Developing culturally relevant social work in Ghana

1. Developing culturally relevant social work in Ghana Participatory Action Research project at the University of Ghana, Legon, 2002-2003 Presented in Johannesburg, 2011 CSDA Seminar

2. Background to this project 1994-1996 � Teaching social work at the University of Ghana, Legon. 1997 - MSW data collection, Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana. 2002-2003 � PhD data collection at the University of Ghana, Legon

3. �Despite the recognition by African Schools of Social Work in the 1970�s that their structures were too Western in orientation and that more of a developmental focus was needed, articles written by social work educators since the mid 1980�s continue to echo the same theme�there is progress but it is extremely slow� (Asamoah, 1995).

4. �Although there has been improvement over the past decade, a lack of acceptance of social work as a profession and lack of resources continues to plague social work in many African countries.� (Asamoah, 1995)

5. ASWEA � 1973 - Togo �Related to the problem of the Western molded African educators the relevance of western influenced curriculum, from the colonial past to the contemporary African conditions, was questioned. In the absence of any other models, however, participants seemed to be disposed to take for granted the existing ones and the exchange of views focused upon the attempt to adapt the curriculum to the respective country�s needs�.

6. Historical and present factors Colonization Modernization/Westernization Globalization

7. Questions for the research How have these factors affected social work curriculum at the University of Ghana? What type of social work is being taught at the University of Ghana? Is it relevant to the social needs of Ghana today? How has western knowledge influenced social work curriculum in Ghana? What traditional knowledge is incorporated into the curriculum?

8. Theoretical Framework and methodology Critical theory Participatory Action Research

9. Principles of PAR Non-hierarchical dialogue with consensus decision-making. All knowledge is important including art, music, proverbs, stories, life experiences, academic writing, guest speakers knowledge, elders knowledge, etc. Knowledge is gathered in many different ways. Issue being researched is researched by clients themselves. They are co-researchers and are part of the process from the start to the finish.

10. Principles of PAR Analysis is continual and active throughout the process. It is an action/reflection process. Actions finish off the research project and are usually political in nature. The process of PAR is just as important as the outcomes. It is a conscientization of people that changes their lives. Paulo Freire Orlando Fals Borda

11. Why PAR for this project? Only Ghanaians can decide on what type of social work curriculum should be taught in Ghana. It offered a way to act upon the findings in an immediate and practical way. This type of research is conducive to Ghanaian culture that values consensus and grassroots type projects. It involves continuous critical thinking that is empowering, disciplines people to dialogue, and is life changing.

12. Why PAR� Offered a new methodology for research in a University that continues to use mainly quantitative methods. Encompasses many different types of knowledge including oral traditions of Ghana.

13. Group Members 1 faculty member 2 current 4th year bachelor students 5 former students who are now working as social workers in the field. 1 Queen Mother 1 Facilitator The group was diverse in age, religion, ethnicity, gender and experience.

16. Emerging themes After 4 sessions, 5 themes emerged that determined the course of the research project. Why did Linda have to come and facilitate this project when it could have been created from within Ghana? Was there a systematic body of knowledge that could have been used from pre-colonial Ghana that could have formed the basis to develop a social welfare system in Ghana and was this used to create social work practice and training?

17. Emerging themes Social work is on the periphery in Ghana. Why is this so and what can we do about it? The Ghana Association of Social Workers (GASOW) is not effective and needs to be revived, reorganized, or disbanded and a new one set up. What is African/Ghanaian culture?

18. Core of Research We narrowed those down to 2 questions. What is Ghanaian/African culture How did social work evolve in Ghana? It was felt that if we wanted to change a curriculum to be more relevant to Ghana, evaluate a profession and change an organization then you have to identify and critically look at culture.

19. Workshops We met twice a month, one session looking at Ghanaian/African culture and one session looking at the evolution of social work in Ghana. We used reflection, journal writing, personal experiences, elder experience, academic writings, course outline analysis, and guest speakers to help us in our research. All sessions were transcribed and themized by various group members. The Queen Mother helped with proverb translation and any local language that was used in the sessions.

22. Actions from research 20 page document on what we think should be changed in the curriculum. This includes renaming courses, adding new courses/subtracting old courses, using African academic references, collaborating with staff from the Institute of African Studies concerning critically looking at practice in relation to traditional knowledge and practice, teaching African philosophy as it relates to social work theories, using empowerment instead of dependency interventions, mixed degree courses and teaching the history of social work in Africa along with the western history.

23. Actions 2. Creating a public education film about social work in Ghana to be shown on public television. 3. Attempt a friendly coup d� etat of GASOW. 4. Present a TV and video recorder for educational use in the classroom. 5. Facilitator to send African documents that she can find in Canada.

27. PAR The PAR process is not only a quest for knowledge but also a transformation of individual attitudes and values, personality and culture, an altruistic process. Orlando Fals Borda

28. Part 2

29. Lack of local case studies; thus a dependence on western case studies for the classroom. A lack of knowledge of the history of African social work; most classes taught an American and British history. A dependence upon western social work curriculum The lack of resources to fill in the above gaps. Gaps in African social work curriculum

31. Pioneer of social work in West Africa Introduced the group to the Association for Social Work Education for Africa (ASWEA). He explained that the conference proceedings were typed out and bound into books but he did not know where they were. Included, were two volumes of African case studies for teachers to use in the classroom. Dr. Blavo

32. Events leading to the formation of ASWEA 1962 � Accra, Ghana 1963 � Lusaka, Zambia 1965 � Alexandria, Egypt 1973 � ASWEA created These meetings were created to deal with the issue of inappropriate social work curriculum for Africa and to discuss if the term �social work/welfare� is appropriate or �social development� is appropriate to call the profession and the workers.

33. To promote teaching and research in the field of social development in Africa. To establish and maintain higher standards among all types of institutions engaged in different levels of social work education. To promote an exchange of information and experience among social work educators in Africa. Purpose of ASWEA

34. 4. To promote co-operation between Schools of Social Work, Institutions and Centres concerning social work education. 5. To take interest in all problems connected with social work education in Africa, maintain high ethical standards of social work conduct in Africa, advance professional education in Africa, and to enhance the status of social work in Africa. Purpose of ASWEA

35. To uphold the principles of Universal Human Rights in collaboration with other international institutions. To encourage social workers to fufil their responsibilities in National Social Development planning including the promotion of popular participation. Purpose of ASWEA

37. Learning about the documents Finding the documents Appreciating the importance of the documents Collaboration with African and international organizations Practical work � Collecting, photocopying, tidying the documents � 6 months. Printing them and making hard copies, DVD�s and putting them on-line. Process of reclaiming African social work history.

38. Giving particular countries hard copies and all countries copies of the DVD�s. Making all interested Africans aware of the documents and the ability to access them online. Encourage academics, lecturers, researchers, practitioners to read the documents and incorporate them into their work. Learn from the past in order to move ahead in the future. Returning them to Africa

39. An effort in community development in the Lakota Sub-prefecture. Community services, Lakota project methodology (1972). The important role of supervision in social welfare organizations (1972). The use of films in social development education (1972). ASWEA Documents

40. 5. Guidelines for making contact with young people in informal groups in urban areas (1973). Compilation of case studies in social development from East Africa (1973). Compilation of case studies in social development from West Africa (1974). 6. Relationship between social work education and national social development plan (1974). ASWEA Documents

41. 7. Curricula of Schools of Social Work and Community Development Training Centres in Africa (1974). 8. Directory of Social Welfare activities in Africa (1975). 9. Report of ASWEA�s workshop on Techniques of teaching and methods of field work evaluations (1975). ASWEA Documents

42. 10. Techniques d� Enseignement et Methodes d�evaluation des travaux pratiques (1976). 11. Social realities and the response of social work education in Africa (1976). 12. The role of social development education in Africa�s struggle for political and economic independence (1977). 13. The development of a training curriculum in family welfare (1978).

43. 14. L�Elaboration d�un programme de formation en ben�tre familial (1978). 15. Guidelines for the development of a training curriculum in family welfare (1979). 16. Principes directeurs pour l�establissement d�un programme d�etude destin� a la formation aux disciplines de la protection de la famille (1979). ASWEA Documents

44. 17. Social development training in Africa; Experiences of the 1970�s and emerging trends of the 1980�s (1981). 18. Survey of curricula of social development training institutions in Africa (1982). 19. The organization and delivery of social services to rural areas (1982). 20. Training for social development; Methods of intervention to improve people�s participation in rural transformation in Africa with special emphasis on women (1985). ASWEA Documents

45. 21. Social development agents in rural transformation in AFrica (1989). ASWEA Documents

46. Getting the word out that they are available. Encouraging teachers, researchers and practitioners to use them in their work. An analysis of the documents by Africans. Publication of the analysis and further analysis by Africans published in African journals. Future work with documents

47. http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventory_x.php?collno=AG3303&iid=9014 Kreitzer, Abukari, Antonio, Mensah, Kwaku (2009). Social work in Ghana: A Participatory Action Research project looking at culturally appropriate training and practice. Social work education, 1470-1227, 28, 2, 145-165. Kreitzer, L. (2005). Queen Mothers and social work: A potential collaboration between traditional authority and social work in Ghana. https://dspace.ucalgary.ca Kreitzer, L. (2006). Social work values and ethics: Issues of Universality. Currents Journal, 5, 1-14. References

48. Social Work in Africa: Exploring culturally relevant education and practice in Ghana. University of Calgary press Fall 2011 Non-African writing but still non-western. Indigenous peoples in the world, Canadian/American Aboriginal writings, Australia/New Zealand, etc. Centre for Social Policy- University of Ghana http://www.reocities.com/csps_ghana TAARN � Traditional Authority Applied Research Network http://people.ucalgary.ca/~taarn Forthcoming Book

49. Recommendations for curriculum change Findings from the research project identify issues currently affecting the social work profession and training in Africa. Changes to present curriculum a. Language and course titles b. History and philosophy of social work c. Lack of local case studies d. Rediscovery of local traditions e. Using different research methods

50. Present f. Changing field practicum Developing new courses a. Traditional mechanisms for social change/dealing with difficulties in life, etc. b. Social work and power issues c. Social work and social action d. Social work values and ethics in African society e. Social work and refugee issues f. Developmental theory g. Mediation

51. Other issues arising from the research Western knowledge is superior to African knowledge Social work is on the periphery Professional associations � Codes of Ethics Lack of resources Brain drain Intra-continental work Institutional change

52. Exercise How did it feel to be asked to delete all of your training and beliefs about social work from your mind and start fresh? Where would you begin? Who would you ask to help you in this task? What curriculum and training would be considered successful and why?

53. Current thinking on social work education in Africa Western knowledge is the best knowledge and therefore we deserve the best so we want western social work taught to us. Questions: 1. Is this attitude a reflection of colonization/globalization? Is this a survival mechanism for a profession that is struggling to survive in a continent still finding its way in a globalized world? Is this a realistic and positive way forward?

54. Current thinking cont. We want to have western social work taught to us because it will enable us to go to Europe, the U.S. and Canada to work after finishing our degree. Questions: Is this a product of the brain drain and economic realities of neo-liberalism? Is this a positive trend or is it a sad reflection of the state of African social work in which trained social workers are wanting to get out. What is the state of social work jobs in Africa and the pay? How can we encourage our social workers to stay in Africa?

55. Current thinking Many African social work libraries are filled with discarded western social work textbooks that have little relevance to the realities of social work in Africa. Questions: Is this better than nothing? Are we perpetuating the hegemony of western knowledge through this act of kindness? What are the gaps in gaining access to publishing articles and textbooks, reading African social work articles published in the western world and having access to different articles within countries of Africa? Can these gaps be filled?

56. Current thinking Thinking back to the exercise at the beginning, should a whole new dynamic approach to helping people be created in Africa by Africans? What if the whole concept of social work and social work institutions was scrapped and a new and dynamic approach created that took into account the traditional/cultural aspects of African countries and their different philosophies and traditions?

57. Current thinking If this seems totally impossible then is it better to work on a balance between western social work approaches and traditional approaches? How can this be done in light of western hegemony described earlier? Is a balance possible? How can social work mechanisms be created that reflect traditional structures? Example of Mali

58. Do you want adapted old shoes or new shoes Mecca was a very fortunate West African man. He had a job that drew envy from his fellow villagers. He worked for a White man who was very generous. Indeed, the White boss was so nice to Mecca that he gave him a special gift: a pair of used shoes. Mecca was very excited. This was his very first pair of shoes. The shoes had a little problem, though. They were too tight to fit Mecca�s untamed feet. But, he was still determined to wear them. So, he drilled holes in the corners of the shoes such that his pinky toes would stick out as he walked. He was very proud. He marched through the village showing off his new acquisition to friends and neighbours and praising the White man for his infinite goodness� (Ndura, 2006, pp. 92-93).

59. Jagged Edges �Both the colonizer and the colonized have shared or collective views of the world embedded in their languages, stories or narratives�No one has a pure worldview that is 100% Indigenous or Eurocentric; rather, everyone has an integrated mind�a pre-colonized consciousness that flows into a colonized consciousness and back again�colonization left a heritage of jagged worldviews� (Little Bear, L. 2000).

60. Summary How do you balance these worldviews in relation to history and the present situation to create a dynamic and revolutionary social work training that is culturally appropriate to that country, taking the best of the many worlds, integrating them into a curriculum that meets the needs of the people in that country?