The Ausj program: Empowering Bedouin social workers in Israel through indigenous knowledge and professional development

Arab social workers in Israel face unique challenges when working with Bedouin Arabs, balancing Western-secular and traditional-religious orientations. This qualitative study interviewed 14 Arab social workers participating in the 2-year Ausj project, which trained them to elicit indigenous knowledge from their experiences. Two main themes were revealed: ‘a unique and successful experience’ and ‘echoes from the program that continued to motivate personal and interpersonal progress’. The program enhanced professionals’ effectiveness and success while helping prevent burnout. By incorporating indigenous knowledge, social workers internationally can develop more appropriate practices and reduce their risk of burnout when dealing with complex service-user problems.