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their cultural background. Here, social worker should identify the systems that students
deal with in the new cultural environment, identify the problem and encourage students
to participate in the solutions.
The social workers who use multiculturalist approach in social work practice as well as
individual issues should learn and appreciate the cultural values of international students,
wholly understand it and also should have knowledge about their families and where
they live. Regular meetings should be held for international students aimed at facilitating
higher academic achievement through recognition of international students as well as
ensuring their adaptation to various conditions of their accommodations where they live
for the purpose of education. In the unity of social service social worker should organize
open and closed groups of international students who face the same problems in a new
cultural environment. Here is an opportunity for international students to discuss their
problems and benefit from similar experiences of other students. In addition, they can
learn the ways to overcome their problems through groups and these groups help them
to develop mechanisms of coping, with their problems by addressing and resolving them.
Here lies the importance of the group in the formation of social support network and
providing psychological and social needs. As Dominelli (2002) argued that the group can
become a source of change as well as a means of coping with change.
At the institutional level and social policies social worker should be involved in policy-ma-
king pertaining to international students or international youth. These students are consi-
dered to enrich the cultural diversity within the host country and thus their cultural prob-
lems should be addressed through policy which aims to integrate international students
with the new culture, give them an opportunity through activities and projects to introduce
their culture. Therein lies the role of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with
the Council of Higher Education in developing solutions to the problems faced by interna-
tional students. This can emerge in the form of cooperation projects and programs for the
description of other cultures and for reducing prejudices that can be exposed to young
people in the host countries.
Surmounting these problems, social workers should not only adhere to policy formulation
but also to improve diversity as well as availability of services to address international
students. There should be various programs within the framework of concepts such as
multiculturalism, diversity, equality and justice to raise the awareness about international
students in the host community. Its not easy to live together especially when surrounded
by diversity and originality of living in a judicious society. However, it is very important that
we implement appropriate approaches and practices.
In the framework of the multicultural approach, social workers should
In the framework of the multicultural approach, social workers;
• Understand the culture, its impact on human behavior and its role within the society;
and recognize that every culture has its own strengths.
