Exploring career information through developmental contextual focus groups with youth from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Authors: Phala, Phorogohlo Modipadi
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Vocational guidance , Educational counseling , Focus groups , Action research , Youth -- South Africa -- Social conditions -- 1994- , Parental influences – South Africa , Vocational guidance -- Parent participation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/130594 , vital:36442
- Description: This study investigates the importance of initiating career exploration discussions with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, using the developmental-contextual framework of career development by Vondracek, Lerner & Schulenburg (1986). This model stresses the dynamic relationship between an individual, the ever-changing environment and how each influences the other. Based upon an earlier study by Spencer (1999), this study aims to explore the developmental-contextual model as the basis of successive group discussions at a pivotal moment in the lives of the youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, it aims to understand individuals’ perceptions of career education and the influences on career decision-making and aspiration. Data were collected through setting up and running a focus group session once a week over a period of five weeks, in which different career-related topics were discussed. The sample consisted of nine unemployed students who were currently not in a tertiary institution between the ages of 18-25 years. The findings indicated a noteworthy need for more relevant career interventions to be investigated and implemented for the diverse South African population. The study’s findings demonstrated that individuals might be more open to exploring career development through group rather than individual counselling. It was found that parents are the main career influencers in their children’s lives. Mothers were experienced as role models, supporters and encouragers while fathers were experienced as absent and unsupportive, playing little or no role in their children’s lives. The participants found this form of career exploration appealing as it allowed for peer consultation and the freedom to discuss career issues in a non-judgemental setting.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Learning about volunteering: an exploration of literacy volunteers' experiences
- Authors: Yendall, Kaitlin Amy
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Literacy -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Literacy programs -- South Africa , Voluntarism -- South Africa , Volunteer workers in community development -- Training of , Service learning , Language and education -- South Africa , Language arts (Primary) , English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) , Volunteer workers in Education -- Training of
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/138336 , vital:37623
- Description: After almost 25 years of democracy in South Africa, not everyone has access to the same quality education. The responsibility of creating a literate society however cannot rely on the national government and schools alone, but instead needs to fall on the shoulders of various stakeholders. Volunteers in particular have an important role to play in remedying the current literacy crisis experienced in South Africa. This study takes the form of a case study approach and examines the experiences of Project Read literacy volunteers. A telephonic survey and two focus group discussions were conducted in order to determine who it is that volunteers for the programme; what prompts these particular individuals to volunteer; the perceived benefits of volunteering; and how volunteers report on their volunteering experiences. Although the Project Read programme is focused on the early literacy development of learners, volunteers seemed to undergo a developmental process themselves – something they had not anticipated at the start of their volunteering journey. This study illustrates the power of meaningful relationships in breaking down artificial categories and in bringing about important change with regards to the perceptions and attitudes of individuals towards community engagement. It is hoped that the data generated through this study will assist in recruiting and retaining more literacy volunteers through feedback to the NGO. In this way more children will be assisted to enhance their literacy competencies, from which they can build and achieve.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Using HIV/AIDS interventionist research in a university context to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health awareness
- Authors: Kidia, Nitasha
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: HIV infections -- Prevention -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Prevention -- South Africa , AIDS (Disease) -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Health education (Higher) -- South Africa , Sex instruction -- South Africa , College students -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Sex instruction for women -- South Africa , Women college students -- Psychology -- South Africa , Women -- Health and hygiene -- South Africa , Women -- Diseases -- Prevention -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/165743 , vital:41277
- Description: Background: Young women in South Africa are a vulnerable group, with HIV prevalence almost twice that of men, limited preventive behaviour, and many challenges in negotiating sex. However, there is a paucity of in-depth research to understand how these challenges play out and what can be done to promote positive sexual and reproductive health in this population. Methods: To understand the effects of the Auntie Stella Activity card intervention (developed and used in Zimbabwe), this study used a mixed methods participatory action research design. Five focus group discussions among female Rhodes University students between the ages of 18- 23 were conducted with the activity cards as a basis for engagement. Additionally, pre-and postintervention sexual and reproductive health awareness levels were also measured by a customized questionnaire. Based on participants’ responses to the cards and post-exposure reflections on their learning, possible impacts on behaviour change were explored. Thematic analysis of transcripts was used to draw out major themes in the qualitative data. Results and conclusions: Themes that emerged were: 1) women’s self-esteem; 2) lack of knowledge; 3) peer pressure and male dominance; and 4) alcohol and substance use. Results of the pre- and post- intervention questionnaire found a positive change in knowledge and behaviour amongst the participants. However, the intervention in its current format focused too much on teenage rather than adult scenarios. To make it more useful for this population, further modifications that account for the target age group are needed. Overall, the challenges in sexual and reproductive health faced by university-aged women in South Africa are deeply concerning, but this study’s findings show that an intervention like the ASAC has the potential to be used widely in Southern Africa, if appropriately tailored.
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- Date Issued: 2020
The implementation of a developmental-contextual framework for young adults’ career explorations
- Authors: Roberson, Natalie Georgia
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Vocational guidance -- South Africa , Focus groups , Action research , Youth -- South Africa -- Social conditions -- 1994- , Self-Directed Search Questionnaire , Occupational aptitude tests -- Evaluation
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114895 , vital:34053
- Description: Career development theory and counselling practices in South Africa, which have traditionally utilised imported theory, have long been and continue to be criticised as being unsuitable in contexts different to those in which they were developed. In light of this, the aim of this study is to customise and trial the Vondracek, Lerner, and Schulenberg (1986) Developmental-Contextual Framework of career development with a group of employment-seeking young adults at a local community-based setting, as the basis of a career development intervention. Research questions asked were ‘In what ways is the examination and discussion of developmental-contextual factors of the individual facilitative of career exploration, in addition to seeking to identify contextual factors that influence career thinking and associated decision making. In doing so, this study aims to contribute to the existing literature on the career development of South Africans. Focus group methodology, within an overarching framework of collaborative action research, was employed. The approach to career exploration here was that of peer learning through group discussion of developmental-contextual factors of the individual. Data were generated through pre-intervention questionnaires, collaborative action research cycles, participatory observation, focus group discussions, and post-interventionist semi-structured individual interviews. Template Analysis was used for the thematic organisation and analysis of the data. Findings were that the intervention facilitated increased self-knowledge in relation to career development, increased knowledge of work and careers, and enhanced career planning abilities. Findings further highlighted the limitations of imported career development theories and the importance of the utilisation and development of local career assessment instruments. The group setting was found to be of value in facilitating self-reflection, a source of motivation and a valuable source of career-related information.
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- Date Issued: 2019
Sociocultural and sociomaterial mediation of children’s connectedness-with-nature: a case study of Hobbiton
- Authors: Ward-Smith, Chesney Fenella
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Environmental psychology South Africa Eastern Cape , Experiential learning South Africa Eastern Cape , Environmental education Activity programs South Africa Eastern Cape , Nature study Activity programs South Africa Eastern Cape , Outdoor education South Africa Eastern Cape , Ethnoecology
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/61918 , vital:28083
- Description: An increasingly large body of literature sees disconnection from nature as central to the convergent social-ecological crisis, rooted in anthropocentric ontologies. This study explored the potential for embodied, sociomaterial nature-based activities to engender shifts in children’s perceptions of, and sense of connectedness with, nature. Equally it explored how children’s socio-cultural-historical value positionings (SCHVP) mediated their perceptions of, and connectedness with, nature. The nature-based activities, spread over five-day camps, were located at Hobbiton-on-Hogsback, a centre that has existed for decades to provide experiential learning and graded exposure to natural spaces, aiming to increase environmental knowledge and nature-connection. The experiences of two groups of children from wide-ranging socioeconomic and socio-cultural backgrounds in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were explored using interpretive case study methodology. Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with selected children (aged 10-14) and the Hobbiton staff members who worked with them, as well as participant observation, data were collected and analysed thematically. This study was guided by a layered theoretical framework that included Deep Ecology as an under-labourer, and Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a substantive, analytical framework. Interactions between participants’ SCHVP and the sociomateriality of the nature- based activities were analysed in relation to the children’s nature-perceptions and sense of Connectedness-With-Nature. The findings highlight both the importance of the children’s SCHVP and the sociomateriality of the nature-based activities in mediating their prior perceptions of, and connectedness with nature. The nature-based activities acted as a primary stimulus for developing environmental empathy, awareness and pro-environmental intentions. In essence, Hobbiton acted as a primary ‘seed planter’ towards greater feelings of Connectedness-With-Nature. However, recommendations are put forward for more decolonised, ethics-oriented and sociomaterial design of Hobbiton’s nature-based activities, with an emphasis on integrating children’s SCHVP into the pedagogical-design process in relation to the sociomaterial elements of the nature-based activities. Emically integrating the children’s multiplicities of knowing, doing, valuing and being into the pedagogical-design process could contribute to the decolonisation of nature-based experiences in such contexts cultural, socio and political diversity.
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- Date Issued: 2018
A social justice approach for counselling psychology in South Africa: lessons from a collaborative action research intervention
- Authors: Schwartz, Abegail Faraja
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5233 , vital:20791
- Description: In the past decade, increased attention has been paid to the changing role of counselling psychology in South Africa. The aim of this study is to contribute to the debates about the social responsiveness, scope and focus of the field. The following research question was formulated: What lessons about a social justice approach can a counselling psychologist learn from a youth unemployment community engagement activity? Through engagement with a group of unemployed young people about their status and exploring the role that a counselling psychologist might take, a collaborative action research approach was employed. Data were generated through collaborative action research cycles, semi-structured interviews, social media communications and the researcher’s reflective journal. Template analysis was used to make sense of the data and generate preliminary themes. Process findings illustrated the supportive and constraining role of the academic research process, the time frame and the characteristics of the target group. The content-related findings illustrated the impact of contextual and demographic factors on the participants’ unemployed status. The findings confirmed the negative effect of unemployment on psychological well-being despite support from family, friends and community members. Factors such as education and socioeconomic status influenced the job seeking behaviour of participants and although participants were aware that societal change is needed, there was evidence of internalised self-blame. Recommendations emphasise the inclusion of relevant social justice models for the context of South Africa in the training of counselling psychologists; and a pressing need to engage in micro-, meso- and macro-level advocacy to collaboratively debate the identity and scope of practice of the profession and the review of professional and ethical guidelines.
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- Date Issued: 2017