Get Involved with AOTI

As a member-led organisation we need your help to grow our organisation and strengthen our profession

AOTI provides members with access to a professional community that offers you many opportunities for networking, peer learning, support and leadership. We depend on our members to grow and develop AOTI. By getting involved in the running of AOTI you can play your part in strenghtening the voice of the Occupational Therapy profession in Ireland. Below are just some of the ways you can get involved in AOTI.

Meet some of our Volunteers

Volunteer with AOTI 

As a member-led organisation we depend on our members’ voluntary activity to operate effectively. By volunteering with AOTI you can play your part in growing your professional body and strengthening the voice of the Occupational Therapy profession.

Volunteering with AOTI is a fantastic career development opportunity that offers you many benefits. You get to use your particular strengths and skills to contribute to your professional body. You will gain new knowledge and skills that can enhance your CV and career profile. You get to work in a supportive team environment and network with other Occupational Therapists working across varied clinical and geographical areas.

There are lots of opportunities to volunteer with AOTI including:

• Board of Directors: The Board are the governors of AOTI and have overall responsibility for the Association. If you would like to join the Board or one of its subcommittees (governance, HR or finance) email our Chairperson at [email protected]

• Management Team: The Management Team is responsible for the day- to-day running of AOTI, with the support of the AOTI staff. If you would like to join the Management Team email our CEO at [email protected]

• Committees: Our Committees oversee various programmes in some key areas of AOTI activity. The following Committees are currently seeking volunteers- Accreditation, Communications, Documents, EBP & Research, IJOT and Conference. If you would like to join these or any other Committees email [email protected]

• Advisory Groups: Our Advisory Groups advise us on professional practice matters and provide members with CPD and peer networking opportunities. If you would like to get involved in one of our Advisory Group Committees email [email protected]

“I got so much from my time on the Committee. It was great to work with professional peers on interesting and stimulating projects. I even got to use examples at my last interview and got the job! ”

“I enjoy being an AOTI volunteer and I’m glad I’m doing it. I’ve got a lot from my AOTI membership over the years so it feels good to give back.”

“I like my job but it’s busy and can be demanding. Despite this, being on the Management Team was a really good experience and a positive counterbalance to the demands of my OT role.” 

You can download the Volunteer flyer here

Join the AOTI Management Team

The Management Team is responsible for the day-to-day running of AOTI, with the support of AOTI staff. The Management Team is overseen by and reports to the Board of Directors. Core responsibilities include:

• Aligning AOTI operations with AOTI strategy 
• Making decisions in relation to all areas of AOTI operations
• Establishing and reviewing AOTI operational policies and procedures
• Responding to high level correspondence received by AOTI
• Overseeing the work of AOTI Committees, Advisory Groups and AOTI representatives and supporting these key organisational structures
• Representing AOTI on professional and practice matters and making submissions to external consultations on behalf of AOTI
• Overseeing operations in areas such as membership, the website, AOTI documents, conference and projects.
• Reporting to the Board of Directors on AOTI operations and seeking guidance from the Board of Directors on matters impacting on AOTI policy, strategy and governance

From time to time AOTI will put out a call to members seeking applications to fill vacancies on the Management Team. Becoming a member of the Management Team provides you with a unique set of professional learning and career development opportunities, including:

• An opportunity to play a key role in the occupational therapy profession in Ireland
• A unique CPD experience to learn and develop transferable skills in areas such as project, people and resource management.
• A career development opportunity, particularly for basic grade and senior occupational therapists, to acquire knowledge and skills in organisational operations and management
• A chance to contribute to strengthening AOTI and the voice of Irish occupational therapists in line with AOTI Strategy 2017-2022.

If you would like to join the Management Team email our CEO at [email protected]

Join an AOTI Committee

AOTI Committees assist us in setting policy and running programmes in some of our key areas of activity including:

• Accreditation: running AOTI Accreditation of Occupational Therapy programmes
• Ann Beckett: running the annual Ann Beckett Award programme 
• Communications: overseeing AOTI communications, PR, social media activity and the newsletter
• Conference: planning and organising our Annual Conference
• Documents: overseeing the production of AOTI documents and publications
• EBP & Research: supporting and promoting evidence-based practice research in Occuaptional Therapy
• IJOT: producing the Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy
• International: collaborating with international Occupational Therapy organisations

From time-to-time our Committees will issue a call for new members but please contact any of the above Committees to express an interest in joining or assisting their work at any time by emailing [email protected].

Join an Advisory Group Committee

AOTI Advisory Groups advise us on professional practice matters and provide members with valuable CPD and peer networking opportunities. Each of our 13 Advisory Groups are run by a Committee responsible for to overall operation of the Group. To join the Committee of an Advisory Group you must first become a member of the Group. By joining an Advisory Group Committee you will have the opportunity to:

• Shape AOTI policy on professional practice matters
• Organise Study Days for AOTI members
• Play a leadership role within your professional body

You can find the full list of Advisory Groups here here. If you would like to get involved in one of our Advisory Group Committees email [email protected]

Help Run the AOTI Conference

The AOTI Annual Conference is planned, organised and run by the Conference Committee. This Committee is always in need of help from members to deliver the best possible AOTI Conference. By joining the Conference Committee you will get to learn and use a unique set of skills including:

• Event planning and organisation
• People management, negotiation and networking
• Resource management, sponsorship and budgeting
• Programme planning
• Project management

If you feel you have the skills to help run the AOTI Conference or would like to learn the above skills as part fo your CPD, then please contact the Conference Committee by emailing [email protected].

Apply to Become an AOTI Representative 

AOTI has representatives on a wide range of regional, national and international committees, groups and organisations. We depend on our members to represent us in many different forums and to bring our unique occupational focus to policy and practice development forums at home and abroad.

From time to time AOTI issues calls for expressions of interest to members for representative vacancies or opportunities that arise. If you are interested in volunteering to become an AOTI representative please email [email protected].