A Milestone for SPOTeurope: Reflections from the Occupational Therapy Congress in Krakow

Victoria Amaoko – General Board Member

I had the immense privilege of attending the 1st OT congress in Krakow, Poland with my fellow board members of SPOTeurope. The congress was organised by three executive organisations which were the European Network of Occupational Therapists in Higher Education (ENOTHE), the Council of Occupational Therapists in European Countries (COTEC) and the Research into Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science Foundation (ROTOS). The aims of the congress were to foster a strong voice for OT and strive to make the profession visible, valued, available and accessible across the population of Europe. At the congress, I represented SPOTeurope by actively interacting with students and lecturers from across Europe at our stand and encouraging students to join our platform. I also facilitated an icebreaker in two workshops we conducted. Leading the icebreakers to almost 100 people was the ultimate achievement for me at the congress. I had never imagined I could be so confident and thoughtful when speaking in front of a congregation and this experience has absolutely increased my courage and resilience afterwards. Now, I feel very confident in delivering a presentation to a huge group of people as I have done at the congress. My teamwork skills that emerged from this experience will also be used in my future practice where I will work cohesively with other OTs and the MDT team as well as my clients.

Katerina Tsanaktsi – Social media lead

Hello readers! I am Katerina Tsanaktsi, the social media lead of SPOTeurope and in October I attended the first Occupational Therapy Europe Congress in Krakow. My presence was particularly fascinating and unique. The organization of the venue and the running of the programme gave me a very beautiful experience. I met so many occupational therapists, professors and researchers and discovered areas of the profession that I didn’t know existed. I read excellent posters on very interesting topics that directed me in my pursuit of research. Furthermore, being a member of SPOTeurope and working with the other students broadened my horizons and helped me develop my collaborative skills. To sum up, being involved in something so important at my 20 years gave me a more comprehensive perspective on my profession and motivated me to research and expand occupational therapy.

Aleyna Kayim – Events Coordinator

It was an incredible honour to attend the 1st Occupational Therapy European Congress in Krakow, Poland, from October 15-19 as SPOTeurope Event Coordinator. This event marked a major milestone in my professional journey and offered an invaluable opportunity to engage with the global occupational therapy community. Over five days, I connected with occupational therapists, clinicians, researchers, and students from around the world. The diversity of perspectives and approaches broadened my understanding of how occupational therapy is practised in different cultures and healthcare systems.

One of the key highlights was organizing and facilitating two workshops. These sessions fostered international collaboration and professional growth among young occupational therapists, while also sharpening our leadership and organizational skills. At our SPOTeurope booth, we had a chance to introduce our platform to congress attendees, expand our network, and have meaningful discussions about our mission to enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field.

Outside the congress, we also had the chance to explore Krakow’s rich history and culture, which made the experience even more memorable. In summary, attending the congress was a deeply enriching experience, allowing me to develop new skills, expand my professional network, and gain a renewed sense of purpose in advancing the occupational therapy profession.

Kira Hanßmann – President

This year, OT Europe held its inaugural congress, and it was a privilege to represent SPOTeurope alongside six of our board members. The event offered us a fantastic opportunity to network and engage with numerous students, not only at our SPOT booth during breaks but also through the two workshops we hosted.

Collaborating with students from the Polish OT Science Club was a great experience for me, not only meeting future colleagues but also making friends along the way and exchanging experiences about OT education in our home countries. Meeting various mini SPOT members in person was another highlight; it was wonderful to engage with students who share a passion for SPOT and are dedicated to connecting OT students. Many mini SPOT members also invest extra hours during their studies – thank you all for your great work!!

I am also grateful to ENOTHE for their unwavering support of SPOTeurope and the OT students of Europe. I look forward to continuing our collaboration and building a new partnership with COTEC and ROTOS in the future. Reflecting on the week, I think of inspiring presentations, conversations and ideas for the future of OT, and the strengthening of our team in SPOT.

Gaëlle Van Liefferinge – Blogger

Hi everyone, as you all probably already know, last month the first European occupational therapy congress took place in Krakow. What an experience! It was a learning experience on so many different levels. I am very grateful that I was able to participate in this congress and also give two workshops together with the SPOTeurope Board. It was very interesting to see so many different nationalities and cultures together at the congress.

A core memory of this congress for me was the two workshops. These two workshops addressed the importance of internationalisation and ethical actions. These workshops allowed us to interact and discuss with the students. Which resulted in a lot of different inspiring and interesting perspectives. For the second workshop, we were also assisted by the Polish OT Science Club. This collaboration led to a beautiful friendship, which I will treasure forever.

Furthermore, at our booth, we were also able to inform congress attendees about SPOTeurope to expand our network. I got to know a lot of fascinating people through this, each of whom inspired me in their own way.

This congress made me grow not only professionally but also personally.

Thank you to all board members for making this congress a great success, but also thank you to all congress participants for showing interest in our growing organisation.