Decolonizing social services through community development: an Anishinaabe experience
Abstract This article is a case study of a community review of an income assistance (IA) program from the perspectives of Anishinaabe First Nations communities that interact with Niigaaniin—an Indigenous-run social assistance program. Using a decolonial methodological approach, the review process re...
| Published in: | Community Development Journal |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , |
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press (OUP)
2021
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsab033 https://academic.oup.com/cdj/article-pdf/58/2/225/50060186/bsab033.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract This article is a case study of a community review of an income assistance (IA) program from the perspectives of Anishinaabe First Nations communities that interact with Niigaaniin—an Indigenous-run social assistance program. Using a decolonial methodological approach, the review process revealed that the priority of achieving clients’ wellbeing involves engaging in community wellness and development from an Indigenous community-scale perspective. This participatory review of the program of IA enabled a continued decolonization of social services and community development processes, re-signifying the idea of individual-based social services towards a more Indigenous community-oriented focus. This process suggests that decolonization requires that these separate fields be unified into one participatory, community-centred, and practice. |
|---|