Understanding Indigenous Culture Through Service Learning and Cultural Immersion

Abstract

This conceptual article explores the merging of service learning and cultural immersion. It presents, to social work educators, the use of “cultural service immersion” with Indigenous peoples in order to move students from knowledge to understanding the breadth of Indigenous peoples culture, ultimately increasing skills and cultural sensitivity. Challenges in recruiting Indigenous social work students has been long standing in social work education. While continued efforts are made to recruit Indigenous social work students, efforts can be made to increase ally support. Social work students need to understand the imprint and effects the social work profession has left on Indigenous peoples. Cultural service immersion is a method that can provide transformational learning for students, which can increase ally support.