Active promotion of students will contribute to growth and sustainability for the Access industry.
Student placements are designed to impart knowledge, create industry exposure, and introduce fresh ideas and approaches. With access consulting advocating for the right to engage in and access safe and functional spaces, occupational therapy students are a suitable choice to join Architecture & Access on practice placement.
Connection with Griffith University
The placement relationship between Griffith University Queensland School of Occupational Therapy and Architecture & Access started in 2017 when we had a booth at the Occupational Therapy Conference on the Gold Coast. Since then, as the Brisbane office has grown, so has our relationship with Griffith University. In 2022 we had our first fourth-year student and, each year since, a fourth-year occupational therapy student has joined the Brisbane team for their 10-week placement.
Each year, Architecture & Access are invited to present a workshop to third year students providing insight into the way an occupational perspective can inform the work of access consultants. The presentation details the legislation that informs access consultancy, the link to occupational therapy, and the learning outcomes of a placement with Architecture & Access. At Architecture & Access we employ six Occupational Therapists working within this area of expertise, and these members of staff are available to support and guide our students.
Student persepctive
Griffith University’s unique teaching approach is grounded in theory and evidence-based practice. By having knowledge of professional reasoning, occupational models and frameworks, and understanding the intrinsic link between health and occupational engagement, students can transfer their learnings to the access consulting context. Current student, Katherine Dowling, shares,
“Concepts learnt throughout my degree such as:
– occupational rights and injustices,
– co-design principles, and
– collective occupations
seamlessly intertwine with the work done at Architecture & Access. I have been able to witness co-design in action on working groups, team members advocating for inclusion and accessibility, and broaden my perspective on community participation and engagement across many types of disability cohorts. The training modules, in combination with extensive knowledge of the team, make for a very comprehensive exposure to Architecture & Access’ areas of influence.”
Architecture & Access perspective
In the field of occupational therapy, access consulting is not a traditional career choice. Having final year Occupational Therapy students in this setting raises awareness, and their networks, of a career as an access consultant. Students can offer a fresh perspective, often embedded with the latest in theoretical and evidence-based practice, to challenge assumptions and gain new ways to approaching access consulting. Students can help Architecture & Access employees to check their professional reasonings, maintain good standards of professional practice and model ethical behaviour.
Architecture & Access recognises the investment we make in our people will have a positive impact for future projects, creating safe, functional and accessible environments that enable all people to experience life equally, with confidence and dignity.
We can’t do it alone; it takes great people.
