Afrocentric Approaches to Working with Immigrant Communities

Ndungi Wa Mungai

doi:10.13189/ijrh.2013.010108

Abstract

In this paper I present a case for using an Afrocentric approach in community development work with young African diaspora communities. The challenge faced by social work and community development in working with such immigrant groups is that the dominant individualistic-based theoretical approaches do not work effectively for people from communities with collective understanding of themselves. An Afrocentric approach means that the Africans see themselves as agents, actors, and participants in determining their destiny rather than as marginals in the Community Development workers’ designs based on Eurocentric theories. Equally applicable is the Ubuntu philosophy that is also based on African cultures, emphasises that our human destiny is both as a collective as well as individuals. This approach helps to understand the importance of families and the relatives for diaspora communities. It also helps to explain the problems encountered by such communities. There are lessons to learn about working with non-Western communities from a community development perspective and reclaiming community development for communities as well in the 21st century.

Highlights

With the exception of the Indigenous people, Australia’s history is a story of migration beginning in 1788 when the First Fleet of ships carrying convicts from England arrived to establish a colony
Australia has refugee resettlement programs for people who arrive in Australia and request asylum (‘onshore’) and resettlement for people selected from overseas (‘offshore’) and both are collectively known as the Humanitarian Program
Community development offers a holistic alternative to this dehumanisation

Summary

Introduction

With the exception of the Indigenous people, Australia’s history is a story of migration beginning in 1788 when the First Fleet of ships carrying convicts from England arrived to establish a colony. Migration has helped to establish many different ethnic communities in Australia as it is happening in other parts like Europe and North America. While the cultures and institutions tracing their origin to Britain and Europe generally predominate, other cultures are evident and Australia proclaims itself to be a multicultural country (DIAC, 2012) Multiculturalism means that both unity and diversity are valued and accepted and Australia no longer insists that new communities have to be assimilated into the dominant Anglo-Australian cultures. Babacan (2003) notes that community development helps people identify their needs, obtain resources, and take control of their lives From this approach decision-making power is shared, people are involved at grassroots and participatory democracy-organising principles are promoted. For migrant children and adolescents, the challenge is whether to retain their ethnic culture, adopt the new dominant one or form an amalgam of the two

Sudanese People’s Liberation Army

A Shared History as Lost Boys

Findings

Conclusion