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Background World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) member organisations comprise 77 national occupational therapy organisations across the world. Each national organisation interacts with its members and the public using diverse methods. Increasingly, national organisations are broadening their communication methods. Objective The objective of this study was to examine if and how occupational therapy organisations are using social media for communication, and if so, the types of concerns or barriers they experience and what role they anticipate social media might play in the near future. Methods An online survey was developed; 57 of 77 WFOT member organisations responded. Findings This study identified that WFOT national organisations are using social media, to varying degrees, with or without an individual formally assigned to manage social media. Respondents reported that they used social media to: communicate with members, promote the organisation and promote the profession. Commonly expressed needs included assistance with guidelines for ethical social media use, developing technical expertise, and recognition of limits of time and competing priorities. Recommendations arising from this research are at the global, national, local and individual levels and incorporate active dissemination and pure diffusion approaches. Taking steps to increase the use of social media could indirectly impact occupational therapy practice through enhancing organisations’ abilities to support practitioners to enhance their practice. Limitations and recommendations for further research Although 57% of WFOT member organisations returned usable responses, there may be some additional perspectives that were not captured. It would be helpful to contact non-responding organisations to explore their social media use and plans. Further research could examine how future initiatives put in place by WFOT impact social media use by member organisations.

Sylvia Docker was an Australian who worked as aphysiotherapist in World War 1 and in 1935, aftertravelling widely undertook her training as anoccupational therapist at the London School ofOccupational Therapy. She returned to Australia in1938 where she pioneered the profession in Melbourne,Victoria and subsequently commenced the first school ofoccupational therapy in New South Wales in 1942(Wilcock, 2002). Sylvia Docker MBE was a true pioneerof the profession and displayed outstanding talent. It isindeed a great honour, although somewhat daunting, tojoin the list of Australian occupational therapists whohave been awarded this Sylvia DockerLectureship whichwas established in 1966

The theme of this Bulletin issue is on Human Rights and I commend the authors of the articles in this edition. WFOT has a strong commitment to Human Rights evidenced through the establishment of an International Advisory Group (IAG): Human Rights, the development of a Position Paper on Human Rights1 and WFOT’s commitment to embed the principles of Human Rights and Social Justice into the fabric of its documents and publications. In June 2011, WHO released the World Health Report2 which for the first time examined the inequities around disability. The WFOT Position Statement on Human Rights demonstrates the WFOT position in relation to human occupation and participation. WFOT believes that occupational therapists have the knowledge and skills to support persons who experience limitations or barriers to participation in occupation. Occupational therapists also have a role and responsibility to develop and synthesize knowledge to support participation; to identify and raise issues of occupational barriers and injustices; and to work with groups, communities and societies to enhance participation in occupation for all persons. Achieving this is to achieve an occupationally just society. One of the main outcomes from the United Nations Conference Rio+20 (2012)3 was the agreement by member States to launch a process to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and converge with the post-2015 development agenda.

The WFOT Bulletin is the international voice of the organisation and its members and the editorial team constantly strive to seek and provide information that is topical, challenging and thought provoking. Over the years the Bulletin has grown from a “newsletter” to a well read and circulated journal that attracts submissions from a broad range of occupational therapists covering a wide range of experience internationally. It gives me great pleasure to be writing this editorial in what is the first publication of the Bulletin by Maney Publishing – an internationally respected publishing house. Maney bring with them the wind of change which I am confident will lead to growth. They have committed to supporting the expansion of the WFOT Bulletin’s status and scope in the online literature with the aim of increasing to 3 issues per year by 2017. I congratulate them and WFOT looks forward to working with them over the coming years. The organisational objectives for WFOT are outlined within its WFOT Strategic Plan (WFOT, 2012) and supported by the current organisational priorities which focus on: 1. WHO and the global health agenda shapes the major focus of the WFOT’s involvement as a NonGovernmental Organization (NGO) with the UN. 2. Education is the core business of the Federation and its most recognised area. 3. Professional promotion and development of the profession in the global arena is an overarching priority that requires strengthened communications with professional constituents, external agencies and organisations and the public.

The WFOT Executive Management Team (EMT) attended the Interim Executive Management Meeting (IEMM) in Trinidad and Tobago, 23rd to 28th May 2011.The WFOT President Sharon Brintnell, Vice President Anne Carswell, Vice President Finance Samantha Shann, and Programme Coordinators Alfred Ramukumba (Education and Research), Suchada Sakornsatian (International Cooperation), Ritchard Ledgerd (Promotion and Development), Nils Erik Ness (Standards and Quality) and Jenny Pascoe (Executive Assistant) met face to face in Trinidad and Tobago. Executive Director Marilyn Pattison joined the meeting via Skype.

Over 2,000 Occupational Therapists came together in Sydney as part of a celebration of occupational therapy and to be part of that vision for the future. The organising committee — Team Oz — worked tirelessly with the Meeting Planners to make this Congress — WFOT’s premier educational event — a huge success. The overwhelming feeling from the Congress was one of leaving behind our self doubts and preoccupation with our efficacy (or lack of it) and striding forward as highly valued and powerful contributors within the health arena. The clear challenge was that occupational therapists need to take control of the profession and its ongoing development toward an exciting future and most importantly — the clear response was that they are ready and willing to do just that.