Who I am
Emma McCarthy, UCDVO volunteer
What I did
In order to demonstrate the value of working as a physiotherapist in the international health and development context, I created an interactive photography exhibition of my own experience at the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists annual conference, a professional body representing over 3,000 Chartered Physiotherapists in Ireland.
The exhibition highlighted the skills and experience of physiotherapists who live and work in the Global South and to inspire others to explore opportunities to volunteer using their valuable skills at home or overseas.
Insightful photo exhibition by @UCDVO @UCDPhysio tutors Claire Smyth and Emma McCarthy @_ISCP_ #iscpconf2018 today. Strong examples of impact of clinical, university and NGO collaboration over the last few years! @UCD_SDG pic.twitter.com/0sJ6G04vYk
— Cliona O’Sullivan (@MyCliona) November 10, 2018
How I did it
Choosing the target audience was crucial to this action project. The topic of building sustainable rehabilitation is of keen interest to my fellow physiotherapists.
This was an opportunity to showcase not only the contribution of the overseas volunteers from UCDVO, but more importantly the work being completed by local physiotherapists based in local projects in India and Uganda
“I felt this was a valuable action project as it helped to raise awareness of global justice issues in a healthcare context which I am personally experienced and familiar with. This proved to be a great opportunity to take action as it is a national conference where we were able to engage with physio-therapists who work in a variety of places and contexts.” – Emma McCarthy
- This case study has been adapted from the Bank of Actions for Global Citizens produced by the Global Citizens Award. For more, check out Emma’s blog reflecting on her trip and her encounters in India.
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