Transformative learning and justice-oriented practice in a refugee role-emerging occupational therapy placement: perspectives from student, educator and service manager

Purpose Role emerging placements (REPs) develop students’ identity, autonomy and reflective capacity, but less is known about the impact on the setting, including within refugee sector services, which offers potential for occupational justice-focused interventions. The purpose of this study is to explore transformative learning processes within a role-emerging occupational therapy placement in a refugee-sector setting, exploring how the experience impacts students, the long-arm educator and the host organisation manager. Research question: How does a role-emerging occupational therapy placement in a refugee-sector setting facilitate transformative learning among students, educators and host organisations? Design/methodology/approach A qualitative single-case study was conducted in a placement in a refugee setting in Northwest England. Data was gathered through three semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically using (Braun and Clarke’s 2022) six-step framework. Findings were interpreted through Mezirow’s (1991) Transformative Learning Theory. Findings Four themes were generated: adaptability, cultural humility, professional growth and expanded scope of practice. The placement was experienced as mutually beneficial, with transformative impact extending beyond the student to educators and the refugee service. Research limitations/implications REPs in refugee-sector settings can serve as enablers for transformative learning, offering valuable benefits to students, educators and organisations. They provide unique opportunities to explore barriers to occupational participation experienced by people seeking asylum. This research highlights the social responsibility of occupational therapy programmes to provide and support placement opportunities that foster advocacy, empathy and justice-oriented practice. Originality/value The originality of this work lies in its multi-perspective exploration of transformative learning and justice-informed practice within a refugee REP, which remains under-represented in current literature.