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Micro-volunteer opportunities

There are a number of ways to volunteer for your professional organization. AOTA considers the positions that are not elected or appointed to be micro-volunteering opportunities. These important opportunities are focused around time, talent, and tasks.

What defines a micro-volunteer opportunity?

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Time

Micro-volunteer opportunities are time-bound and last anywhere from 1 hour to 1 year.

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Talent

Eyebrow Text: Micro-volunteer opportunities draw on specific skills. Perhaps you prefer to write, or maybe you'd like to go out and greet someone? There is an opportunity for your talent to shine!

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Tasks

Micro-volunteer opportunities are tasks that span the gambit from pop-up ventures to regular occasions.

Concrete examples of a micro-volunteering opportunity

Micro-volunteering has always been a part of AOTA's volunteer system, we've just never defined it as such. Now, renaming these opportunities to provide further clarity helps you know which opportunities are time-bound, in need of specific talent, and task-oriented.

A more complete opportunity section is being built! In the meantime, check out examples of micro-volunteering that may already sound familiar.

OTA Confab

OTA Confab is a virtual event drawing OTAs and others together to engage in dynamic, solutions-oriented dialogue addressing the interests and priorities of AOTA’s occupational therapy assistant and OTA student members. Check out the OTA Confab Call for Volunteers.

AOTA E.K. Wise Scholarship Reviewers

The focus of the scholarship is to support students from diverse backgrounds who can meet Ms. E.K. Wise's and the Association's objectives of developing a workforce to meet society's diverse occupational needs in underserved areas or communities. Any AOTA member who is a practitioner or educator may review applications. Reviewers can expect to read 25 to 40 applications over 6 weeks during the summer. Email ekwise@aota.org to participate.

OT Practice Contributor

OT Practice is our clinical and professional magazine, providing news and information on all aspects of practice, and encourages a member dialogue. We welcome unsolicited manuscripts and consider them for both feature articles and departments. After an article has been accepted, authors need to be willing to respond to editorial queries, sometimes as simple as clarifying a couple of sentences or as complicated as adding new information or references. Check out the Author Guidelines and email otpractice@aota.org to contribute.

Special Interest Section (SIS) Quarterly Contributor

The SIS Quarterly Practice Connections is targeted to the unique interests of practitioners within each of the 9 Special Interest Sections. Articles are specific to the SISs, evidence-based, reflective of practice, and tied to occupation. After an article has been accepted, authors need to be willing to respond to editorial queries, sometimes as simple as clarifying a couple of sentences or as complicated as adding new information or references. Connect with the SIS Quarterly for additional information and to participate.

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How do I volunteer?

AOTA offers many opportunities for you to become active in our professional community. Your investment of time and energy adds value to our mission and serves to strengthen the profession. We are hard at work to implement an improved system for recruiting members to volunteer. Until then, please look for announcements via this webpage.

Where's the COOL database?

If you've been an AOTA member volunteer for a while, you know that AOTA has used COOL to receive your interests and reach out to you for activities. We're changing things up to provide a more streamlined, easier-to-use system. Most importantly, the new iteration will place the decision in your hands, allowing you the ability to sign up and customize your interests as you like. Stay tuned!