Masters Degrees (Social Work)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Social Work) by browse.metadata.advisor "Engelbrecht, L."

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    Experiences of youth workers working in NGOs implementing HIV and Aids preventative peer education programmes at high schools
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-03) Scott-Muller, Lionel Richard; Engelbrecht, L.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 have been identified as being the most significant target grouping affected by HIV and AIDS in the world. South Africa has one of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence rates and has adopted two broad strategies to curb the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The first strategy is costly involving anti-retroviral treatment which the government has only been able to roll-out to a very few HIV positive people. Currently in a depressing global economy, international donors are finding it difficult to increase funding for HIV and AIDS, more particularly as the poor countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Southern Africa have been mostly affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The second strategy is an HIV and AIDS prevention strategy with the primary aim of keeping citizens free from contracting the HI virus. Although this strategy is a comprehensive strategy where governments embark on large-scale campaigns of raising HIV and AIDS awareness, there is very little scientific evidence that these campaigns have brought about a significant decrease of HIV and AIDS prevalence amongst young people. Raising awareness does not necessarily lead to positive behavioural change. Most young people in South Africa attend high schools where HIV and AIDS life-skills education has been made as a compulsory component of the life orientation curriculum. In South Africa, a National Aids Council has been established in South Africa to co-ordinate HIV and AIDS interventions and develops national HIV and AIDS policies aimed at curbing the spread of HIV and AIDS at a national level, yet the HIV and AIDS prevalence amongst young people has not significantly abated. On their own, governments cannot address all the socio-economic needs of their citizens. Partnership need to be formed with Non-government organisations and a broader range of stakeholders to address the spread of HIV and AIDS. Youth workers from NGOs currently implement HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools as part of the South African government’s broad strategy of HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of youth workers who were employed at NGOs implementing HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative approaches in the research design. A literature review was conducted to research aspects of the study such as the features of NGOs, high schools as a setting and the role youth workers played when implementing HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes. Books, articles, journals, the internet and peer education manuals of NGOs all produced relevant information pertaining to the subject of HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people. Twenty youth workers from three NGOs that is currently implementing HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes was purposively sampled, to be primary respondents of an empirical study. The researcher conceptualised and constructed an interview schedule with pertinent qualitative and quantitative questions based on the literature review. After the questionnaire was piloted with three youth workers, the interviewing process ensued. A considerable amount of time was spent on analysing and interpreting the data. Various themes emerged pertaining to different aspects of the programme. An empirical investigation was concluded with various results. Some of the research findings were in accordance with the literature review which supported the view of several authors that peer education programmes were an effective strategy for HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people. Based on the literature study and the empirical study, various recommendations were made to improve the implementation of the HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools. One of the most significant revelations of the empirical study was how important the proper selection and recruitment of peer educators were to the success of the peer education programme. The research findings point to a strategy that encourages the nominations of learners from each classroom so that they could represent their classes and deliver lessons in a much more practical way than is currently being done. Another equally important finding was the management role that NGOs need to play in enabling the appropriate resourcing, monitoring, evaluating and improvement of the sustainability of the organisation and subsequently enriching the experience of youth workers who implement effective HIV and AIDS preventative peer education programmes at high schools as part of a broad strategy for HIV and AIDS prevention amongst young people in South Africa.
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    Social work intervention with parents of a premature infant
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004-12) Africa, Rionell Janine; Engelbrecht, L.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research originated from the researcher's interest in the effect of high-risk pregnancy, premature birth and infancy on the emotional well-being of parents. The research undertaken particularly focused on exploring the psychosocial experiences of parents with a premature infant. The study aimed at investigating various social work intervention strategies that can be applied to address the problematic factors parents with a premature infant are confronted with. The purpose of this research is to provide a theoretical knowledge basis, in order to set guidelines for social work intervention, to ensure effective service rendering to parents with premature infants. The research report includes a review of the literature discussing premature labour and birth, the premature infant and the psychosocial experiences of parents. Social work in health care, kangaroo care, crisis intervention, family therapy and grief counselling are also discussed to create a theoretical knowledge basis in order to serve as a guideline for social workers, to ensure effective and efficient social work service rendering to parents with a premature infant. The empirical research involved the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the psychosocial experiences of parents and the effectiveness of social work intervention. The population admitted in the Military hospital during the period 2001 to 2003 consisted of +- 60 cases. To enable the researcher to conduct the research study 50% of the overall population was used which resulted in a sample of 20 respondents consulted in the period 2002 to 2003. The respondents were invited to a group meeting where questionnaires, which included open-ended and closed questions, were used to collect the data. The results obtained were analyzed and compared to relevant literature in order to assess the reliability of the research. Conclusions were drawn and recommendations were offered from the findings of the study. The fmdings of this study serve as a guideline for professionals, specifically social workers in the medical setting, to be able to render an effective service to parents with a premature infant.
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    The views of social workers on diversion programmes for male juvenile delinquents
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-03) Kleinhans, Lizelle Alexis; Engelbrecht, L.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescence is a challenging development stage because youths engage in risk-taking behaviour, including anti-social and criminal acts. Factors which contribute to youth becoming involved in crime include having a poor self-concept, being male, the negative behaviour of parents, family dysfunction, low socio-economic status, low literacy levels or being illiterate, peers who exercise a negative influence, and poor role models. Diversion strategies are practised worldwide, including South Africa, to deal with the growing number of youth in conflict with the law. After diversion practice was legalised in South Africa, some challenges have been experienced with implementation. However, the views of social workers are limited regarding diversion practices after the Child Justice Act no 75 of 2008 was introduced. The objective of the study is to gain insights from social workers who facilitate diversion programmes with male juvenile delinquents. In this study, attention was paid to explaining the nature of juvenile delinquency of male adolescents in a South African context; describing diversion programmes in terms of the Child Justice Act no 75 of 2008 to deal with children outside the criminal justice system; discerning the scope, nature and contribution of diversion programmes for the rehabilitation of delinquents; investigating the views of social workers on diversion programmes for male juvenile delinquents; and to make recommendations regarding the facilitation of diversion programmes with male juvenile delinquents. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used in the study. The study further assumed an exploratory and descriptive research design due to the limited information available regarding the views of social workers on diversion programmes with male juvenile delinquents. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participants. Data was gathered by means of a structured questionnaire, which was administered during 20 individual interviews. This allowed for a holistic view to be gained of participants' opinions about and insights into the topic. The design of the questionnaire was based on the information obtained from the literature review. The findings of the empirical investigation mainly confirmed the findings of the literature study that males are more vulnerable to juvenile delinquency, that parents and families play substantial roles in the causes of juvenile delinquency and, lastly, that diversion programmes offer much benefit to youth offenders. The most important recommendations resulting from the study indicate that social workers should become more skilled and equipped to facilitate therapeutic groups as this will contribute to the reduction of re-offending. Parental and family involvement in diversion programmes is essential as it will increase the impact on the youth offender. In addition, the recommendations indicate the significance of monitoring and evaluation of diversion programmes, in this way ensuring the proper implementation of the Act. Lastly, it is suggested that more research be done about diversion practices internationally to increase knowledge regarding implementation.
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    Voorkomingsprogramme vir middelmisbruik deur hoerskoolleerders : riglyne vir maatskaplike werkers
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2004-12) Kok, Elana; Engelbrecht, L.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An exploratory study was done on prevention programmes of substance abuse by high school learners. This was done in order to: explore the factors leading to substance abuse by high school learners; explore the conditions for successful substance abuse programmes and compare it with existing programmes; and to determine how prevention programmes for high school learners can be used in South-African schools. The motivation for this study emerged as a result of the researcher’s involvement in prevention programmes for adolescents in schools and on farms at the South-African Council for Alcohol and Drug Dependency (SANCA) in the Paarl area. The objective of this study is to provide guidelines to social workers for the effective implementation of substance abuse prevention programmes for high school learners. The literature study confirmed the need for effective prevention programmes and highlighted the focus om the factors which leads to substance abuse. Emphasis is placed on risk and protection factors involved with substance abuse. SANCA in Paarl’s adolescent community’s risk and protective factors was investigated, because of the necessity to identify these factors before a prevention programme can be designed. The universum is the grade 10 learners of six schools in the Paarl area. One learner out of each class represented the sample of 48 respondents. The study was done trough a structured questionnaire. A combination of qualitative and quantitative information, through the use of open and close-ended questions, was gathered. The results of this study confirmed the results of the literature study, namely that the most important factor leading to substance abuse, is peer group influence. However, a combination of strategies and programmes are needed to develope a suitable programme for the specific community. The recommendations focus on four areas. Firstly the conditions are described for an effective prevention programme regarding the role of social workers, the use of assessment, evaluation, models, theories and approaches. Secondly, recommendations are made for techniques and general approaches. The third area gives directions for programme content. The last area recommends a possibility for future research: the process, roles and type of training needed to implement an effective and sustainable support group system in schools, must be tested.