Occupational therapy and circus: Potential partners in enhancing the health and well‐being of today's youth

Abstract

This paper describes and discusses the benefits of a project involving a community circus program developed for Victorian schools to assist in addressing students’ needs for life skills acquisition. A program logic model framework (CAOT, 1999), together with an occupational perspective, was used to develop an evaluation tool for Westside Circus’ ‘Circus in Schools’ program. The project was unique in that it introduced an occupational perspective to the evaluation of this innovative educational program. Although the project’s focus was primarily on program evaluation, it also demonstrated a connection between the core beliefs of community circus, education, occupational therapy, and health promotion. The occupational therapy profession can play a key role in education reform, which includes working in partnership with community organisations to develop innovative programs that meet the needs of young people. Educational and allied health professionals agree that effective teaching strategies which seek to promote overall health and well-being need to be implemented in schools to provide students with skills that will enable them to be healthy and positive contributors to society (Struthers, 2005). With an understanding of the dynamic interdependence of the person, occupation, and environment (CAOT, 1999), occupational therapists are equipped with skills that enable them to advise on educational program development, implementation and evaluation. Research conducted by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) led to the establishment of a framework, the ‘Victorian Essential Learning Standards’ (VELS) that aims to promote holistic education for young people (VCAA, 2005). The success of this educational reform requires a collaboration of disciplines to meet the complex needs of young people. Occupational therapists’ knowledge of program development, service delivery and evaluation can enable them to work in collaboration with community organisations, providing varied and innovative input into educational programs.