After completing his training as an occupational therapist Stephen Illingworth began work at a rehabilitation school in Gwalior. Below is his story...
I trained to become an occupational therapist when I was 27. I had been working in media sales in London earning a good salary but didn't find the work fulfilling and could not see myself staying in the industry permanently.
I became interested in occupational therapy while working for the Naidex exhibition, which is aimed at OT's, people with a disability and those working in the trade, and I was lucky to be able to take advantage of the NHS bursary scheme to do my training, otherwise it would have been impossible to support myself.
After my degree I accepted a temporary voluntary position in India, I decided to do this because I have always loved to travel, I wanted to challenge myself in a different culture, to live an alternate way of life and to give something back to a country I love. It was also an opportunity to work in paediatrics. Roshni fitted the bill.
Roshni is a lovingly constructed school providing rehabilitation, education and vocational workshops for persons aged one and above (the oldest student is 58) with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), cerebral palsy and other learning difficulties.
Roshni enrols students from the poorest areas of Gwalior, some students and their families share a one room home with no water or electricity. The school is underfunded, reliant on donations and support from the local ashram. There is limited budget for qualified staff and resources.
The Indian attitude to disability is changing. 25 years ago people with disabilities were seen as social outcasts. But now disabled children are now entitled to an education and are gradually being accepted in society, although full-time employment is still rare.
In my first two weeks as a qualified occupational therapist at Roshni I was trapped in school by a cow, forced to dive into oncoming traffic to avoid a group of fighting donkeys, and handed the toughest case load of patients I could have imagined.
My first patient was visually impaired, had severe learning disabilities, no functional control of her hands and partial hearing. I was given limited notes in Hindi when we met. This is the norm not the exception.
The children I have been working with usually have limited fine motor skills, difficulties with gross motor control and poor social skills as well as the more severe symptoms found in ASD and cerebral palsy.
Children from poor families have limited access to healthcare and are left behind. Their development is delayed.
Roshni are attempting to help change this, there is an early intervention group which children as young as one with a developmental delay attend for regular OT and physiotherapy.
With a child with autism I have found that my first challenge is to create a calm, clutter free atmosphere without distraction.
Currently at Roshni autistic children have therapy sessions in rooms with other people and gadgets and have their senses bombarded. This is due to a lack of space, budget and, in part, a lack of understanding about managing the condition amongst staff.
Being in India will develop my leadership skills, and my problem solving skills, and help me gain experience introducing initiatives and implementing ideas.
I have far more responsibility and scope for practice then I could possibly hope for in a band five post and have an opportunity to help design and define a service – as well as gaining experience working without few resources and very little budget.
Job opportunities working with this client group are limited within the UK, so it is helping me gain inuvaluable experience, as well ashelping further develop my non-verbal communication skills.
After Roshni I hope to work with young people: in learning difficulties, mental health or another area. My experiences here and the challenges that I will have faced will hopefully make me a better OT for future employment at home or abroad, and I have accepted a position to work in the USA from October 2013.
Roshni is an organised chaos with people working hard in difficult circumstances to give children and young adults an education, social skills, functional ability, self esteem and a chance of independence. If I can make any difference it will be an achievement, I have four months to make that happen.
(Source: guardian.co.uk)
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