African-Centered Frameworks of Youth Development: Nuanced Implications for Guiding Social Work Practice with Black Youth

Abstract

Literature within social work on African-centered frameworks that can be used to inform research and social work practice has remained limited. Often discussion of African centered frameworks relies solely on broad, generalized models of the African centered worldview. Such limited discussion of African-centered approaches is problematic as it discounts both the diversity of African perspectives of human development, and limits the exploration of models from an African perspective, which may be a more appropriate and effective approach to working with Black youth populations. To assist in addressing this gap within social work literature, the current article critically compares the human developmental schemes of three indigenous African worldviews, and identifies potential implications for positive youth development. The process of assessing and comparing each respective worldview through the perspective of youth development yields insights that are important for both theory and practice. The paper also provides implications for African-centered program development, particularly in considering the need to acknowledge the intersectionality of Black youth identities.