Western occupational therapy master's students who worked with L'Arche London to create an accessible cookbook during a community engaged learning course. (L to R) Nadina Malette, Yen Duong, Allie Plue, Rileigh Martin and Meghan Foster.
From creating an accessible cookbook and innovative exercise program to developing a workplace mental health toolkit, students in the community engaged learning (CEL) course through Western's occupational therapy master's program are using their skills and knowledge within the London community.
The CEL course is not just an educational program - it's a bridge to the wider community. Part of the two-year occupational therapy curriculum, the placements are designed to extend students' learning beyond the confines of traditional classroom settings into the heart of local non-profit organizations.
Carri Hand, professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences
"The CEL program is about pushing the boundaries of where and how occupational therapy can be applied. It's about showing our students the vast possibilities of their profession and embedding them in settings that aren't typical for our field," said Carri Hand, a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences who has been overseeing the CEL course for a decade.
The course spans the entire academic year, providing students ample time to immerse themselves in their projects, which vary from developing specific therapeutic programs, to evaluating and enhancing existing services offered by community partners, to creating dementia-friendly environments.
"We have a diverse range of projects each year, tailored to the needs of our community partners and the skills our students wish to develop," Hand said.
The experience not only helps students gain practical skills but also allows them to see the direct effects of their work within the community.
"Our students work in teams of five or six, fostering a collaborative environment in a real-world setting. Teamwork and communication are crucial, to ensure partner and student needs are met." said Hand. Over the year, these teams engage with about thirteen partners, ensuring a broad exposure to various needs and problems.
L'Arche London: Fostering Independence and Creativity
One of the standout projects this year involved collaboration with L'Arche London, an organization dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The students enhanced an accessible cookbook for L'Arche residents to make cooking easier and more enjoyable, promoting independence in daily living activities.
"We wanted to challenge and change the narrative around the capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Our aim was to create a resource that not only facilitates independence in cooking but also instills confidence, affirming their ability to perform and enjoy these everyday tasks," said Nadia Malette, one of the students involved in the project along with her classmates Meghan Foster, Yen Duong, Allie Plue and Rileigh Martin.
The team also developed Imagination Fitness, an innovative exercise program that combines physical movement with creative storytelling. The program includes a series of exercise plans that are adaptable to different physical and cognitive abilities.
"Imagination Fitness is about bringing physical activity and imagination together. We tell stories that incorporate movements, making the exercises more than just physical activity; they're an adventure," said Duong. "Each session is themed around a story that prompts the participants to perform movements that are integrated into the narrative. For example, if the story is about a day at the park, the exercises might include motions like stretching up to pick apples or bending down to tie a shoelace."
The students said seeing residents engage with resources they created has been profoundly rewarding.
"It validates the importance of our work and its impact on improving the quality of life for these individuals," said Foster.
Goodwill Industries: Strengthening Mental Health Support
Another group of students focused their efforts on enhancing mental health support at Goodwill Industries, a non-profit organization helping individuals overcome employment barriers.
The students revamped Goodwill's existing mental health toolkit, enhanced "huddle sheets" for daily staff briefings on mental health and optimized online modules that provide mental health education.
"Our project with Goodwill was about creating a sustainable mental health support system that employees could rely on." - Bonnie To, master's student in occupational therapy
The toolkit was designed to be a quick-reference guide for employees experiencing mental health challenges or those seeking to support their colleagues. It includes infographics, step-by-step guides for managing common mental health issues and contact information for local mental health services.
They also created online mental health modules which were designed to provide Goodwill employees with more in-depth knowledge about mental health, including how to recognize signs of mental distress in themselves and others, and effective strategies for intervention.
Western occupational therapy students who worked with Goodwill for their community engaged learning cours. (L to R) Marina Armanios, Stephanie Anglin, Keer Yang, Jamie Hystand, Bonnie To and Bradley Shennan (Submitted)
"We realized that while many employees are aware of mental health issues, there is often a gap in understanding how to deal with these challenges in the workplace. Our modules are designed to bridge this gap by providing clear, actionable advice in an accessible format," said Jamie Hystad, who was also involved in the project along with Marnia Armanios and Stephanie Anglin.
The huddle sheets are brief, daily mental health tips and exercises intended to be used during team meetings to foster a supportive work environment. Each sheet focuses on a different aspect of mental well-being, such as stress management, empathy building or communication strategies.
"Our work with Goodwill is just the beginning. We hope that our project inspires other companies to take proactive steps towards improving mental health support within their organizations," said Anglin.
