Guest Speaker … Michael Curtin (CSU) Michael is an occupational therapist.  He graduated from the University of Queensland in 1983.  After graduating he lived and worked in Toowoomba, Hobart, and Ballarat, primarily with children and young people for a few years.  He moved to Botswana in 1997 to develop occupational therapy services at the two main referral hospitals.  In 1991 he took up an occupational therapy research post at the National Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, England.  This lead onto a position as an occupational therapy lecturer at the University of Southampton, England from 1995 to 2003.  In 2004 Michael returned to Australia to take up a lecturing position at Charles Sturt University.  In 2005 he became course coordinator of the occupational therapy course, a position he still currently holds. He became an Associate Professor in 2011. The School of Community Health has been running this well established paediatric and disability program for fourth year students since 2001.  Originally students worked in interdisciplinary teams with children with disabilities and their carers at orphanages in Vietnam. This programme has now expanded to include similar work in Bangladesh and Nepal.  In collaboration with Australian agencies, following an intensive training programme, students are supervised by experienced CSU staff and by therapy staff  for a five week period of placement. Local volunteers are also involved in the various locations allowing a sharing of skills and opportunities for on-site learning. The programme has expanded to include students in speech therapy as well as occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Language and cultural classes are compulsory prior to placement.  Students are involved with parent/carers as well as the children and appreciate the challenges and experiences as excellent grounding for future employment.