I recently arrived back in Columbus and it is definitely bittersweet to be back on the Eastern Time Zone. I have been so accustomed to Aussie living that I am fully awake and alert at 3 AM and by 6 PM and am ready for my morning tea/ brekky). In fact, when we got to the airport I eagerly went to pull out my Myki Card to “tap on” and take the train to the next terminal. This was my first reality check that I was no longer in the Land Down Under.
This program and the interactions throughout this program have greatly influenced my career goal of becoming a pediatric Occupational Therapist. The agency visits granted me the opportunity to gain knowledge about the socioeconomic impact upon Australian children’s mental, emotional, and social development. I do not have a social work background, so I was unaware of the differences in policies for child welfare and mental health that exist between Australia and the United States. Nevertheless, by learning about the challenges that Aussie children are currently facing with mental health, I was able to learn about youth in a new setting and place, and also view childcare from a different lens.
VACCA was our first agency visit and I cannot imagine having started at any other institution. Their presentation set us up for the remainder of our trip. Every time we entered an Aboriginal facility there was a sign of “acknowledgement of traditional owners” to show respect to the Aboriginal People. In our time at VACCA we learned about the “stolen generation,” where aboriginal children were stolen from their families and brought to other “states” in an effort to remove their dark pigment and rid the “aboriginal” from them gradually. There is now a day of apology that takes place every May to say “sorry” to the Aboriginal People for all that was done to them. I found it fascinating and strikingly similar to the history of the Native Americans within the United States. I respect Australia’s government for putting forth the effort to reconcile with the Aboriginal People because our country has not made any effort to apologize for how our predecessors treated the Native Americans. I love how the focus of Australia has been shifted from the practice of the removal of children based solely on their culture and race to transferring their attention towards child safety and best interests. Being surrounded by various diverse populations has taught me that “culture is a means to heal” and it is important that everyone respects each cultures practices within their families and the community.
My main career goal as a future pediatric occupational therapist is to help kids gain independence while also strengthening the development of fine motor skills, sensory motor skills, and visual motor skills that are necessary for them to function and socialize. I was amazed to learn of all of the resources that the various agencies have available to provide support for youth. In addition, I admire how well the agencies partner with each other to offer the best possible support for their young people.
Being that I am a psychology major, I loved the connections that the “Lighthouse Institute” made when discussing trauma neurobiology. Directors of the agency discussed how children who’ve experienced complex trauma are in a constant state of flight or flight. Because our brains work off of experience, these children have hyperactive amygdala’s that result in the exaggeration of warning signs. This happens because their brains were continuously exposed to threatening environments. The impact of trauma affects all aspects of a young person’s daily life by making him/her deprived of experiences necessary for growth. It is so amazing how different each child’s scenario can be viewed, depending on the expertise of the person who is explaining it. Also, it was quite refreshing to hear about child development from a biological standpoint. The information that I learned at this agency can aid in my facilitation of occupational therapy by broadening my understanding of anatomy and the developing brain. I now know that there may be multiple reasons that a child may be experiencing difficulties with daily living.
My time at all of the agencies really increased my overall mindfulness of childcare and mental health. One agency in particular, “Young& Well Cooperative Research Center” supports youth who are tackling challenges with their mental health. They provide universal support through a series of apps that promote a positive well-being and guide their youth in being safe, healthy, and resilient in the workplace. Young people all around Australia know how to connect with the agencies services if they were to ever feel vulnerable to the stigmas of mental health. Incorporating these innovative ideas into my field will aid in one of my roles as a therapist; to enhance the self-esteem and sense of accomplishment of the children I work with. My favorite app of theirs is named “@ppreciate a Mate.” With this app, young people are able to utilize technology to send kind messages to their friends as a means to promote positive reinforcement. Their program appears to be taking great strides in increasing children’s overall awareness of mental health in Australia, and their services have definitely influenced my life’s work.
It is very clear that Australia has created a culture where it is okay to begin conversations about mental health and talk about traumatic events that may be troubling a person. There are “Beyond Blue” signs everywhere and it appears that Australian’s have an overall increased awareness of what a healthy well-being constitutes. Mental health is a vital part of Occupational Therapy and health care so I am extremely blessed to have learned so much about the topic throughout my study abroad experience.
Other experiences, while, in Australia that made an impact on my goals and me were the weekend adventures that we took to Phillips Island and The Great Ocean Road. Since our trip to the Great Ocean Road, I have definitely grown more observant and appreciative to the smaller things in life. For the first time ever I went glamping! My study abroad experience was full of discoveries and leaping into the unknown. Everyone in our group had different levels of fitness so it was so exciting to watch people push themselves to new limits on our hikes and I really loved how well we encouraged each other to involve ourselves in new experiences. My life goal is to work with children and uplift their spirits in any way possible. I hope to inspire and mentor youth as my peers, professors, and our amazing tour guide Katie did for me.
The greatest lesson that I take away from my trip is that the world is way too beautiful to not explore every inch of it! The memories I’ve made in the Land Down Under are everlasting and I am so thankful to have been blessed with this once in a lifetime opportunity. My study abroad experience was incredible.