Occupational therapy students are too young to

empower clients in participatory citizenship

Rianne Jansens & Jet Lancée

Zuyd University of Applied Sciences Heerlen

Occupational Therapy Department

ENOTHE 2013:

Citizenship: exploring the contribution of Occupational Therapy

Empowering participatory citizenship, still relevant?

• Paradigm change from a medical reductionistic model to social and learning model

• Importance of client’s wishes and values, the social and physical environment was incorporated in MOHO

• ICIDH II ---- ICF

• Attention to client-centred practice

• Enabling social change through focus on social injustice and political reasoning

• Guiding Principles on Diversity and Culture

1980

2009

Yes, still relevant

Some current societal issues in Europe and elsewhere

- Globalisation, multicultural society

- Demographical changes

- Financial and economoical crises

- In different countries nationalistic movements, political right wing parties are in favourite

- Pressure on health care and welfare (financially, change of roles and responsabilities)

- Movement of a state who cares for citizens to a start where participation becomes the core business

- The importance of safety policies. With consequence of increasing control measures

- The need for more social cohesion

…etc.

Changes in society are affecting peoples’ health and well being,

the accessibility to health care and welfare, education and employment,

the quality of life

Importance of OT enabling participation

OT has a role to play

Evolution of of the

profession

Particpation and relation with well-

being/heath

Code of ethics,

statements of WFOT

OT students should be able to

• To build partnerships with different social actors

• Having knowledge of social institutions and their

procedures

• Understanding the way of being, the meaning of

occupations and what social participation means

for the client(group) (Fransen et al., 2013 p. 2)

Communication* skills, competences on diversity

and cultural, enabling skills,…

OT students at Zuyd

Big transformation from OT student to OT professional who can enable social participation/participatory citizenship.

Academic year 2013-2014, Dutch program

-149 students, 26% male and 74% female

- 84% Dutch nationality, 12% German, 4% others

- youngest student 16;5y – oldest student 43;7y

- large group: 5 year of highschool, general

theoretical background

What’s the problem?

Cultural competences hard to achieve (Forwell et al., 2001, Yeun et al., 1999,

Fitzgerald, 2004, Murden et al, 2008, Whiteford & Wright St. Clair, 2002)

Critical thinking, the highest level is neccessary to become a cultural competent professional. (Whiteman & Velde 2002)

Compentences on Diversity and Culture are complex and can be achieved by students to a certain level (Stomph, 2010)

Interest en knowledge in societal issues are limited.

What to do?

Step by step, starting with awareness for societal issues and

stimulating an open mind

Challenges for OT education:

• Creating curiosity for others

• Raising awareness for the diversity of context of clients

• Stimulating interest in events, politics, societal issues

• Improving questioning, relfecting, critical thinking

• Using educational attractive approach

• Stimulating students to think and look

with OT glasses

Project about assessment for fall prevention for frail eldery living at home

Reading an article from a news paper about the aging population and

the consequences for society

what can it mean for the participation of client(group)?

what can it mean for OT services?

how do you judge quality of a news paper article?

Stories on video of elderly people about theire life and socetal issues

(by students with fieldwork practice)

Analysis of the occupational performances with MOHO will be extended with

the meso and macro levels issues for this group. Talking about experiences

of grandparents

Discussion of the core values of occupational therapy related to

the project

Theoretical course about quality of care

- Face to face talk: personal opinion about concept of quality

- Lecturer about politics and the influence on people’s

daily life

- Stimulating students to raise questions

about relationships (cooperative, conflict)

- Debate on quality of care in the current

Dutch context

OT services for homeless people in Germany

• Inspired about the concept of occupational injustice

• Research project on meaningfull activities for homeless people in Aachen

• Being fascinated, wanted to share their experiences and knowledge, drawing attention for this group e.g. discussions, flashmob,…etc.

Look what’s going on!

Goal: stimulating students to look “outside”

Plan: a group of students with two teachers develop

some interesting actions about sociological processes

and sociogeographiical topics.

What does it mean for client (groups) and for Ot

services?

What have learned from these initiatives so far ?

• Implementing new initiatives together with students

• Innovating the content and didactical approach

• Relating new information, events, discussions to possible personal experiences

• Disseminating the best practices step by step and use a systematic approach e.g., PDCA clycle

• Integrating the attitude/skills/knowledge in other modules

• All lecturers of the module should be involved

Conclusion

• Too young or just young?

• Participatory citizenship is primarily a learnt activity (Fransen et al., 2013 p.2)

for the client(group)

and for students

Thank you for your attention

Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Heerlen the Netherlands

Occupational Therapy Department

Rianne Jansens rianne.jansens@zuyd.nl

Jet Lancée jet.lancee@zuyd.nl

References • Fitzgerald, M. (2004). A dialogue on occupational therapy, culture and families. AJOT 58 (2): 489-

498

• Forwell, S.J., Whiteford, G, Dyck, I. (2001) Cultural competence in New Zealand and Canada: Occupational Therapy students’ reflections on class and fieldwork curriculum. CJOT 68(2): 90-103

• Franssen, H., Kkantartzis, S., Pollard, N. Moldes, I.V. (2013) Citizenship: exploring the contribution of occupational therapy. Preparation paper for ENOTH 2013. Retrieved from www. enothe. eu at Mai 1, 2013

• Kinébanian, A., & Stomph, M. (2009). Guiding Principles on diversity and culture.: World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

• Murden, R. Nroman, A. Ross, J. Sturdivant, E. Kedia, M. Shah, S. (2008) Occupational therapy students’percpetions of their cultural awareness and competency. Otint 15(3): 191-203

• Piskur, B. (2012) Social participation: Redesign of education, research, and practice in occupational therapy. SJOT: Oct 2012: 1-7

• Townsend, E. (Ed.). (2002). Enabling Occupation: an occupation therapy perspective. Ottawa: CAOT publications.

• Townsend, E. A., & Polatajko, H. P. (Eds.). (2007). Enabling Occupation II: Advancing an occupational therapy vision for health, well-being & justice through occupation: CAOT Publication ACE.

• Whiteford, G., & Wright-St Clair, V. (Eds.). (2005). Occupation and practice in context. Marrickville, Australia: Churchill Livingstone.

• Whiteford, G. & Wright St. Claire, V. (2002) Being prepared for diversity in practice: Occupational therapy students’ perceptions of valuable intercultural learning experiences. BJOT 65(3): 129-137

• Wittman, P.& Velde B.P. (2002) Attaining cultural competence, critical thinking and intellectual development: A challenge for occupational therapists. AJOT 56(4): 454-456

• Yeun, H.K. & Yau, M.K. (1999) Cross-cultural awareness and occupational therapy education. OTint 6(1): 24-34