World OT Day 2026: Participation Matters, for Our Clients and for Ourselves

Happy World OT Day to every occupational therapist across Australia. Today, 27 October, falls in the middle of OT Week, which runs from 26 October to 1 November 2026. It is a good moment to stop, look at the work we do, and give ourselves some credit for it.

This year, Occupational Therapy Australia has chosen the theme Participation Matters, which highlights a core belief of our profession: being able to take part in life is essential to our health, our wellbeing and our sense of belonging. Every OT reading this will recognise that idea, because it sits underneath almost everything we do, whether we work in a hospital ward, a school, a client's home or a community program.

How you can join the OT Week celebrations

OTA has put together several ways to take part this week:

• • You can download the free OT Week celebration pack from the OTA website and use it in your workplace or on your social media.
• • You can watch the special OT Week conversation that OTA has released for this year's theme.
• • You can email your OT story, along with at least one photo, to info@otaus.com.au. Every story you submit counts as one entry in a draw for one of five Carman's gift bags, each valued at about $55. Entries close at 11:59pm AEDT on Monday 2 November, so you still have time. You can read the full competition terms and conditions on the OTA website.
• • If your team is marking the week with an event or a get-together, share it on social media and tag OTA.

If you send in a story, please make sure you have permission from anyone who can be identified in your photo or your writing. OTA may share submissions across its website, newsletters and social media, so it is important that clients and colleagues have agreed to be included.

I would encourage you to take part. Our profession is still widely misunderstood, and real stories from working OTs do more to explain what we do than any definition ever could.

Participation matters in your career too

We spend our working lives helping other people take part in the activities that give their days meaning. It is worth asking whether your own work is doing the same for you.

For many OTs, the right role is the difference between a job that drains them and one that keeps them in the profession for decades. The setting, the caseload, the team, the supervision and the location all shape whether you can practise the way you trained to. If OT Week has you reflecting on where you are and where you would like to be, that reflection deserves to be taken seriously.

Using OT Jobs Australia

OT Jobs Australia is built around occupational therapy, and it also has a category for associated professions. That means you can find OT roles in one place, and colleagues in related fields can find relevant work there too.

If you are looking for your next role, or simply keeping an eye on what is out there, here is how the board can help:

• • You can set up a job seeker profile for free, and employers who advertise on the board can view profiles, which means the right opportunity can come to you.
• • You can browse roles across settings and locations at your own pace and without pressure.

Setting up a profile takes only a few minutes, and OT Week is a good time to do it. It is a small step that keeps your options open, even if you are happy where you are right now.

For employers

If you are hoping to grow your team, this week is a good time to remind OTs why your workplace is a great place to practise. You can create an employer account and post a role for $49, which puts it in front of an audience focused on occupational therapy and associated professions. Advertising also gives you access to job seeker profiles at no extra cost, so you can look for the right person as well as waiting for them to find you.

Thank you

Whatever your role, your setting or your stage of career, thank you for the work you do. The people you support live fuller lives because of it, and that is something worth celebrating today and every day.

Happy World OT Day.

Robyne