Employment opportunities
Diversional Therapists work with clients of all ages in a range of health, community and leisure settings.
Employment areas and the scope of practice are continually expanding.
Employment areas include :
- Rehabilitation & hospital units
- Community Centres
- Day and Respite services
- Aged Care Residential Facilities
- Ethnic Specific Services
- Palliative Care Units and Outreach Programmes
- Mental Health Services
- Specialist Organisations
- Private Practice
- Consultancy
- Management
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on 6 August 2000 reported that health and leisure [Diversional Therapy] will be strong employers in the 21st century.
Stinson (1997) shows in a research study on different job prospects, that the employment outlook for qualified diversional therapists are excellent and that the prospects for new jobs are well above average.
The results from a research project undertaken by Burns (2000) indicated that there was a total of 75 job vacancy advertisements over a 14 week period for diversional therapists in one Sydney newspaper alone.
These positions covered the areas of:
- Disability services
- Aged care facilities
- Youth work
- Local councils
- Respite centres
- Outdoor recreation and camps
- Mental health
- Hospital based
- Holiday programmes
- Health promotion
- and Correctional centres
References
Stinson R (1997) Job prospects Australia.
North Sydney: New Hobson Press
Burns A (2000) Employment opportunuties for leisure and health graduates.
Sydney University: Unpublished.