Building strength and confidence through rehabilitation in the Cook Islands

For physiotherapist Naomi O’Connell, volunteering in the Cook Islands through Volunteer Service Abroad Te Tūao Tāwāhi (VSA) became an experience that combined professional growth with meaningful community impact. After over nine years of specialising in neuro-rehabilitation, she was ready for a new challenge. That was when she saw an opening for a Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Trainer in Rarotonga, and feeling that it was the right time, she applied.

Alongside her partner Solomon, who is also a physiotherapist, Naomi started her three-month volunteer assignment with VSA and joined Te Vaerua Community Rehabilitation Service – a small but dedicated organisation supporting people with mobility challenges across the islands. Together, they delivered exercise classes for older adults and supported home-based rehabilitation. “We have different skillsets within Physiotherapy, and between us we were able to offer more skills and achieve more tasks than if had we completed the assignment alone,” she says. In addition to in-person rehabilitation, the couple also contributed weekly to a radio show providing education and health promotion on different health topics that reached communities in the Pa Enua (outer islands), who otherwise had rare access to any therapists.

A major focus of the placement was building local capability. Drawing on her neuro-rehabilitation experience, Naomi developed and delivered a series of training sessions on stroke recovery and movement retraining, followed by joint therapy sessions to reinforce learning. This practical, hands-on approach gave team members new tools and greater confidence to support clients independently, contributing to long-term benefits.

One of the exercise classes that Naomi and Solomon participated in twice a week

Naomi’s assignment also extended beyond clinical practice. Working with local NGO Kōrero O Te Ōrau and the Cook Islands Ministry of Education, she and Solomon helped promote allied-health careers to secondary students through the setup of a stall at the careers expo day in Rarotonga. Through classroom sessions and the new stall at the careers expo, the team introduced physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy as new career paths for young Cook Islanders with the hope that there will be an increase in domestic physiotherapists on the island and less reliance on support from overseas physiotherapists – an important step towards building a stronger local workforce.

Adapting to a new culture and pace of life brought some challenges but also valuable lessons in practising patience and collaboration. “On the surface it may appear easy, as English is widely spoken in the Cook Islands, however there are nuances and non verbal cues that I was not used to,” she reflects. However, the warm support of the Te Vaerua team and VSA’s staff in Rarotonga made it easier to integrate and contribute meaningfully to the community within a short timeframe. “With a little patience and perseverance it became a lot easier, and it enabled me to build rapport and a strong relationship with my teammates,” Naomi says. “Everything takes time and it really taught me the art of patience!”

The team at Te Vaerua

By the end of the three-month placement, both Naomi and Solomon had not only shared their expertise but also gained a deeper understanding of how local values, resourcefulness and community spirit shape healthcare delivery in the Pacific. Their experience reflects the heart of VSA’s mission – connecting people, transforming lives, and fostering sustainable change through partnership. When reflecting on volunteering, Naomi’s advice is “it is not easy, but if the time feels right to do it, and you are in the right headspace, then absolutely do it!”