Study Overseas - An Australian Government Initiative

Study Overseas - An Australian Government Initiative

Content area

Hayden Long - China

Name: Hayden Long

Overseas placement: Shanghai Ai Children’s Rehabilitation Centre, Shanghai, China June-July 2005

Enrolled institution and course of study: Curtin University of Technology, Bachelor of Science (Occupational Therapy).

Year graduated – 2005

Go Global: Curtin Health ‘…chainging worlds, changing lives… program (Previoulsy know as OT Abroad)

The Experience

As a group of 5 Occupational Therapy (OT) students and 1 supervisor, we initially spent a few days in Hong Kong, where we had the opportunity to visit the Occupational Therapy department at Hong Kong Polytechnic University; The Hong Kong Spastic Association Elaine Field School for children with disabilities, and an inimitable group of elderly men and women who got together to sing karaoke to improve their speech after experiencing stroke at the Community Rehabilitation Network.

The remaining 3 and a half weeks of the placement were spent in Shanghai, at the Shanghai BoAi Children’s Rehabilitation Centre. The Centre operates as a school for children with cerebral palsy, combining education-based outcomes with physical activities, such as passive muscle stretching and muscle strengthening exercises, all within a conductive education framework.

As a group of students, we decided to focus on adapting the environment and activities, to introduce functional therapeutic goals and enhance meaning, to the often monotonous and uncomfortable passive stretching and strengthening exercises. This proved challenging given the limited range of resources (compared to those in Australia) available to us at the Centre (Disability is not a well-funded area in China). We were also able to demonstrate many of the changes and adaptations we made, to the wonderful staff, who were more than willing to (sometimes immediately) follow up on our recommendations.

Personal Development

One of the largest barriers faced whilst on placement at the BoAi centre, was of course the communication barrier. Whilst all of us completed an express Mandarin course prior to the placement, we were more often than not, required to develop and use our non-verbal skills to effectively communicate with the children and the staff supporting them.

Another skill I developed whilst on placement in Shanghai, came about due to the limited resources available on site. As such, it was necessary to be extremely creative and use these limited resources to provide an effective therapy service. Both of the above skills I developed whilst in Shanghai, have proved to be key components of my service delivery as a community paediatric Occupational Therapist, which I am now employed as.

Lastly, an overseas fieldwork placement is a fantastic cultural and professional experience, with an opportunity to learn and develop unique skills that will benefit any allied health student who is willing to immerse themselves in the culture and challenges faced daily.

Note: The Go Global: Curtin Health program is an international service learning initiative for students in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Long term relationships with four host sites across India, China, South Africa and Ukraine allow students to participate in a sustained work integrated learning experience that fuses cultural exposure, clinical experience and interdisciplinary learning while fulfilling the Curtin University mission of serving the wider region. The learning experience focuses on the common professional skills across the diversity of health sciences students while matching professional clinician skill sets with the needs of the host sits from a development perspective.

For further information on the Go Global Program please contact:

Trevor Goddard
Director of International Relations
School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U1987
PERTH WA 6845
Ph +61 8 9266 3651
t.goddard@curtin.edu.au

Site and legal information