Developing the occupational therapy profession through leadership and mentorship: energizing opportunities

Abstract

To successfully advance the profession of occupational therapy and improve access to our services, we need leadership as well as mentorship strategies and initiatives. Leaders help push boundaries and champion advancements in practice, policy, research and education to develop and promote client-centred, occupation-based enablement. To further develop leadership capacity, we need to put in place multiple, innovative mentorship strategies. This article illustrates some concrete strategies and initiatives undertaken by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) to foster mentorship and leadership such as the creation of a new Fellowship program. Our goal in sharing this information is to inspire and encourage occupational therapists worldwide to develop personalized and creative initiatives to foster the role of leaders and mentors.