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Item Pathways to Funding Guide: The Resource Development & Pilot Implementation Process(2025-06-24)Assistive Technology (AT) devices improve the daily functional living of individuals with disabilities (Cook et al., 2020). The state of Pennsylvania’s AT Act Program is Technology for Our Whole Lives (TechOWL), which is an institution designed to increase accessibility to AT through providing opportunities for exploring, learning, and receiving AT. Multiple barriers limit access to AT, with cost being a significant one among those barriers. This entry-level occupational therapy capstone project aims to develop a centralized and user-friendly document, the Pathways to Funding (PTF) guide. The PTF guide is a compilation of funding information and resources to support TechOWL staff when working with clients trying to access AT devices. Throughout the project development, methods to survey AT devices inquired about among clients, and feedback on the development of the guide showed results emphasizing accessibility of the guide. Thus, the purpose of the capstone project was to create a strong foundation for the PTF guide, to ensure the document’s usability and sustainability by being a buildable resource.Item Understanding the perceived experiences of the collaboration between Temple OT Level I students and UUH Outreach clients(Temple University. Libraries, 2025)The Level I Occupational Therapy (OT) Fieldwork (FW) experience is defined by Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) as providing students with experience to apply knowledge to practice (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education [ACOTE], 2018). One Level I FW experience offered to Temple University’s Occupational Therapy students is an opportunity to collaborate with clients of UUH Outreach. UUH Outreach is a non-profit organization in Northwest Philadelphia promoting aging in place. “Aging in place” refers to older adults aged 55+ who prefer to stay in their own homes and maintain independence as they age (National Institute on Aging, 2023). An expectation for this community-based Level I FW is for students to apply their knowledge of home modifications and quality of life recommendations to promote independence and safety. A qualitative study was conducted to gather data on the perceptions of clients who previously participated in this collaborative Level I FW regarding their experience. Twelve participants, aged 65-84, engaged in focus group interviews. Thematic analysis of the focus group interviews highlighted three primary themes and several subthemes. While the clients largely reported satisfaction with the experience, the findings also supported the need for further student education regarding funding sources to acquire home modifications and increased frequency of communication between students and clients would be beneficial.Item Addressing organizational barriers to participation in after-school programming: A collaborative capstone project in partnership with the YWCA Bucks County(Temple University. Libraries, 2025)This capstone project was completed working in collaboration with the YWCA of Bucks County and worked to address organizational barriers to participation in after-school programming. Based on initial staff interviews, the project that initially appeared to be most effective fostered more effective communication between YWCA staff and parents. However, following a needs assessment conducted during Phase One of the project, the barriers identified during the needs assessment differed significantly from those identified during the preliminary interviews. Based on these findings, the focus of the project shifted. These barriers were categorized into Context and Performance Patterns, based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) and interventions were developed to address both of these areas. Interventions focused on multiple interconnected environmental barriers, and broader organizational barriers to communication, ultimately developing a set of recommendations for YWCA staff to guide future steps.Item Developing Tools for Peer Support: Applications, Matching, and Staff Resources(Temple University. Libraries, 2025-06-22)The purpose of this project was to provide a foundation, support, and resources in developing a peer support program. An application, questionnaires, and interviews for peer mentors along with checklists and surveys to collect interest and experiences, were developed for the matching process. A Staff Supervisor Resource Guide was created to provide information for JEVS staff members assisting with the program. Each area of this project was designed in collaboration with the JEVS team with various levels of feedback to determine use and relevance to the program. Results of post-training interviews showed an impact in confidence and skill set after participating in peer support training. Additionally, all materials were created to match peer mentors with potential mentees, however time constraints and feedback for more interaction with peers limited the fulfillment of mentor-mentee pairs. Lastly, a staff supervisor guide was developed, however the guide needs further development before distribution.