This paper reports on the collective ideas of the occupational scientists and therapists who attended the “Refugees – Addressing Key Social Issues” think tank at the Occupational Science Conference held in Hildesheim (2017). Forced migration is recognized as a prevalent issue in today’s society. Forced migrants face many occupational challenges, which are being exacerbated by restrictive migration policies. This paper outlines the discussions held during the think tank and presents an occupational perspective of forced migrants’ needs, followed by a desired vision of what an occupationally just world would look like for forced migrants, and future directions to guide occupation-based social transformation.
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The European Cooperation in Occupational Therapy Research and Occupational Science (ECOTROS) aims to bring together occupational therapists interested in research in order to promote and facilitate international cooperation. In 2005/06, a survey was undertaken to identify the occupational therapists and institutions that were undertaking research in each country in Europe and to discover the topic, range and type of research. Responses to questionnaires were obtained from 113 individuals and information was given about 143 studies being undertaken within 7 countries. The results of the survey state the academic qualifications, work areas and research topics of the participants; the professions of the supervisors; and the sources of the funding.
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Purpose of the Session:Migration studies has seen a growing number of critical authors who over the last decade have participated in reflexive works critiquing the Eurocentric focus of migration studies and how this has historically contributed to problematic theories, categories, and terminologies. These problematic and normative discourses have been perpetuating stereotypical and othering images, ideals and ideologies of migration and integration. With a growing number of publications within Occupational Science on migration and integration, the need for similar exercises of critical reflexivity become increasingly evident. This session aims to stimulate this conversation and explore future possibilities to continue the critical reflexive exercise. Structure and Method of Participant Engagement:The session will begin with a brief introduction to the ongoing discourse analysis which the authors are conducting on articles on migration and integration in Occupational Science and the highlights of the hegemonic and marginal discourses within this field. Participants will then work in groups to explore three questions to stimulate a discussion on critical reflexivity. Within each group, pieces of text will be presented, gathered from the analysis conducted by the authors, to situate the discussion and generate a critical dialogue. Three Discussion Questions:What role has research within Occupational Science played in perpetuating problematic categories in migration and integration in an unproblematic way?What assumptions rest within terms such as migrant, integration and ‘refugees’ which are used regularly within research in Occupational Science? Which theoretical resources could serve to advance the understanding of migration, displacement, and dignifying life?
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Dutch society faces major future challenges putting populations’ health and wellbeing at risk. An ageing population, increase of chronic diseases, multimorbidity and loneliness lead to more complex healthcare demands and needs and costs are increasing rapidly. Urban areas like Amsterdam have to meet specific challenges of a growing and super divers population often with a migration background. The bachelor programs and the relating research groups of social work and occupational therapy at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences innovate their curricula and practice-oriented research by multidisciplinary and cross-domain approaches. Their Centres of Expertise foster interprofessional research and educational innovation on the topics of healthy ageing, participation, daily occupations, positive health, proximity, community connectedness and urban innovation in a social context. By focusing on senior citizens’ lives and by organizing care in peoples own living environment. Together with their networks, this project aims to develop an innovative health promotion program and contribute to the government missions to promote a healthy and inclusive society. Collaboration with stakeholders in practice based on their urgent needs has priority in the context of increasing responsibilities of local governments and communities. Moreover, the government has recently defined social base as being the combination of citizen initiatives, volunteer organizations , caregivers support, professional organizations and support of vulnerable groups. Kraktie Foundations is a community based ethno-cultural organization in south east Amsterdam that seeks to research and expand their informal services to connect with and build with professional care organizations. Their aim coincides with this project proposal: promoting health and wellbeing of senior citizens by combining intervention, participatory research and educational perspectives from social work, occupational therapy and hidden voluntary social work. With a boundary crossing innovation of participatory health research, education and Kraktie’s work in the community we co-create, change and innovate towards sustainable interventions with impact.