Angela Hook, Sarah Bodell

Directorate of Occupational TherapySchool of Health Sciences

University of Salford

OT24VXThe only conference you can attend in your pajamas.

Why?ToSupport the development of occupational therapy internationally, through global knowledge transfer and co-creation of evidence based practice. ButWorld Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress only every 4 yearsAndIt it is EXPENSIVESoTechnology could bridge that gap.

Our Model(it looks simple)

0 1 4 5 6 24 30 1000

0

ZipNadaNothingNoughtNixNietezilch

1 Vision

Free knowledge sharing

4 Months

Planning

To

Delivery

A total of 5…

Team meetings via Collaborate and Skype

6 Team Members

24….. Hours

Presenters (at least)

Virtual classrooms

3030 countries represented including…

NZ, UK, US, Canada, HK, Australia Iceland, Turkey, Estonia, Chile Spain, Portugal, Norway, Israel, Afghanistan, the Seychelles, South Africa, Germany, Philippines, India, Japan.

1000+Participants over 24 hours (some were

groups)

Attending from work and home; at University; in a car…

Sessions are archived on our webpage

Impact?

Connectivity

Happening in real time

It was great to be able to network in real time - all the advantages of a normal conference without the jetlag and cost!

And afterwards

Are you on Facebook?

Challenging traditions

Accessibility is really important for professional bodies and conference organisers to consider. What I loved about World OT Day was the range of different places around the world that delegates came from. Sure that can happen at face to face conferences too, but the ease and cost of a virtual event are big factors to make us do more of this.

Matthew Molineaux.

Empowering the profession, globally

“The thoughts and discussions stimulated by the presentations and the insights from people one wouldn't usually get to "talk" with. The sense of unity across the world of the commitment to occupation and enthusiasm for our profession - this came from speakers and audience”

Lessons for us.

Keep it lean Harness appropriate technologies but keep it simpleUse your connections strategicallyPassion is required, skills can be developedHarness social mediaRecycling is good – don’t reinvent any wheelsFun is important

Thankyou