Melanesian visions? Some preliminary thoughts about social work education and practice in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

Social work is a discipline that has its origins in the Western context but has spread to a wide range of contexts. We undertook a small research project as a quest to enhance the delivery of fieldwork programs but the findings clearly held implications for the development of new social work models and practices that are unique to the Papua New Guinea context. While further research is needed, it is our contention that the integration of Melanesian values holds promise, albeit accompanied by challenges, to contribute to the indigenization of social work as a model of practice that reflects local needs and local context in Papua New Guinea.