An outsider may not know the African values and practices. One of them is respect for the senior members of society. Africans believe that older adults, especially men, should be held in high regard since they are wise; they understand the world better than young people. Africans also have myths and legends that explain their history. Older people teach these lessons to the children. Besides, Africans abhor laziness and link it to poverty. However, hard work is appreciated and, at times, rewarded in the form of material wealth and the number of wives. Also, Africans believe in polygamous marriages and nuclear families. A large number of family members are perceived as a source of cheap labor supply.
Explain the information a social worker would need to know about your culture in order to effectively assist your family in the face of a pressing issue
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
A social worker needs to know the values and principles of Africans. For example, a social worker should know that Africans are religious, and thus, they should respect their beliefs whenever they interact with them. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) code dictates that social workers should have specialized knowledge and understanding that includes the history, myths, traditions, beliefs, and family structure of a given community ( Alvarez-Hernandez & Choi, 2017 ). When addressing a pressing issue in an African family, the social worker should consider the values such as respect for older adults, worldview, religious practices, and tone of their language. In most African communities, the husband has control over the household and thus, harsh criticism of their leadership strategies may result in conflict. In most African societies, disputes are resolved through the intervention of older male adults.
Identify in detail the potential consequences if a social work lacks of cultural awareness related to the client(s) they serve
However, a lack of awareness of the community’s values can result in increased conflicts. A social worker who may fail to learn about a given culture may rely on their biases, generalize the situation, and apply stereotypic decisions ( Alvarez-Hernandez & Choi, 2017 ). As a result, the clients may find the intervention as offensive. This issue may strain the relationship between the social worker and the involved parties.
References
Alvarez-Hernandez, L. R., & Choi, Y. J. (2017). Reconceptualizing culture in social work practice and education: A dialectic and uniqueness awareness approach. Journal of Social Work Education , 53 (3), 384-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2016.1272511
