Caribbean perspective of occupational needs in the education and training of occupational therapists

The aim of this poster presentation is to provide a theoretical and practice resource for students and newly qualified Occupational Therapists about the occupational needs of Caribbean people. Caribbean’s have made significant contributions, as legacy, to the progress of places outside the Caribbean region often understated outside the media’s contemporary stereotype of Caribbean people (Robin,2014). These are celebrated stereotypes including those participating in occupations such as musicians, athletes and footballers (Brannen et al 2016). They arrived from the Caribbean, as British subjects, after world war two. Much of their contributions (e.g. work ethic, iconic dress, culture, dialect and humour) has  been assimilated into the mainstream and as a result have now been forgotten (Pollard, 2016).  For Caribbean people the social cornerstone of their occupational identity is the immediate and extended family network. They provide motivational words of encouragement for safety against the backdrop of societal problems (such as race, racism, and race inequality). The transmission of Caribbean values is now blended with the host country thanks to the friendships, relationships and meaningful occupations that form a contemporary occupational identity as a catalyst towards fulfilling their occupational potential.