Advancing community engagement within the context of tribal social work

Abstract

Attention to advancing engagement in social work has grown within the global discourse on community engagement in higher education. It is against this backdrop that this article sought to explore the process of engagement and the benefits of engagement for social work students at a university in Mumbai, India. The study is salient as it focuses on community engagement, particularly service learning at the interface of tribal social work. Data were collected using a qualitative approach. Semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were held with students (n = 23) and social work educators (n = 7). The study captured the process of preparing students for engagement and found that their social work learning experiences were strengthened through immersion in a tribal community, in India.