OT Sparks: Foundations For Practice
Location
Online event access details will be provided by the event organiser
About
Program overview
Many early-career occupational therapists enter practice feeling underprepared for the complexity of community and private practice work.
OT Sparks: Foundations for Practice is a 12-month professional development and supervision program designed to bridge this gap through practical skill-building, structured learning, and ongoing support. The program is grounded in real-world clinical challenges and supports therapists to build confidence, clarity, and professional capability over time.
Who is it for?
This program is well suited to:
• Early-career OTs (0–5 years)
• Community and private practice clinicians
• New graduate OTs seeking structure and confidence
• OTs working with mixed or complex caseloads
• OTs wanting additional support to complement 1:1 supervision
Who is running it?
Sarah Smith — Occupational Therapist
Sarah Smith graduated with Honours from University of Newcastle in 2005. She has since built a robust career in community-based practice within the Newcastle region, including a range of senior and management roles.
Sarah has been providing supervision to other occupational therapists for over 18 years. She has completed the following professional development to further strengthen her supervision practice:
• Occupational Therapy Australia – Professional Supervision Program (2022)
• Michelle Bihary – Professional Supervision Training (2021)
In 2024, Sarah also successfully completed Occupational Therapy Australia’s Professional Supervisor’s Endorsement Pilot.
She is committed to strengthening the capability and confidence of early-career therapists across Australia.
Many early-career occupational therapists enter practice feeling underprepared for the complexity of community and private practice work.
OT Sparks: Foundations for Practice is a 12-month professional development and supervision program designed to bridge this gap through practical skill-building, structured learning, and ongoing support. The program is grounded in real-world clinical challenges and supports therapists to build confidence, clarity, and professional capability over time.
Who is it for?
This program is well suited to:
• Early-career OTs (0–5 years)
• Community and private practice clinicians
• New graduate OTs seeking structure and confidence
• OTs working with mixed or complex caseloads
• OTs wanting additional support to complement 1:1 supervision
Who is running it?
Sarah Smith — Occupational Therapist
Sarah Smith graduated with Honours from University of Newcastle in 2005. She has since built a robust career in community-based practice within the Newcastle region, including a range of senior and management roles.
Sarah has been providing supervision to other occupational therapists for over 18 years. She has completed the following professional development to further strengthen her supervision practice:
• Occupational Therapy Australia – Professional Supervision Program (2022)
• Michelle Bihary – Professional Supervision Training (2021)
In 2024, Sarah also successfully completed Occupational Therapy Australia’s Professional Supervisor’s Endorsement Pilot.
She is committed to strengthening the capability and confidence of early-career therapists across Australia.
REMAINING 2026 SESSIONS
31/07/2026
Session 7:2026 Making it work - Strategies for managing a mixed and evolving caseload
This session supports development of structure, prioritisation, and sustainable practices when working across varied client groups
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28/08/2026
Session 8:2026 Working across the system - Effective interdisciplinary collaboration in OT
This session focuses on real-world collaboration outside traditional MDT structures
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25/09/2026
Session 9:2026 Learning from practice - Reflective skills for professional growth
This session builds practice, repeatable relfection habits that support genuine growth
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30/10/2026
Session 10:2026 Strengthening your foundation - Confidence for the evolving OT
This session helps early career OTs understand confidence as a skill that develops through experience, reflection, support, and intentional strategies
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27/11/2026
Session 11:2026 Sustainable OT practice: Self-care and resilience
This session helps OTs understand the demands of community practice and build practical strategies that strengthen wellbeing, resilience and professional identity
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18/12/2026
Session 12:2026 Charting your path - Professional development and lifelong learning
This session brings structure, reassurance and clarity to the next phase of growth
