Janet Njelesani

Articulating an Occupational Perspective

Within the field of occupational science the term occupational perspective is widely used to guide research. However, when the term is used it is often not defined. To address the need for a common understanding that will enhance clarity and make theoretical understandings explicit, a scoping review of the definitional literature was conducted. It was determined that definitional clarity was necessary. This paper proposes a new definition: an occupational perspective is a way of looking at or thinking about human doing. The proposed definition is based on how the term has been defined within the literature and addresses the gaps in previous definitions.

International fieldwork placements and occupational therapy: Lived experiences of the major stakeholders

INTRODUCTION Occupational therapy students obtain a great deal of their professional preparation and experience through fieldwork placements. Although many occupational therapy students have taken part in international fieldwork placements, there is little research on this topic. As fieldwork placements are an integral part of the education of occupational therapy students, literature on the subject of international fieldwork placements is necessary. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to examine the personal and professional experiences of occupational therapy students, supervisors, and on-site staff who have taken part in an international fieldwork placement. METHODS Qualitative interviews for this phenomenological study were administered with 14 participants who had taken part in an international fieldwork placement in Trinidad and Tobago. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS Three themes emerged: collaborative learning, cultural negotiations and thinking on my own. DISCUSSION Considering fieldwork is a critical component in the occupational therapy curriculum, it is reassuring to uncover that international placements can be of benefit to all stakeholders while achieving its primary goal of preparing students to become competent therapists. All participants developed a greater cultural awareness and appreciation, which is necessary as occupational therapists are increasingly working in diverse settings with diverse client groups. This information can also be used to enhance international fieldwork education as students continue to travel abroad to complete their mandatory fieldwork hours.

Disability and rehabilitation in Tanzania: a review of the literature.

Purpose. This scoping review outlines recently published information available about disability prevalence and management, as well as environmental conditions and the rehabilitation context in the country of Tanzania. The information is presented from diverse sources including research articles, government documents and reports from international development agencies. Method. Documents for this review were located using four search strategies; a search of electronic databases, contact with key informants, a reference list search of articles selected for review and a search of key websites. The documents were classified based on the format and focus of the material, while the information was organised into qualitative themes based upon the research objectives to present a descriptive overview on this topic. Findings. The findings of this study confirmed the lack of information available about the profile of disabilities, with evidence suggesting that disabilities are not satisfactorily managed in Tanzania; however, environmental conditions were found to be well documented. Several environmental supports and barriers for people with disabilities were described. Conclusion. The findings of this review indicate a need to further develop rehabilitation service provisions in Tanzania to improve the management of disabilities.

Towards a Critical Occupational Approach to Research

Critical approaches to research are becoming increasingly more prevalent but occupational science and critical approaches have not been explicitly combined into one approach despite the potential to enrich the understanding of the assumptions and ideologies underlying human activity. In this article we outline an approach to research that is mutually informed by occupational and critical social science perspectives. The critical occupational approach we describe can be used to explore the ways in which knowledge is produced through engagement in occupation, who controls knowledge production, the mechanisms of how occupations are taken up, and who stands to gain or lose. We discuss the implications and considerations for generating research purposes and methods and conducting analyses. We then illustrate the use of the approach through a case study. We conclude this article with consideration of the wider uses and implications of a critical occupational approach within health and social research.

Thinking critically about client-centred practice and occupational possibilities across the life-span

Abstract Background: Client-centred occupational therapy practice is tacitly guided by prevailing social values and beliefs about what are “normal” occupational possibilities. These values and beliefs privilege some occupations and negate others. Aim: This study aims to identify and problematize assumptions regarding the value of approximating normal occupational possibilities, showing how these assumptions influence and may diminish client-centred practice. Methods: Using empirical research examples it demonstrates how occupational therapists and clients are immersed in contexts that shape values and beliefs about what are considered “normal” occupations and how these taken-for-granted values structure occupational therapy practice. Conclusion: Critique of client-centred practice requires conscious reflexivity, interrogating our own and our clients’ predispositions to value some occupations over others. Engaging in critical reflexivity can help therapists develop new perspectives of how client-centred practice can be applied that includes enabling possibilities for occupations that would be missed altogether in the pursuit of “normal’.

International research partnerships in occupational therapy: a Canadian-Zambian case study.

The country of Zambias Sixth National Development Plan includes many objectives related to participation and health that align with values underlying occupational therapy. Given this link, occupational therapy research has the potential to advance the Sixth National Development Plan and thereby enhance the participation and health of Zambians. However, there is neither a school of occupational therapy nor many occupational therapists working in Zambia. Using an example of a global research partnership between Canadian occupational therapy researchers and Zambian researchers, this paper examines the partnership using four criteria for global health research in order to derive lessons for future occupational therapy research partnerships. Implications for future occupational therapy research partnerships include the need for partners to combine their complementary skills and knowledge so that they may collaborate in mutually beneficial ways to address global health challenges and expand the reach of occupational therapy perspectives.

Occupation-for-Development: Expanding the Boundaries of Occupational Science into the International Development Agenda

Janet Njelesani, Deb Cameron & Helene J. Polatajko Since the 1980s, the number of organizations worldwide providing international development programming has risen greatly; the majority of these regard ‘development’ as inherent to their organizational aims (World Bank, 2009). Conceptualizations of international development are highly contested; however, a leading definition refers to development as ‘‘a process of enabling people’s choices and increasing the opportunities available to all members of society’’ (United Nations Development Program, 2002, p. 13). Programs that align with this definition carry out development by helping low and middleincome countries create the necessary capacity needed to provide sustainable solutions to their challenges (International Development Exchange, 2010). Some of the challenges that international development programs are trying to address include poverty, education, environmental, gender equality and health (United Nations, 2010).

Disability and the post-2015 development agenda

Abstract Purpose: The article considers the extent to which disability has been recognized and included in two main documents produced to date as part of the United Nations Post-2015 Development agenda process. This is the process that is defining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will succeed the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after the latter reach their target date in 2015. The two documents examined in the article are the Outcome Document (July 2014) of the Open Working Group (OWG) on SDGs and the Report (August 2014) of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF). The OWG consisted of 30 seats shared by 70 UN Member States and was in charge of proposing goals and targets for the SDGs. The ICESDF worked in parallel to the OWG and its report proposed options on an effective financing strategy. The article emphasizes the importance of including persons with disabilities in the Post-2015 Agenda, especially in view of the latter’s overarching focus on eradicating poverty. Results: The inclusion of persons with disabilities is being recognized in the Post-2015 Agenda discussions as central to achieving sustainable development. Disability has been explicitly mentioned in the OWG and ICESDF documents. Conclusion: Although the results so far have been very good, more work still needs to be done to ensure that these explicit references are maintained in the final version of the SDGs, which will be adopted in September 2015. Furthermore, the new framework needs to have a stronger human rights foundation on which to ground these references and future indicators. Light for the World is an international confederation of national development non-governmental organizations (NGOs) aiming at an inclusive society, where the rights of persons with disabilities are realized without discrimination. Through a rights-based approach, Light for the World supports 175 programs in 25 countries in the areas of prevention of blindness, rehabilitation, inclusive education, awareness raising and advocacy, both at EU and UN level. Light for the World has been advocating for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the Post-2015 Agenda, working closely with the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC), of which it is a member, and the International Disability Alliance (IDA). Implications for Rehabilitation The new Post-2015 development agenda is a fundamental opportunity to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in future development efforts. Inclusive development, as enshrined in the UNCRPD, has clear implications for the disability community and for policy makers. Advocacy from the disability community is critical to help keep the inclusion of persons with disabilities high on the agenda of the Post-2015 process.

A critical occupational approach: offering insights on the sport-for-development playing field

The past 15 years have witnessed a proliferation of sport-for-development organizations mobilizing sport activities as a tool for international development. Along with the growth in programmes, an academic analysis of this phenomenon has emerged. However, this body of research has not included an analysis from a critical occupational perspective. This is a conspicuous shortcoming since sport-for-development initiatives are occupation-based programmes. In this paper, we used a critical occupational approach to explore how programme staff and youth participants speak about and understand the use of sport activities in sport-for-development programmes in Lusaka, Zambia. Our findings illuminate the form, function, and meaning of sports in the programmes. Considering the form, function, and meaning together, given that football – which is heavily gendered and segregated – was constructed as the preferential activity for programmes, non-disabled boys were seen as the primary beneficiaries of the programmes.

Parental perceptions of barriers to physical activity in children with developmental disabilities living in Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract Background: Parents have a strong influence on their child’s engagement in physical activities, especially for children with developmental disabilities, as these children are less likely to initiate physical activity. Knowledge is limited regarding parents’ perceptions of this phenomenon in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); yet many rehabilitation providers work with children with developmental disabilities and their parents in these contexts. Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the barriers perceived by parents of children with developmental disabilities to their children’s engagement in physical activity. Methods: An occupational perspective was used to explore how parents speak about barriers to their child’s engagement in physical activity. Interviews were conducted with nine parents in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Findings: Parent’s perceived barriers were categorized into four themes: family priorities, not an option in our environment, need to match the activity to the child’s ability, and need for specialized supports. Conclusions: Findings provide opportunities for future rehabilitation and community programming in LMICs. Implications for Rehabilitation Children living with a developmental disability may engage more in solitary and sedentary pursuits as a result of parents choosing activities that do not present extensive social and physical demands for their child. Therapists can play an important role in providing knowledge to parents of appropriate physical activity and the benefits of physical activity for children with developmental disabilities in order to promote children’s participation. In environments where there is limited social support for families, therapists need to consider and be particularly supportive of parental priorities and schedules.