Afrikan-Central social work : the importance of situating people of Afrikan-origin in a relevant social milieu in social work practice

Abstract

Afrikan-Originated people are challenging the appropriateness of the prioritisation of Eurocentric models of social work practice that keep Afrikan-Originated people locked into Eurocentric definitions of distress and wellbeing, whilst neglecting the importance of engaging with the ‘race’, culture, identity, context and histories of Afrikan-Originated people as fundamental aspects of Afrikan wellbeing.  My research challenges Eurocentric models of social work, suggesting that Afrikan-Centredness is the relevant contextual paradigm for responding to the fundamental aspects of wellbeing that better inform appropriate models of helping and healing for Afrikan-Origined people and, from where appropriate models of success should emerge.

My use of Afrikan-Centredness as a paradigm of analysis is supported by my development of the Agwamba model, developed specifically for researching the life stories of seven Afrikan-Origined social work practitioners from their childhood experiences which informed their choice of social work as a career.  Key features of the Agwamba model were specifically designed to support the research.  The Centring Group is a group of Afrikan-Centred professionals who act as a support and validation mechanism aimed at keeping researchers focused on Afrikan-Centred priorities throughout the research.  The principle of ‘consequential-affectiveness’ relates to the long-term responsibilities researchers must have for their research consequences, participants and communities in which their research is situated.  ‘Consequential-affectiveness’ ensures that researchers adopt a live stance in their research.

My research revealed that my research participants shared a range of helping experiences and responses to racism informed by their encounters with racist and oppressive environments, people, and practices.  However, significantly, my research findings also revealed that the need for the research participants to cope with constant racism in their lives inferred on their development of key coping strategies against unremitting racist experiences.  The principles of the Agwamba model encourage all people to examine their own histories in order to adapt my model or create models which better represent their past, present and potential stories.  I end by arguing for the positive benefits of all human potential existing in environments that prioritise pluralistically informed expressions of all human potential as a representation of parallel developments of difference.

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