World Occupational Therapy Day 2026: Participation Matters
In our Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, participation is at the heart of teaching, research and community engagement. From widening access to occupational therapy education, to developing innovative supports for families and generating internationally relevant research, the department is committed to creating opportunities for participation at every stage of life.
Participation Matters: Expanding Access Through the Tertiary Degree Pathway
Participation begins with opportunity. Through involvement in the Tertiary Degree Pathway, the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy is helping to broaden access to higher education and create new routes into the profession. By supporting students from diverse educational backgrounds, the pathway opens doors to careers in occupational therapy and helps build a workforce that reflects the communities it serves. Earlier this month, students entering through the Tertiary Degree Pathway met with students from the inaugural cohort, who have since progressed into the BSc Occupational Therapy programme.
Participation Matters: Supporting Families Through OT4Parenting
Participation Matters: Understanding Everyday Occupations
Participation in university life is essential to student success and wellbeing. Through the Everyday Matters: Healthy Habits for University Life® initiative, Dr Eithne Hunt is demonstrating how occupational therapy research can be translated into practical strategies that support students to thrive in higher education.
As part of a three-year University Wellbeing and the Curriculum project, supported by Higher Education Authority mental health funding, Dr Hunt delivers mental health literacy training to more than 4,000 incoming first-year UCC students and has developed the Finding Your Feet at UCC (FYF@UCC) programme. This year, 95% of participating students said they would recommend the course to others.
The impact of this work continues through the Everyday Matters programme, which is supporting hundreds of UCC students, alongside a new credit-bearing module for PhD students. Dr Hunt's research is also gaining international recognition, with recent work highlighting the potential of occupational therapy to support student health, wellbeing and participation in higher education.
Participation Matters: Preparing the Next Generation
The department's commitment to participation is also reflected in its approach to education.
Through practice placements, research engagement, community partnerships and innovative learning experiences, students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to support participation for individuals, families and communities.
Looking Ahead
As the profession celebrates World Occupational Therapy Day, the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy continues to champion the principle that participation matters. Through widening access, innovative education, impactful research and community engagement, the department is helping to create opportunities for participation today while preparing the occupational therapists of tomorrow.