The management of community development projects in disadvantaged communities in the Eastern Cape

Date
2002-12
Authors
Mbandazayo, Nosinodi Patricia.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research study is to present a profile of the community needs and a description of the community programmes which are in operation at the SHARE organisation. Furthermore, the study aims at compiling data that will attempt to determine how the SHARE project meets the principles for social welfare, namely securing basic welfare and human rights, equity, non-discrimination, accountability, accessibility, appropriateness, transparent quality service, democracy and ubuntu. For purposes of achieving the above aims and the objectives of the study, a literature review was undertaken and empirical research data were gathered and are presented in this study. The literature review support data relevant to the study, and it involves the historical background of social work and community development in Britain, Europe, Great Britain, the United States of America and South Africa. The above historical background is crucial in understanding events that led to community development initiatives in South Africa, especially in relation to the SHARE project under study. Furthermore, a developmental approach to social welfare in South Africa, families living in poverty, management of community work projects from a social work perspective and models of social welfare have been presented. From the above literature presentation, the role of a community social worker in managing community projects has been identified. A community social worker's involvement in managing community projects is important because a social worker possesses expert knowledge and the skills necessary to facilitate the community's own initiatives in the development of the community. Community members are therefore supported towards self-help and self-determination. A local social work practitioner has succeeded in facilitating the efforts of the KwaNobuhle community in the establishment of the SHARE projects. She has made use of her expert knowledge and skill to foster self-initiatives to the KwaNobuhle community to develop their own community. A pre-assessment review undertaken by the researcher at the SHARE project and the KwaNobuhle needs assessment survey data have provided a basis for the empirical study. In this study, an applied research design has been utilised to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of a project. Data gathering has been applied by utilising two instruments. The first instrument, a structured questionnaire was designed to collect data from a sample size of ten SHARE respondents consisting of service providers and beneficiaries. The data gathered have been analysed quantitatively. The second unstructured instrument has collected data from a sample size of eleven respondents. Respondents interviewed were SHARE beneficiaries and service providers. Data gathered have been analysed qualitatively. Variables to be operationalised were the SHARE programmes and the principles of social welfare which were identified earlier. The purpose of operationalising the above variables was to determine whether the SHARE programmes are able to meet the principles of social welfare. With reference to the results of the findings it has been established that hypothetically the SHARE programmes have been able to meet no less than 70% of the principles of social welfare as proposed by the White Paper (1997). In conclusion, the SHARE project has projected a positive image of social work practitioners in South Africa. Social work practitioners in the various provinces are urged to initiate similar projects so as to enhance social development in South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsingstudie is om 'n profiel van die gemeenskap se behoeftes asook 'n beskrywing van die gemeenskapsprogramme wat in gebruik is by die SHARE-organisasie, saam te stel. Vervolgens is die ondersoek toegespits op die insameling van inligting om te bepaal in watter mate die SHARE-projek aan die beginsels van maatskaplike welsyn voldoen, naamlik die versekering van basiese welsyns- en menseregte, gelykheid, nie-diskriminasie, aanspreeklikheid, toeganklikheid, relevantheid, gehalte dienslewering, demokrasie en Ubuntu. Ten einde die genoemde doelstellings en die doelwitte met hierdie studie te bereik, is 'n literatuurstudie gedoen en empiriese navorsingsdata ingesamel. Die literatuuroorsig rugsteun die data wat relevant is vir hierdie studie en verwys na die historiese agtergrond van maatskaplike werk en gemeenskapsontwikkeling in Brittanje, Europa, die Verenigde State van Amerika en Suid-Afrika. Verwysing na die historiese agtergrond is onontbeerlik om die gebeure te begryp wat aanleiding gegee het tot gemeenskapsontwikkelingsinisiatiewe in Suid-Afrika, veral met betrekking tot die betrokke SHARE-projek. Voorts word 'n ontwikkelingsbenadering vir maatskaplike welsyn in Suid-Afrika, gesinne wat in armoede leef, die bestuur van gemeenskapswerkprojekte vanuit 'n maatskaplike werk oogpunt, en modelle vir maatskaplike welsyn aangebied. Uit die bogenoemde literatuuraanbieding word die rol van 'n maatskaplike werker in die bestuur van gemeenskapsprojekte uitgelig. Die betrokkenheid van 'n maatskaplike werker in die bestuur van gemeenskapsprojekte is belangrik, omdat 'n maatskaplike werker oor die kundigheid en vaardighede beskik wat nodig is om die gemeenskap se eie inisiatiewe by die ontwikkeling van die gemeenskap betrek. Lede van die gemeenskap word sodoende ondersteun om hulself te help en word selfverwesenliking bevorder. 'n Plaaslike maatskaplike werker het daarin geslaag om die inisiatiewe van die KwaNobuhle gemeenskap te fasiliteer om sodoende die "SHARE"-projekte te ontwikkel. Sy het haar kundigheid en vaardigheid aangewend om eie inisiatiewe by die KwaNobuhle gemeenskap te bevorder in die ontwikkeling van hul samelewing. 'n Verkenningstudie wat deur die navorser by die SHARE-projek gedoen is, asook die data van die KwaNobuhle behoeftebepaling, het die grondslag gelê waarop die empiriese studie onderneem kon word. In hierdie studie is van 'n toegepaste navorsingsmodel gebruik gemaak om die doeltreffendheid en doelmatigheid van 'n projek aan te toon. Dataversameling het dus geskied deur die gebruik van twee instrumente. Die eerste gestruktureerde vraelys is ontwerp om inligting uit 'n monstergrootte van tien "SHARE"-respondente, wat uit diensverskaffers en begunstigdes saamgestel was, te verkry. Hierdie data is kwantitatief ontleed. Die tweede ongestruktureerde instrument het data versamel uit 'n monstergrootte van elf respondente. Respondente met wie onderhoude gevoer is, was SHAREbegunstigdes en diensverskaffers. Die data wat versamel is, is kwalitatief ontleed. Veranderlikes wat in werking gestel moes word, was die "SHARE"-programme en die beginsels van maatskaplike welsyn wat vroeër geïdentifiseer is. Die oogmerk met die operasionalisering van voorgenoemde, was om te bepaal of die SHARE-programme aan die beginsels van maatskaplike welsyn voldoen. Na aanleiding van die resultate van hierdie bevindings is vasgestel dat die "SHARE"-programme, hipoteties gesproke, aan nie minder nie as 70% van die beginsels van maatskaplike welsyn, soos voorgestel deur die Witskrif (1997), voldoen het. Die "SHARE"-projek het 'n positiewe beeld ten opsigte van maatskaplike werkers in Suid-Afrika geprojekteer. Maatskaplike werkers in die onderskeie provinsies word aangespoor om soortgelyke projekte te inisieer ten einde maatskaplike ontwikkeling in Suid-Afrika te bevorder.
Description
Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002.
Keywords
Self-help and Resource Exchange, Community organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Management, Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Management, Dissertations -- Social work
Citation