Locating Sámi social work in Finland: Meanings produced by social workers in working with Sámi people

• Published in: International Social Work
• Main Authors: Järvensivu, Linda, Pohjola, Anneli, Romakkaniemi, Marjo
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2016
• Subjects: Sámi
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020872816646817; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0020872816646817; http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full-xml/10.1177/0020872816646817

This article examines culturally and locally relevant social work. Social work knowledge and practices are usually constructed on the basis of values and norms of the dominant culture. Our aim is to examine social work that is sensitive to local traditions by studying social work being carried out in Finland’s Sámi region. Our focus is on the meanings produced by social workers working with Sámi people. Sámi social work was found to be multidimensional. It was special, yet shared common features with mainstream social work. Cultural sensitivity is constructed in each encounter between a Sámi client and a social worker.