Our Blog

People with learning disabilities face barriers to participating in leisure activities due to gaps in skills and knowledge, which require tailored interventions. Ruwani Ampegama's qualitative study explores professionals’ perspectives on effective strategies to address these gaps, aiming to enhance access and engagement in meaningful leisure activities.

I am 28, I’m a disability rights activist. I’m outgoing and very loud! I’m a good friend, family member, and wife. I love singing and dancing. I never stop talking! I have a gerbil called Compo. I am a Mencap Mythbuster.  I’m a Liverpool fan. I love Disney films. I have a Guinness World Record for remembering birthdays. And I happen to have Down's Syndrome - I don't let it stop me living a great life. 

I was offered an opportunity to attend a course on Developing Your Team’s Resilience which is a five-session training programme where different topics were covered each month. And guess what? The topics that caught most of my attention were constructive conversation and emotional intelligence. The course has really made a difference in my work and personal relationships. So, what is constructive conversation and emotional intelligence?

Change is a fundamental aspect of delivering effective treatment within mental health services.  Innovation enables us to respond to patient needs, work more efficiently and embed excellent clinical practice in accordance with latest research.  It is widely reported that a key component for initiating and sustaining change is supporting and validating the emotional impact it has on our workforce.  Yet, at times the growing pressures to meet demands with fewer resources causes personal factors to be overlooked in mental health services. Instead, projects can prioritise surface level adjustments that promote organisations without addressing underlying issues.  This culture can lead to a demotivation of a work force whilst being counterproductive for services.

This blog reflects on observations of an innovative project that considered emotional transition of team members to collectively embed meaningful and effective change.  This project took place in a forensic environment and was aimed at increasing opportunities for patients to engage in vocational activity.  Patients within Forensic services experience a lack of opportunities to gain employment when discharged due to stigma and restrictions around their offences.  

As an Occupational therapist we practice that motivation and confidence is necessary for completing a task to a good standard. As human beings we see each other everyday strive to feel important, have a sense of control and seek personal satisfaction. A lot of us choose careers that perhaps we have an underlying skill in, a passion for or enjoy doing. Yes, of course we get paid, but we also chose our careers for a sense of job satisfaction. So, what happens if our desired profession doesn't give us the self-esteem boost or feeling of power that we had planned?