Turning challenges into opportunities: how occupational therapy is contributing to social, health and educational reform

Abstract

This article is based on more than fifteen years experience in working together with occupational therapists in transitional countries on contributing to social reform or addressing socio-economic and health inequalities. A commitment to occupational justice and an appropriate occupational-therapy practice at the community and population level provides direction for occupational therapists in their endeavor for social reform. This is particularly evident in the transitional countries of Europe, such as Romania, Bulgaria and Georgia, where an absolute majority holds social injustice as the main driver of social exclusion processes. In these countries issues of poverty and unemployment of migrants and disabled people cannot be resolved by individual solutions. However since the economic crises vulnerable groups in the whole of Europe are experiencing occupational deprivation and injustice and the focus should therefore be more on addressing the occupational needs, occupational rights and obligations of all citizens. The development of occupation based collective approaches in which all individuals find their place is an essential step towards combating poverty and occupational deprivation and developing the concepts and practices necessary for an inclusive, occupational just community. This has considerable consequences for occupational therapy practice, education and research.