When will AMT be hosting face-to-face events again?

by Liz Sharkey and Rebecca Barnett

AMT has started to receive more regular questions from a few AMT members about a return to face-to-face workshops and big-ticket events like the AMT conference. This is not surprising given that it’s now over three years since AMT has held any large face-to-face events. It’s also not surprising in the context of government and media narratives declaring that the COVID pandemic is over. There. we said the C word. It’s a bit like saying “Macbeth” in a theatre, only far more socially unacceptable.

It’s a reasonable question for members to ask so we’d like to clarify and explain the direction that AMT is taking in relation to hosting face-to-face events and why AMT has adopted a staged approach.

The way we were and the way we are

Over the past three years, AMT has been the industry leader in terms of COVID protocols. And we’re not just talking massage industry leader but health care more broadly – we know from feedback that plenty of AMT members led the COVID response in the allied health clinics they were working in based on AMT’s guidance and resources.

Having been at the forefront of adapting to the new “normal”, AMT is mindful of the ongoing risks and instability posed by the impacts of the pandemic. The AMT Biosecurity Committee hasn’t met to review AMT’s guidance since 2021 but members of the committee continue to monitor the emerging data and research to assess this evidence in relation to massage therapy practice. Contrary to the prevailing narrative, the risks posed by COVID and long COVID are far from over and these need to be considered in AMT’s professional development planning.

AMT remains careful about holding face-to-face events while COVID is circulating so unpredictably due to the continued risk of transmission, and the potential health and safety implications for attendees, staff, and the wider community including massage clients. There is still a risk of unwittingly hosting a super spreader event, especially a big gathering like the AMT annual conference which involves large numbers of people from different locations.

AMT has an ongoing a duty of care to our members, and we must continue to weigh up the legal and reputational consequences of holding in-person events.

Also, some members may be unable or unwilling to attend due to health concerns or personal circumstances, which could stymy the effectiveness and inclusivity of the event. The pandemic has taught AMT a huge lesson in equity of access. Running a program of online events has enabled us to reach huge numbers of members who have traditionally struggled to attend in-person events for a variety of reasons. It would be wrong to turn our backs on these members and revert to business-as-usual.

But it’s not just the pandemic that AMT needs to consider in its risk calculations for running large face-to-face events. Over the past few years, significant natural disasters such as floods and fires have impacted a significant portion of our membership, both emotionally and financially.  Virtual events are a lifeline for these members.

Considerations

As AMT makes a staged return to in-person events and the annual conference, these are some of the factors we are encompassing in our planning:

  • The significant cost and financial risk of running a face-to-face conference that will be attended by only a small percentage of the membership base.  Ongoing disruptions in the form of flight cancellations and acute sickness will make enforcing a cancellation policy ethically dubious and leave AMT carrying the financial consequences of no-shows. This is not a good value proposition for the membership.
  • COVID protocols would be required to provide a safe face-to-face event (outdoor catering, HEPA filtration and ventilation, and high-quality respirator masks for all participants). Unfortunately, most venues have not adapted to provide the necessary airborne mitigations so sourcing appropriate places to hold large events is even more challenging.
  • The liability of the Association to ensure the safety of all members and the possible implications of members being infected with COVID either in transit to the event or at the event.  
  • The geographic diversity of our members and ensuring that as many as possible can engage in AMT activities. 
  • CPI increases and the rising costs of running a large conference may make registration costs prohibitive for most members.
  • The financial stresses many members have indicated they are under 
  • The technological advances brought about by changes to remote learning during the pandemic. 
  • The staffing and human resources required to run a program of online, in-person and hybrid events as we carve out new, more accessible ways of supporting all members’ professional development.
  • The demand for in-person events. To date, the response to any face-to-face events AMT has scheduled has been low.

The way forward

We totally understand the desire of members to engage in face-to-face events that provide opportunities for networking, as well as practical skill development and hands-on training. 

In the first step of AMT’s staged return to in-person events, we are adapting the new virtual “Coffee Club” format for small groups outdoors. The first of these events was held in Melbourne last week, and we already have two more in-person coffee clubs in the works for Newcastle and Adelaide members. If you’d like to host an in-person coffee club in your area, please email AMT Head Office so we can facilitate the meet up.

In terms of larger events, AMT is working in earnest to develop a hybrid model of workshops and conference delivery that will facilitate more equitable access to key AMT events. Having brought so many more members into the event tent over the last three years, we can’t just return to pre-pandemic “business as usual” and lock people out again.

The AMT Annual Conference was already heading in a hybrid direction prior to the pandemic through our live broadcasts of the plenary sessions. We are working on extending that access to allow a form of remote online participation to at least some elements of the practical workshops traditionally held at the conference. Obviously, developing such a model takes time and resources so we are craving your indulgence, patience and collegiate spirit to give us breathing space to make this significant shift. (The COVID pandemic has also had ongoing impacts on AMT’s staffing resources, so we are doing our darndest with finite resources and a tiny budget. In fact, AMT must make incredibly difficult choices all the time about how best to allocate resources to maximise their impact. In the context of inflation and cost-of-living pressures, we have focused a lot of effort towards supporting members through challenging times which means that accessibility will remain a defining priority.)

But I want to do a face-to-face practical workshop now …

And AMT supports that!

If you are attending an in-person training, we strongly encourage you to conduct your own risk assessment and ask questions about COVID safety measures etc, to determine if attendance is appropriate for your individual circumstances.    

There are many great offerings on the market that allow members to source and learn techniques relevant to their interest and professional goals. If you are unsure whether a training is within the scope of AMT’s professional development program, please refer to the AMT Professional Development Standards or contact AMT for guidance.  We’re always more than happy to give advice.

But until more public venues adopt proper airborne precautions and the risk of COVID transmission at a large event is significantly reduced, AMT will continue to exercise caution in its event planning and prioritise the health and safety of members, staff, and the wider community.

About the authors

Liz Barnett and Rebecca Sharkey are both stalwarts of AMT’s Biosecurity Committee. We suspect they are substantially interchangeable in the minds of most AMT members, sharing as they do a passion for productive rabbit holes and a skeptics approach to wine and coffee appreciation. Interpret that how you will.

Share this post:
Sharing and listening is encouragement
How I learned to stop worrying and love AI

Comments

  1. Thank you Liz and Rebecca for sharing your thinking on this important issue. The issues around face-to-face meetings are multifactorial and your list of factors to consider is comprehensive. I am also part of a co-ordinating committee for a hobby-focused social club whose ‘turn’ it is to host the 2025 annual convention (Australian capital cities host the gathering on a rotational basis). The initial quotes for venues for 3 days were shocking – $85k to $100+k – and, with an anticipated attendance of 200 registrants, including people from other states and territories, the registration fee would be prohibitively high for many who may like to attend, even if it only covered venue hire (without considering travel, accommodation and meals for the weekend). Whether or not this event goes ahead is not my call (I am grateful!). My participation in the process to date has prompted me to think beyond the direct financial costs of holding events for which people move within countries (especially large ones like ours) and across oceans for relatively short periods of time to share knowledge, move projects forward and meet with friends and colleagues. I’m thinking about the ethics, the cost to the planet and the likely negative impacts on the wellbeing of people engaging in these activities, when viable alternatives are available. We saw from the onset on the pandemic how powerful the toolkit for virtual meetings has become, and how inclusive compared with almost any face-to-face meeting that I’ve attended in my lifetime. AMT and other groups to which I belong quickly overcame the tech. glitches to deliver ‘contact’ and opportunities for sharing information that are very sophisticated. In mid 2020, I joined over 3000 people from 16 countries in a webinar hosted by The Australia Institute, to listen to an inspiring speaker at 6 am … in my dining room. That group of people would never have gathered in one physical location. Yes, it’s nice to meet face-to-face, but can we afford it?

  2. Gerhard Hassler
    22/03/2023 - 7:14 am

    Thank you Rebecca and Liz for this article.
    I think your arguments are most valid and very considerate.

    I have just returned from a long overdue (10 years) family visit to Germany.
    To my observation, almost nobody has any Covid prevention measures in place, not on the ground or in transit.
    It’s almost business as usual except many people are sick and off work, have ongoing symptoms and health challenges.

    While many of us are completely over this Covid thing and want it to go away, pretending it does not affect us anymore is a bit of a too wishful thinking in my experience.

    We need to be clever navigating our paths while carry on living our life to the fullest with work, fun, community, learning, taking risks, discovering and by being kind to ourself and others, especially during challenging times.
    🙏🏽

    • Spot on Gerhard. We can still do stuff and get along with living but simple precautions can have a big impact on curbing rampant transmission.

  3. Thank you so much Liz & Rebecca.

    How lucky we are to be members of the leading massage association in Australia that continues to take Covid and the health and safety of all its members (and our clients, families and the community at large) as seriously as is necessary based on the evidence, without ever compromising on providing support and inclusivity so we can all continue to “attend” events, connect and continue to learn and grow as therapists.

    • Thank you Jodie. We are incredibly proud to have members like you at the cutting edge of practice.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published / Required fields are marked *