What are transitions? Well, we know everyone experiences transitions at different stages of their lives. Whether it’s from student to professional, or even moving from one country to another, transitions form an interesting journey of change, adjustment and settlement.
From the transition from university student to new graduate, from volunteer to practitioner, Tara Watts will discuss transitions from personal and professional experiences. The transition from activism as a citizen to challenging occupational injustices as a professional will also be touched on, along with extensive discussion on her area of work at Diversitat that is embedded in the transitions of asylum seekers and refugees in the Geelong community.
For Tara's OT blog head to http://embracingot.blogspot.com.au/
For recordings and more info on OTVx head to http://www.ot4ot.com/ot24vx-13recordings/
A new graduate OT's experience working with asylum seekers and refugees (OT24Vx 2013)
1. Settling in: A new graduate OT’s
experience working with asylum
seekers and refugees.
Tara Watts
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
Saturday 26 October 2013
OT4OT Virtual Exchange Conference
2. What will be covered?
Understanding transitions
From student to new graduate
My clients – who do I work with?
The potential for OTs
3. My understanding of “transitions”
Transitions are all about change
Self
Location
Situation
This process includes
Discovery
Reflections
Challenges
Settling in
4. From student to new graduate OT
First year university (2009)
Graduation day (2013)
5. Advice for new graduates
(and other OTs)
Be open to new ideas
Be prepared to learn something new every day
Stay true to your values and keep using an
occupational lens
Find a mentor
Find different ways to switch off
from work
Constant reflection and discussions
6. My clients – working with
asylum seekers
Approx. 300 asylum seeker
clients within Diversitat
Community detention
Bridging Visa E
Asylum seeker vs. refugee
7. Who is an asylum seeker?
Amnesty – Rethink
Refugees Campaign
8. The potential for OTs
Social Connections
– encourages a sense of belonging, engagement
and connection to the community for asylum
seekers who are at risk of social isolation.
New Arrival Support
– provides more practical support for refugees
through physical demonstration and visual cues.
9. The potential for OTs
Cultural Kitchen
- a community kitchen designed to promote
social interaction and the cooking of affordable,
nutritious meals
Community Engagement
- engaging asylum seekers in meaningful
occupation through volunteering in the
community
10. The potential for OTs
What do all these programs have in common?
Meaningful occupation
Social participation
Practical support
Doing...being...belonging...
Isn’t this what occupational therapy is all about??
11. Join me!
Join the international OOFRAS
community!
www.oofras.com
Become a part of the movement –
consider working with asylum
seekers or refugees in your
community
Join the Politics4OT Facebook group
For Australian OTs, you can register
your dissent at:
www.oofras.com/Detentionpg22373
12. A final reflection
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of
good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
13. Some interesting reading
Burchett, N. & Matheson, R. (2010). ‘The need for belonging: The
impact of restrictions on working on the well-being of an
asylum seeker.’ Journal of Occupational Science, 17(2).
Gupta, J. (2012). ‘Human displacement, occupational disruptions, and
reintegration: a case study.’ WFOT Bulletin, 66.
Suleman, A. & Whiteford, G. (2013). ‘Understanding Occupational
Transitions in Forced Migration: The Importance of Life Skills in
Early Refugee Resettlement’. Journal of Occupational Science
Smith, H. (2005). ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway: Meeting the
occupational needs of refugees and people seeking asylum.’
British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(10).
Notas del editor
Change...
Still learning but more independence >> I feel I now have a chance to prove what I can do. Which is both incredibly daunting and exciting! I also found that in this transition my role of advocacy has changed too. So while at uni I would be campaigning on the streets for refugee rights, and although I still do that now (seriously you should have heard how loud I was last weekend)...my role of advocacy has also transitioned as I have moved into the new grad world. I now approach advocacy for my clients in a more professional sense – always through education, constant conversations and engagement with people in the community but it’s different now. When I’m advocating at work for my clients or with OOFRAS (Occ.....) I make sure to put my OT hat on...this then frames what I’m saying with an occupational perspective. For example, in campaigns when at uni I would be focussing on injustice and the right to human rights...when I have my OT hat on, I am still arguing the same points but I will be discussing the occupational deprivation that asylum seekers and refugees face...I am also facing the challenges of working in a non-traditional area of OT – with asylum seekers. I can fully see the relevance for OTs in this field however I am constantly faced with “oh, I thought you were an OT” or “why would you be working here then”. These words come from colleagues, and uni friends. So here’s my advice for all new OTs (and anyone working in a new area of OT)...
It all has to do with visa status...their journey here and experiences are very similar.
Doing...being...belonging...isn’t this what OT is all about. Isn’t this a crucial part of the transition process too.
Doing...being...belonging...isn’t this what OT is all about. Isn’t this a crucial part of the transition process too.Community engagement – crying >>> thinking about where they’ve come from, where they will end up >>> the direction of their transition is undetermined and that is incredibly overwhelming and causes insecurity and stress for our clients >>> volunteering gives them the chance to prevent occupational boredom, contribute something positive to the community and ...
All supporting the transition process of the client...
Dissent – “The harm to health, human rights, and humane society caused by occupational deprivation of asylum seekers for ‘deterrence’ is unacceptable.” Add to research...get talking...every action adds up and we can show the world that this is an important area for OTs to be practicing!
And hopefully, something written by myself in the future...