OTnews October 2023 | Page 20

Black History Month

Feature

Setting the scene for my career as an occupational therapist

Emma Da Silva talks about her Guyanese heritage and its impact on her journey as a qualified occupational therapist .

F

or most of us of Caribbean descent , it ’ s very rare that we hear or see anything to do with our culture in the world of occupational therapy , so to read something in an issue of OTnews that was relatable to me and my area of practice was lovely and made me smile .

When I saw the word ‘ Caribbean ’ I knew immediately I had to read the article . It was a short piece about Dr Blaine Robin and his involvement with the Caribbean Network of Occupational Therapists .

My Dad , Pedro , came from Georgetown , Guyana in 1955 and settled in Middlesbrough in the Northeast of England , where he had six children : me being the fifth one . We all grew up with a real knowledge and taste of our Guyanese roots through humour , food , music and all-round vibes .

As you can imagine , there weren ’ t many Guyanese , or other Caribbean people , in Middlesbrough and when I began my occupational therapy journey in 2008 at my local university in Teesside , I was the only student in that cohort who was of Caribbean descent , which at the time I didn ’ t think about , or even question .

When I qualified , in 2011 , as a mature student aged 32 , I had a dream that my three years of study would provide me with the life and salary that I wanted . But I discovered jobs were rare and the starting pay for a Band 5 was just £ 20,000 a year , so I started to look at possible jobs overseas .

I found a job in Dubai that was taking newly qualified OTs with a package that I could only have dreamed of . But I was hesitant , as I had never left my hometown and never left my dad . It was after speaking to him and hearing his words of encouragement that if he could leave his ‘ beautiful jungle ’ and live in England , I could leave also .

I feel that growing up with a dad who was an immigrant in this country and seeing how he created a life away from home and made another home full of love , fun and with a go-getting attitude , has really set the scene for me in my career as an occupational therapist .

It has shown me that I can do and be anything and go beyond my own expectations , and those of others . For example , I always thought OTs were all about raised seats and toilet frames , as that was the basis in most of the placements I entered in my training , but this is not true . When I went to Dubai , I was in a totally different world , personally and professionally .

I learned about sensory integration , learning disabilities and autism and realised that my skills as an OT weren ’ t just for hospital wards with patients ready for discharge , but I could work with people of all ages , in any setting , anywhere .

I left Dubai in 2012 , with two suitcases ( full of the best designer clothes ), but no money to my name , and moved to another destination that wasn ’ t my home – London . It was more daunting than moving to Dubai , as this time I had no real plans of what I was going to do .

I decided to use the skills I had gained in Dubai working with children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) and other neurodiversities . I found a job as a school-based OT in a SEN independent school and took a Saturday job in a sensory clinic in Harley Street . Both of these settings paved the way for me to find my passion and specific area of practice , which is autism .

By 2014 , I built up a client base in Central London and with excitement – and total fear – I decided to start a business to provide intervention for children who were either diagnosed or ‘ appeared ’ to have autism .

Emma da Silva

20 OTnews October 2023