Applications for the OT School of Victoria Award are currently closed

Established in 1948, the Occupational Therapy School of Victoria was the second school in Australia.

The school was dissolved in 1974 after the Victorian State Government established the Victorian Institute of Colleges, who were given the responsibility of training health practitioners including occupational therapists.

The board members of the school then set up the Occupational Therapy Trust Fund to promote research and clinical development in occupational therapy in Victoria.

In 2019 the trustees of the OT Trust Fund donated the funds to OTA, who in turn, established the The Occupational Therapy School of Victoria Clinical Award.

The award aims to promote advancement in clinical practice by supporting members of OTA to engage in clinical based projects or studies.

Projects may include but are not limited to:

• Quality Improvement projects which have organisational ethics approval
• Paid time release to finalise an article for journal publication
• Developing other forms of documenting improvements in clinical practice
• Evaluating current clinical practice to ensure it is evidence based
• Clinical research that is focused on the development of new clinical approaches

A key aspect of the award is that outcomes of the projects are documented, and shared broadly (for instance via national or state conference or publication in professional journals).

This award is open to all OTA members regardless of the state in which you reside and is awarded annually.

In 2025, there is up to $19,500 available for distribution. Multiple applicants may be chosen for receipt of this award.

For further information, download the award guidelines below.

Selection Criteria

Applicants must:

• be a member of OTA for at least three consecutive years and hold current membership,
• have at least four years of continuous clinical experience,
• be currently registered with Ahpra, and
• be citizens of Australia or have permanent residency status.

Laura Joliffe, recipient of the 2022 OT School of Victoria Award, shares valuable insights on Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy, drawing from her clinical experience and passion for innovative rehabilitation approaches. Click the link to watch the video series.