Explore the intricacies of indigenous social work and learn about the unique challenges tribal communities face and key strategies for engagement.A Resource Guide to Indigenous Social Work Indigenous social work covers many different types of cases, including housing, education, and community development. However, these cases and the available resources may differ from the rest of your caseload — leaving lots to pay attention to. Social workers should understand the various principles, challenges, and strategies that are unique to indigenous communities, particularly within different tribes. This guide is a short introduction, but by no means is it exhaustive, but provides direct links to key sources of information and resources. The Principles of Indigenous Social Work Like all social services, indigenous social work promotes and advocates for the well-being of individuals and communities. This often takes many forms when you're helping indigenous communities, as their needs may differ from those of other groups. According to Council on Social Work Education (SCWE), indigenous social work practices should focus on the following principles: Commitment: Indigenous communities' needs are ongoing, so committing to only one case or issue isn't enough. Social workers must actively engage across different policies and practices to have the greatest overall impact. Advocacy: Social workers must advocate for indigenous people's human rights on all levels. This extends to the fulfillment of obligations from U.S. public policies and agreements, such as land boundaries and hunting rights. Decolonization: Many social work practices still prioritize Western paradigms that can overlook genuine issues and harm indigenous communities. Education on true Native American history can help case managers understand the full scope of colonization and its impact. In doing so, they can better respond to complex cases and unlearn potentially harmful practices. People-driven research: Collected research for education, funding, and other essential data should be driven by the indigenous, tribal, and native people and their protocols. Self-determination: Social workers should support cultural, economic, social, and spiritual initiatives from the tribal community.