Applying and Critiquing Asset-Based, Internally Focused, Relationship Driven An asset-based, internally focused, relationship driven approach to community development can be the most suitable for the South Asian immigrant community in Victoria for a myriad of reasons. However, a few limitations can cause this approach to fail.
Strengths of Approach An asset-based, internally focused, relationship driven approach can grant power to South Asian immigrants to make changes that will benefit them. Once an individual immigrates to a new country, they can be required to adopt the mainstream beliefs and lifestyle of that region, which can lead them to experiencing deteriorations in health and well-being (Kobayashi, Prus, & Lin, 2008). The values and beliefs of South Asian immigrants may not align with dominant views in Victoria. For …show more content…
This approach can be tailored to the specific resources, skills, and knowledge of each community around the globe. For example, South Asian immigrants in Victoria may hold different skills, knowledge, and views than the African-Canadian community in Victoria, therefore the same development strategy may not be effective in both communities. Moreover, allowing community members to undertake leadership roles in development can help ensure cultural awareness is integrated into development efforts, as if external bodies were leading development, then cultural safety and awareness may not be acknowledged and practiced. Culture can provide a sense of identity for communities and this identity can facilitate “common understandings, traditions, and values that are all central to identifying plans of action to improve well-being” (Brennan, Kumaran, Cantrell, & Spranger, 2014, p.1). And so, an understanding, awareness, and appreciation of culture is crucial to effective development and can be demonstrated absolutely by South Asian immigrants over
Strengths of Approach An asset-based, internally focused, relationship driven approach can grant power to South Asian immigrants to make changes that will benefit them. Once an individual immigrates to a new country, they can be required to adopt the mainstream beliefs and lifestyle of that region, which can lead them to experiencing deteriorations in health and well-being (Kobayashi, Prus, & Lin, 2008). The values and beliefs of South Asian immigrants may not align with dominant views in Victoria. For …show more content…
This approach can be tailored to the specific resources, skills, and knowledge of each community around the globe. For example, South Asian immigrants in Victoria may hold different skills, knowledge, and views than the African-Canadian community in Victoria, therefore the same development strategy may not be effective in both communities. Moreover, allowing community members to undertake leadership roles in development can help ensure cultural awareness is integrated into development efforts, as if external bodies were leading development, then cultural safety and awareness may not be acknowledged and practiced. Culture can provide a sense of identity for communities and this identity can facilitate “common understandings, traditions, and values that are all central to identifying plans of action to improve well-being” (Brennan, Kumaran, Cantrell, & Spranger, 2014, p.1). And so, an understanding, awareness, and appreciation of culture is crucial to effective development and can be demonstrated absolutely by South Asian immigrants over