therapists to consider involving communities in helping vulnerable people live better and be healthier.
Rationale: In everyday practice, occupational therapists meet people who are not doing well: those who keep coming back and those who don’t get better. For those whose health problems are compounded by poverty, discrimination and other disadvantages, individually tailored interventions are less effective. Recognizing that increased health risks are determined by social rather than biological differences, the World Health Organization asserts that health is a right. The WFOT position statement (2006) relates human rights to everyday occupation and charges us with responsibility to address them. One avenue is the international research demonstrating that being well connected to community correlates with enhanced well-being, belonging and safety; having more resources and support to call on; and increased longevity.
Objective: Participants envisage and justify working with vulnerable populations to achieve health as a human right.
Format: A brief presentation examines two key concepts: health as a human right and community networks. Participants reflect on their own community attachments, and the characteristics of community that bring individuals into society. Then, while recognising that diverse groups might benefit from strengthened community ties, participants work in small groups to envisage shared occupations to foster connection, respect and interdependence for a specific population.

Maximum number of participants:
60

Brief description of intended participants:
This workshop is suitable for novice and experienced practitioners and educators.

References:
WFOT (2006) Human rights position paper. Available at: http://www.wfot.org/ResourceCentre.aspx (Accessed 4 June, 2015).