Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk

Editorial

Lambert K Engelbrecht — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:32:26 +0000

This edition of Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk offers a range of themes to the reader, with topics focusing on income-generating activities, homelessness, gangsterism, substance abuse, effective parenting, sexual orientation, community development practitioner profiling and supervision of social workers.

A THEMATIC SYNTHESIS OF STUDIES ON INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED FROM 2007 TO 2012 IN GAUTENG, LIMPOPO AND KWAZULU-NATAL: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE QUALITATIVE EVIDENCE

Madoda Sitshange — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:38:48 +0000

This paper describes a systematic review of studies on income-generating projects in poor communities. The review found that the beneficiaries experienced their participation in such activities as empowering, particularly in terms of accessing moral support. Their self-esteem was enhanced by their ability to contribute to their family’s livelihood. Yet it also emerges from the evidence that the long-term impact of income-generating projects is uncertain, because of concern about the beneficiaries’ abilities to independently sustain the gains. The paper recommends more complex and large-scale qualitative and quantitative systematic reviews to test more accurately whether systematic reviews of the data from income-generation programmes make better sense of developmental interventions.

A RESILIENCE LENS ON HOMELESS OLDER PERSONS IN THE CITY OF TSHWANE: AN ILLUMINATION THROUGH PHOTOVOICE

Leoné Jacobs, Stephan Geyer — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:52:55 +0000

This qualitative study explores and describes the resilience of homeless older persons in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. Eleven participants, recruited purposively, participated in photovoice activities supplemented with semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis and trustworthiness was ensured. Findings indicate that conflict, abuse, family disappointment, unemployment, mental health challenges, declining mobility, isolation and a lack of access to services are risk factors hindering resilience. Religion, support and socialisation, amongst other things, are identified as protective factors enabling resilience. Recommendations for resilience-informed biopsychosocial gerontological social services to homeless older persons are offered to navigate towards better-than-expected outcomes.

EXPERIENCE-BASED LESSONS FROM MALES IN THE NORTHERN AREAS OF PORT ELIZABETH (GQEBERHA) ON FACTORS THAT PROTECTED THEM FROM BECOMING INVOLVED IN GANGSTERISM

Desira Davids; Zoleka Soji; Zurina Abdulla — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 12:09:45 +0000

Despite the widespread prevalence of gangsterism and the predominantly male membership of gangs, some males residing and growing up in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), where gangsterism is so widespread, have never been involved in gangs. A qualitative study, explorative, descriptive and contextual in design, using semi-structured interviews as data-collection method, explored and described the experience-based lessons from selected males on factors that have protected them from gang involvement. Findings included family support, faith or religion, positive role models, education, participation in wholesome pursuits and involvement in sports as being amongst the factors that prevented participants against involvement in gang activities. Strategies to strengthen these protective factors and utilise them to design relevant programmes and interventions should now be investigated.

ARE WE READY YET? SOCIAL WORKERS’ PREPAREDNESS TO RENDER SOCIAL SUPPORT TO PERSONS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE CHALLENGES

Rahab Matjie Madisha, Rebecca Mmamoagi Skhosana — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 12:37:45 +0000

Chemical substance abuse remains a major health and social problem globally and in South Africa. Considering the drug-use-related challenges faced by South Africa’s youth, there is a need to design and implement robust interventions to mitigate the impact of chemical substance use. Social workers are not prepared enough to provide drug-dependency treatment to persons with substance abuse challenges. To address this issue, a qualitative research approach was adopted with seven participants who were selected using the non-probability technique of purposive sampling. Data were analysed using Tesch’s eight steps and verified using Guba and Lincoln’s model to test the trustworthiness of the data. Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study. The findings highlight that social workers need urgent intensive training and resources to execute their tasks effectively in the field of substance abuse.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE PARENTING OF ADOLESCENT CHILDREN IN RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED COMMUNITIES

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 12:51:43 +0000

The study examined barriers to effective parenting of adolescent children in resource-constrained communities. A qualitative approach was adopted for data collection and analysis. Thematic analysis was applied to data acquired from a sample of parents from resource-constrained areas in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Parents interviewed identified the following barriers: financial constraints, peer influence, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of adequate parental time, communication and maturational changes. Given the parental challenges emerging from the findings of the study, greater understanding of the conditions under which effective parenting of adolescent children in resource-constrained societies can be fostered is essential.

“INTO NJE – IT’S JUST A THING…”: BEING A LESBIAN IN A RURAL AREA

Shadile Ntuli, Nolwazi Ngcobo — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 13:04:47 +0000

The South African Constitution prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation, yet the experiences of lesbians across various contexts is different. A thematic analysis of 10 in-depth qualitative interviews with lesbian students from rural areas expands the limited knowledge base on this issue. Although these students are studying in an urban area, this article explores the experience of lesbians in rural areas in the light of the prevailing discourses on homosexuality. The findings revealed that due to certain religious and traditional beliefs, lesbianism continues to be perceived by many, for example, as “just a thing”, unnatural, a passing phase, an embarrassment and a sin. These prevailing constructions often deterred lesbian youths from being themselves, thus forcing them to manage multiple identities between rural and urban contexts. Social workers as well as other human rights advocates should, through their research and practice, aim to make communities aware of human rights discourses that promote affirmation, safety and support for the LGBTQI population in rural areas.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRACTITIONER PROFILING FOR OCCUPATIONAL PROFESSIONALISATION, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUOUS QUALITY ASSURANCE

Cornel Hart, Frik De Beer — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 13:29:31 +0000

Regardless of the worldwide acknowledgement of the importance of community development, the challenge of professional occupational recognition remains, intensified by the lack of practitioner profile data. Raising practice standards through standardised, cohesive and effective movements drives professionalism, guided by a practice policy framework that describes its practitioners’ ethical code, standardised and quality-assured knowledge and skills to be measured against regulated occupational norms and standards. This article provides a broad overview of the requirements for occupational professionalisation linked to a countrywide practitioner profile survey conducted to inform the South African Community Development Practice Policy Framework that guides occupational professionalism pre- and post-professionalisation.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AN INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION SESSION? REFLECTIONS OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Nyasha H Chibaya, Lambert K Engelbrecht — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 13:35:47 +0000

This article reports on qualitative research, aimed at acquiring an understanding of what transpires in an individual social work supervision session in South Africa. Findings reveal that supervision sessions are chiefly “open door” and “on the run”, with minimal evidence of critical reflection. A key recommendation stresses that the evolution of supervision in the country should enter a new phase as response to the hegemony of a neoliberal inspired managerial discourse in social work. The deliberate utilisation of more clinical educational and supportive elements, and critical reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action in supervision sessions is therefore recommended.