A new you: A collaborative exploration of occupational therapy’s role with refugees

ABSTRACT

Theoretical works in occupational therapy and occupational science have explored the refugee experience through an occupational lens, and explored the potential for occupational therapy in this field. Currently, there exists a lack of literature which includes refugees in these explorations. Recognising the western-bias present within occupational therapy, it is important that refugees are part of a co-produced response. This article presents findings of a workshop held in the Netherlands, where four co-authors with a refugee background and one occupational therapist explored the definition of occupational therapy, the role it could have with refugees, and what is required from the profession to take on this role. Reflections suggest that occupational therapy has the potential to be a connector, matchmaker and translator, working towards societal participation. To do this, occupational therapists must critically reflect on assumptions embedded in occupational therapy, and must be aware of how structural systems influence participation of refugees.

KEYWORDS:

• Displaced persons
• refugees
• critical perspectives
• co-production
• participatory research
• societal participation
• occupational therapy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Recognizing the complexity in terminology in human migration this article adopts the term refugees. This term was utilized by my co-authors as an all-encompassing term which includes individuals still in the process of applying for asylum, those who have refugee status, and those who are citizens of a country which they at one point came to as a refugee. The authors would like to state that this is not meant to homogenize a group which embodies a large range of diversity in individuals and sub-groups, and that this complexity needs to be acknowledged when working in this field.