#OTalk – End of an era but not the end of us!

OTalk has been run by innovative volunteer occupational therapists and students since its beginning. As one of the first professions to acknowledge the potential of social media for connection, promotion, and community development, the founders faced skepticism and dismissive attitudes from others in the field who considered it unprofessional.

On October 25th, 2011, OTalk was launched on World Occupational Therapy Day, providing occupational therapy staff and students with a weekly opportunity to engage in discussions related to the profession and wider occupational sciences every Tuesday night at 8pm. The goal was to showcase Twitter as a valuable tool for learning and networking, with no financial cost, to those who engaged, while also challenging traditional approaches in the field.

Over the years, the team behind this free continuing professional development (CPD) opportunity has grown. More information about past and current members can be found by reading about them on the about the team members page

As the team expanded, so did the opportunities for others to learn. OTalk team members wrote articles, presented at conferences, and were even mentioned in the Francis report as promoters of online professionalism. In 2016, they published an editorial in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy and launched #OTalk Research, hosting monthly research-themed chats with a subset of practitioners, on the 1st Tuesday of the month.

OTalk became a regular presence at the Royal College of Occupational Therapist yearly conference, with team members showcasing their enthusiasm for the platform and live-tweeting from reserved front-row seats. During one conference, they collaborated with RCOT to gather reviews of sessions on their blog site.

People from all over the world began applying to host chats, on a diverse range of topics. From the connection between occupation and identity, psychological approaches in occupational therapy, preparation for OT interviews, occupational alienation, expectations of a CQC visit.

To explorations of occupational science, the role of occupational therapy in public health, the identity and responsibilities of occupational therapists in the charity sector, occupational therapy’s role in addressing domestic violence, journal clubs, intersectionality and why occupational therapists should be aware of it, improving BAME representation in OT, underrepresentation, authenticity, and career progression. You can search for topics we have covered via the search function on this blog site.

In preparation for this blog post, past and present team members shared their favorite memories, ranging from OTalk tea parties and crafts to face-to-face meet-ups affectionately known as #OTalkOnTour. 

Standout memories included running around Bournemouth University in onesies, and experiencing a peculiar adaptation of a shower in the southeast. Hosting information stalls at regional student events. Our involvement in The OT show from its beginning working on collaborations with speakers holding OTalk chats in the lead up to the show held at the NEC, we also presented on professional use of social media or ran information stands every year.

Other great memories include hiding under conference tables eating cookies, gate crashing more than one RCOT conference dinner, and celebrating team members’ life events together. 

OTalk has been referred to in at least four Elizabeth Casson Memorial Lectures, the lectureship is awarded to an RCOT member whose peers consider them to have made or be making a significant contribution to the development of the profession. 

We had a revamp as part of our ten year celebration in 2021, updating the logo tagline and website.

One chat that left a lasting impact was the Dark Side of Occupation, playing a significant role in further developing the concept. Additionally, some OTalk’s in recent years inspired the formation of OT affinity groups, which have brought great pride.

Recent changes on the Twitter platform have made it increasingly difficult for OTalk volunteers to maintain this free resource. Tools and platforms that were relied on, such as Tweetdeck and Symplur, have either disappeared or now require paid membership on the newly branded X platform. Unfortunately, the team has concluded that Twitter or X is no longer sustainable for hosting this free resource.

Nevertheless, the team remains committed to keeping the OTalk brand alive and collaborating with others to explore new avenues for professional connection and growth. OTalk would be nothing without its community of tweeters that joined us week in, week out. We want to thank everyone who has made OTalk the success it became. In this ever changing world as technology moves on so must we, please let us know your OTalk memories and any ideas or suggestions for OTalk’s future as they navigate this next chapter.