Charitable Trust

Supporting the advancement of physiotherapy education and research:

 

Nature and role of the CSP Charitable Trust

The CSP Charitable Trust was established in 1980 as an independent charitable organisation whose core aim is to support the advancement of education and research in subjects relevant to the practice of physiotherapy.

The trust allocates awards annually to physiotherapy students, physiotherapy assistants and chartered physiotherapists who are members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

In 2004 alone, the trust allocated nearly £200,000 to CSP members which provided funding for nine research projects managed by both novice and experienced researchers and one hundred and forty seven individual applications for professional development activities.

Who supports the CSP Charitable Trust?

An annual donation from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is complemented by occasional bequests and legacies (link to legacies and bequests section) from members, member groups and external organisations. The value and benefit of this support is clear to see in the comments from successful recipients.

Previous member and external bequests are supporting current CSP members on academically accredited courses in rehabilitation, manipulation and neurology and providing student physiotherapists with financial assistance on overseas elective placements. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy donation supports an even wider number of programmes and activities.

How are trust monies allocated?

The Charitable Trust authorises three independent CSP committees to oversee the allocation of awards.

The Scientific Panel

Oversees allocation of annual funding for research projects to novice and experienced researchers, annual awards for student research abstracts and a four-yearly award to support presentations at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy.

The Educational Awards Panel

Oversees allocation of annual funding for a range of education and research activities (courses, presentations, study visits) to physiotherapy assistants and qualified physiotherapists.

The Joe Jeans Memorial Fund Panel

Oversees allocation of funding to students wishing to develop expertise and understanding of physiotherapy practice on overseas elective placements. All of the panels follow a robust process of application review and approval and panel members are experts in the fields of clinical practice, education and research. They are selected from the CSP membership and appropriate external organisations.

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Who can apply for CSP Charitable Trust funding?

The following groups of members can apply for awards specific to their category. Depending on the nature of the award, applications can be made by individuals and groups.
  • Student members
    • Presentation at CSP Congress
    • Overseas elective placements
  • Associate members
    • Nationally recognised, academically accredited courses e.g. N/SVQ, BTEC, Open University, ITEC, Foundation degree awards)
  • Qualified members
    • Research projects of relevance to the physiotherapy profession
    • Academically accredited courses e.g. postgraduate modules, Masters and Research degrees
    • Dissemination of research at national and international conferences
    • Study visits to international physiotherapy centres of excellence
    • Large scale developmental projects of benefit to the advancement of the physiotherapy profession.

Full listings of the individual CSP Charitable Trust awards relevant to CSP members are given in the table below:

Member type Name of fund Nature of fund Application deadline(s) Further information
Student Joe Jeans memorial fund funding to support overseas student electives 1 March
1 October 		CSP student section
  Robin Piercy Fund prize for top student abstracts at CSP Congress abstract submission deadline end of March  
Associate CSP Charitable Trust Fund funding for academically accredited courses 1 March
1 June
1 Ocotober
1 December 		CPD section
Qualified Physiotherapy Research Foundation funding for research projects 1 September PRF page
  CSP Charitable Trust Fund funding for academically accredited courses 1 March
1 October 		CPD section
  International Lecture Fund Funding for presentations at overseas conferences 1 March
1 October 		CSP publication Fund 07
  UK Presentation Fund Funding for presentations at UK conferences 1 March
1 October 		CSP publication Fund 08
  Robert Williams Award Funding for presentations at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy 9 October 2006 Application form and guidance notes
  Baroness Robson Travel Scholarship Funding for physiotherapy study visits 1 March CSP publication Fund 02
  CSP Charitable Trust Fund Funding for developmental projects   Currently unavailable
  International Development Award Supporting overseas education and development projects 1 March
1 October 		CSP publication record
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Comments from members funded by the CSP Charitable Trust

The Baroness Robson Travel scholarship supports qualified members undertaking study visits to physiotherapy centres of excellence overseas. A member recently funded by this CSP Charitable Trust award to attend a summer school Course in Conversation Analysis (a social science methodology used to analyse human communication and behaviour) at the Advanced Studies Institute of the University of California Los Angeles in July 2005 commented she had:

"an absolutely marvelous experience, very hard work, but very rewarding. My current work involves using conversation analysis to look at how patients and physiotherapists communicate with one another about why particular treatment activities are recommended or proposed, and at patient involvement in communication during physiotherapy sessions. Both my research skills and confidence have had a big boost. I am looking forward to putting what I have learned into practice, and to keeping in touch with fellow students, particularly one who is a speech and language therapist researcher in London."

 

A member supported by the Charitable Trust's International Lecture fund to present at the 9th International Congress of Surgery of the Shoulder and 1st International Congress of Shoulder therapists in Washington DC in May 2004 commented:

"My trip was a highly rewarding experience. I was able to expand my presentation skills by giving my first peer-reviewed paper to a hall of 500 shoulder surgeons; an experience I am unlikely to forget! I was able to raise the profile of physiotherapy by giving a paper at such a respected conference and I was able to network extensively, building close links with physiotherapists and surgeons from around the world. Many thanks to the CSP Charitable Trust."

 

The CSP Charitable Trust funds a range of assistant courses. A recent recipient of an award for the BTEC Professional Development award for assistants commented "The course has enhanced my competence and I am more willing to undertake a rotational post now. I hope to carry on with further education as the course has encouraged me to aim higher and to achieve my full potential".

A student who received the CSP Charitable Trust Joe Jeans Memorial Scholarship used it to part fund an overseas placement in a respiratory unit in a hospital in Cape Town, South Africa in summer 2004. She commented that her experience improved not only her clinical skills but also:

"gave me greater confidence in myself and my abilities and helped me to see the great need for physiotherapists all over the world giving me a greater passion for it."

 

A qualified physiotherapist funded by the Charitable Trust to undertake a masters level module found the course helped her to develop on both a personal and professional level, ensuring she now utilises up to date research and treatment to ensure best practice. As well as improving her clinical knowledge, she feels she is now much better at communicating with patients and colleagues alike.

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