The professional organisations and other occupational therapy organisations

The Professional Organisation of Belgian French-speaking and German-speaking Occupational therapists (UPE) is a professional association that was founded in 1973. It is aimed at French and/or German speaking occupational therapists with a degree as well as future graduates. But also at anyone with an interest.

Together with Ergotherapie Vlaanderen (EV), UPE forms: Ergotherapie België (formerly known as FNBE - NBFE).

Ergotherapie België represents Belgian occupational therapists in national and international organisations. EB’s statutory positions are:

• Pierre Seeuws, co-chair (EV)

• Marc-Eric Guisset, co-chair (UPE)

• Béatrice Theben (UPE)

• Stéphane Camut (UPE)

• Filip Schepens (EV)

• Marlies Suetens (EV)

Therefore, regional matters are dealt with directly by the EV and the UPE.

Main goal of EV is to support the substantive and scientific development of the profession and to defend their professional interests, as well as to promote occupational therapy and to provide occupational therapists with professional information.

Ergotherapie België (formerly known as FNBE-NBFE) is formed by Ergotherapie Wallonia (UPE) and Ergotherapie Vlaanderen (EV).

EB represents Belgian Occupational Therapists in national and international organisations. The statuary positions of EB are:

• Pierre Seeuws, co-chair (EV)

• Marc-Eric Guisset, co-chair (UPE)

• Béatrice Theben (UPE)

• Stéphane Camut (UPE)

• Filip Schepens (EV)

• Marlies Suetens (EV)

Therefore, regional matters are dealt with directly by the EV and the UPE.

Ergotherapie België (formerly known as FNBE-NBFE) is formed by Ergotherapie Wallonia (UPE) and Ergotherapie Vlaanderen (EV).

Ergotherapie België represents Belgian Occupational Therapists in national and international organisations. The statuary positions of EB are:

• Pierre Seeuws, co-chair (EV)

• Marc-Eric Guisset, co-chair (UPE)

• Béatrice Theben (UPE)

• Stéphane Camut (UPE)

• Filip Schepens (EV)

• Marlies Suetens (EV)

Therefore, regional matters are dealt with directly by the EV and the UPE.

EDiTh supports all occupational therapists who carry out interventions in the context of the patient’s or client’s life, learning, living and working, those who are employed as well as those who are self-employed, in their main and/or secondary occupation.

We strive for a broadly covered Flemish occupational therapist network, in which we get an overview of who works where within primary care. By working together, we want to reinforce everyone’s expertise and enable referrals among each other. Thus, creating a bridge from second line to first line, or even to the zeroth line, and we promote autonomy and participation, for the one who needs the care (care recipient), for the occupational therapist, as well as for the continuity of integrated occupational therapeutic care.

Through a circulatory system, EDiTh offers profession specific monodisciplinary intervisioning. During these networking moments there’s space and opportunity for both training and exchanging experiences. They consciously involve all self-employed as well as employed occupational therapists (PCSW’s - Public Centre for Social Welfare, RCC’s - Residential Care Centre, CSA’s - Centre for Student Assistance, Health Insurance etc....). As a result, colleagues get to know each other’s expertise, which makes it easier to work together and they can easily complement each other’s activities in order to strengthen the continuity of integrated care.

• Circle West-Vlaanderen

• Circle Limburg

• Circle Oost-Vlaanderen

• Circle Antwerpen

• Circle Vlaams Brabant

• Circle Brussel HG

The OKE is the scientific working group of EV, composed of occupational therapists from the professional field and representatives of the Flemish bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in occupational therapy.

Purpose of the OKE:

• Sensitizing occupational therapists to work more evidence-based

  • Promoting evidence-based practice (EBP)

  • Publishing databases

• Training occupational therapists in processing scientific literature

• Supporting occupational therapists in applying EBP

• Assessing the needs and requirements regarding well-founded practice

• Provide a forum to share expertise and experiences regarding EBP

FRAME builds bridges between patient, therapist, researcher, doctor and companies. We also facilitate and support a network between healthcare professionals and industry in a low-threshold manner, appealing on our extensive experience and expertise in R&D (project and quality management, administration and research design)

FRAME is your reliable partner by providing a professional testing environment for the development and clinical testing from prototypes to products ready for the market within the domain of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Consultation platform between the Flemish colleges and EV (Occupational Therapy Flanders).

It concerns following schools:

• PXL Hogeschool / PXL College

• HOWEST

• HOGENT

• AP Hogeschool / AP College

• ARTEVELDE Hogeschool / Artevelde College

• THOMAS MORE Hogeschool / Thomas Moore College

• ODISEE

• VIVES Hogeschool / VIVIS College

VLOE-S! consists of 12 enthusiastic students who represent every Flemish occupational therapy training in Flanders.

This Student working group allows Flemish students to speak up within EV Occupational Therapy Flanders, to unite, inform and activate students. All of this by means of social media, workshops, webinars, information moments, ...

To achieve all this, we closely work together with EV, SPOT Europe (Student Platform Occupational Therapy), colleges and universities.

For more than 60 years already, the German Association for Occupational Therapy has been the relevant professional association for all occupational therapists in Germany (including the future ones). With over 12 000 members, the DVE has the leverage to achieve something politically.

The DVE is a relevant negotiating and discussion partner for politicians, governments, ministries, health insurances and other partners in the health care domain.

DVE promotes the further development of practical occupational therapy, training and complementary education, study and science.

DVE represents its members in politics in relevant legislative processes and structural reformations, as well as in public.

At an international level, the DVE is present as a member of the European Association (COTEC) and the World Association (WFOT).