Our Team Stories
Crissy's Story
Coming from a diverse cultural background, and having personally experienced the highs and lows of discovering one's 'cultural identity', has always been a source of empowerment in my everyday life and OT practice - I mean it's pretty hard work trying to figure out who to barrack for in the cricket (Sri Lanka or Australia?!?!) My adventure started when my parents decided to leave tropical Sri Lanka in the seventies to start a family in Germany where I was born. At the age of 6 we moved to New Zealand, and then at the age of 11 we moved to Brisbane - all in the hopes of 'finding a better life'. Of course the adventures of migrating from country to country did come with their hardships...different language, social and cultural norms, differing role expectations, school and work changes - just to name a few. Now if we only had an OT to help us out...
We all have our reasons why we are attracted to the OT profession. For me it's knowing that once you understand the fundamental philosophy of our practice, you realise we have the capacity to work with, and empower, anyone who feels they are unable to do what they want to do. And this may be due to physical, environmental, emotional or mental barriers.
My involvement in OOFRAS stemmed from a project I was involved in at university that explored the role of OT with newly arrived refugees - an area of practice that I never knew existed, yet is screaming for our involvement! My own personal experiences and the lived experiences of many refugees and asylum seekers has given me greater insight into the significant role OT can play, and the potential catalytic effect OOFRAS can have.
Currently I am working in a 20-bed rehabilitation facility for individuals with chronic mental illness. My role is diverse, and I work within a multidisciplinary team that aims to assist these individuals with the transition into community living, and engagement in meaningful activity.
Sally's Story
Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to speak with a number of migrants and refugees. On hearing the stories of others, I have gained an understanding of positive and challenging experiences people face on resettlement. Having travelled a lot in my own life, I am certainly familiar with encountering new cultural environments. I went to seven different schools all over Australia as a child, participated in a high school exchange program overseas, and backpacked around Europe while at University.
Since becoming an OT, I can look at the experiences of refugees through "occupational eyes". I see that while trying to adjust to another environment has obvious implications on one's life roles, there are numerous other factors that can affect a refugee's occupational well-being. I feel that we are obliged as a profession to think about and act towards addressing these issues.
Jess's Story
Hi all! My name is Jess and as a keen member of the OOFRAS coordination team I would love to tell you a little bit about myself and share my personal journey of how I became enmeshed in this fantastic occupationally driven opportunity.
Since growing up in rural South Eastern Queensland Australia, and living and learning with people from all walks of life I have developed a keen interest in the cultural aspects of my surroundings. Most likely inspired by my early fund-raising days in my local church and country school groups I have also developed an interest in social justice issues including advocating and supporting under-privileged groups.
In more recent years, having always had an appreciation for the diversity of Australia’s cultural society, I have wanted to learn more about the rich and colourful culture of Australia’s indigenous people. Fortunately I was able to pursue this interest. In my final two years of study I was given the opportunity to conduct an honours research project looking at the benefits of occupational therapy with Australian Urban Indigenous children. This project involved formally evaluating an occupational therapy school skills program at an urban indigenous school located in Brisbane, Australia. This opportunity not only provided me with many valuable learning experiences in research and indigenous cultural studies but also inspired me to look further into the potential of occupational therapy in advocating and supporting not only individuals, but also groups of people disadvantaged through discrimination or inequality.
In my final year studying occupational therapy, I was again provided with the opportunity to explore my cultural and social interests, anchored in my other driving passion; occupational therapy. Working alongside a group of crazily passionate OT students, and OT supervisor, I worked on a semester long project which looked into exploring the potential of occupational therapy with refugees and asylum seekers. This project was a launching pad for me and with the guidance, direction and shared passion of my supervisor and fellow group members I was given the inspiration, motivation, and final nudge to get to where I am now with OOFRAS. Need I say more…
Clarissa's Story
A five month stint in India stirred my desire to see OT "outside the box", crossing cultures and standard job descriptions. Delving into occupational science ignited my passion for the healing and health promoting power of occupation. The OTION website captured my imagination for the potential for occupational justice. My first job in high secure forensics sparked my interest in occupational deprivation.
Gail Whiteford's paper at the 22nd OT AUSTRALIA conference confronted me with the reality of the grotesque occupational deprivation experienced by detained asylum seekers. So my interests merged whilst seeing refugees as occupational beings with stark occupational needs that OTs are well placed to support. Without really knowing much more than that, OOFRAS was born. Three years down the track, our mission has been affrimed by OTs and non-OTs alike. So it's my pleasure to play a part helping OT flourish in the refugee sector.
Linda's Story
So where did this journey start? I now find myself passionate about anything OOFRAS, politically engaged, and also working with migrants and refugees settling in Brisbane (yes my home town!!) and I would call this constellation of work, occupational fullfillment for me. I assist refugees to overcome barriers to finding meaningful sustainable work and am able to meet amazing people from all corners of the globe South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, without leaving my desk chair!! (fab alternative to travel!) . . each individual bringing such diverse meaning and drive to the search of meaningful work occupation - it is fascinating. OOFRAS was there to provide a space to begin this journey - a space to have permission to and of course to have fun doing it! I passionately believe our time is our most valuable resource, and to be able to spend my time in such meaningful and community orientated work roles is truely a privilege.
My background is that I spent 5 years working as an OT in mental health where constantly day to day I was confronted with people trying to align meaning and purpose to their lives. I travelled recently over to Ireland in 2005 for a one year working holiday and worked in psychiatric instituions. For some reason I was drawn to Ireland and although I didnt know it at the time, I really believe now that it was perhaps an unconscious attempt to explore my ancestory roots. Living and working in a foreign culture (although still able to speak my own language) was a surprisingly difficult and isolating experience. Although I had uprooted to set up a new life in other parts of Australia, this experience did not compare to the challenge of setting up a new life on other side of the world where I didnt really know anyone and the subtleties of the way people interacted was so different! So after this experience, I came home again where I was able to deeply treasure the history I had with the people and place. I was also able to connect with an old Uni buddy of mine Clarissa - I had heard on the grapevine that she was doing some cool OT outside the box stuff! After having an inspiring cup of tea at her place and hearing her story I knew I had found a place for my ideas to grow. If it was so hard for me relocating in Ireland imagine the disconnection of someone coming to Australia from Ghana, where the language and culture were vastly different? I was yearning to have my place in welcoming them to this country and helping them to find their own sense of place however I could. How could OT's help? SO after spending about a year exploring ideas in the OOFRAS space, time came for me to move on from the mental health area and apply for the job at the Multicultural Development Association as an Employment Officer. I really believe that what got me the job was last minute reading and notetaking from Crissy, Sal and Jess's Action Learning project - - OOFRAS synergy!! See the project for yourself on this website!
A refugee really is just an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstance. It could be any of us. And always when you take away cultural difference you find plain old humanity. With OOFRAS, I have always enjoyed the big picture thinking, the what if?, the so 'how does this idea fit with that'; what is possible ??? and OOFRAS has given a true space to be creative and journey to occupational fullfillment which i believe is not only the benefit of my own well being but of my family, my friends, clients, wider community, strangers on the bus and, of course, the OT profession.
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