Social Work / Maatskaplike Werk (E-Journal)
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PARTNERSHIPS: MARRYING THE STRENGTHS AND RESOURCES OF DIVERSE INTEREST GROUPS
Get PDFThis paper explores the growing importance of partnership development within the social services sector in Australia. It proposes that the social, political and economic factors giving rise to shifting priorities in this newly named "third" sector are encapsulated in the notion of social entrepreneurship being given impetus by the Federal Government’s policy of mutual obligation, the findings of the Welfare Reform Group and the consequent Australians Working Together programme. It argues that community development is the ideal strategy for partnership development that fits well with the strengths perspective, where the emphasis is on mutual engagement in an equal relationship such that the collective assets and resources of the collaborating partners can be harnessed for the good of the community. The parallels between partnerships and human relationships are outlined and the role of the key sectors of community, business, government and non-government in the provision of social services are discussed. The paper ends with a discussion of community-business partnership development. Partnerships are seen to offer social workers with opportunities and challenges in the development of creative and innovative programmes aimed at social improvement
PROBLEMS RURAL SOCIAL WORKERS EXPERIENCE
Get PDFThe research was an exploratory study of the views and experiences of 45 social workers related to their work and working conditions in rural communities This article describes the research results around aspects regarding problems that social workers experience when working in rural communities e.g problems of the rural community that the social worker needs to attend to and problems the social workers experience connected to their work situation in rural areas. It is hoped that this study will bring about an awareness and concern for the rural people and rural social workers who have to take up the challenge
TRANSSEXUALISM – AN INVESTIGATION
Get PDFINTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUNDTranssexualism (also referred to as transsexuality) is a phenomenon that is not always well understood in society. From the time that this term was first used it has often been confused with sexual deviations such as homosexuality, bisexuality, transvestism or hermaphroditism. The term “transsexualism” was used for the first time in 1950 by Cauldwell, when George Jorgensen became Christine Jorgensen in 1951-52 in Copenhagen after a series of hormone treatments and a sex-change operation (Crown, 1976:231; Cavanagh, 1977:118; Louw, 1992:307; Comer, 1995:512). The first “sex-change” operations had already been performed in the 1930s; however, sex reassignment did not receive much attention until the highly publicised case of Christine Jorgensen (Bootzin, Acocella & Alloy, 1993:346). By 1980 sex-reassignment surgery was routine in at least forty medical centres in the Western hemisphere (Arndt, 1991 in Comer, 1995:512)
THE INTEGRATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE INTO THE OPEN LABOUR MARKET: A SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE
Get PDFIt has been established that people with disabilities are in most cases excluded from society and major activities in society such as social recreation and employment in the open labour market. Only 1% of people with disabilities in South Africa are working in the open labour market. Only some of the 99% who do not work receive a small grant from the state, which is their only form of income (White Paper on Integrated National Disability Strategy 1997:2-3). It is an objective of the South African government to achieve equity in the open labour market. As little research has formally been done regarding the attitudes, perceptions and needs of employers regarding the integrating of people with disabilities into the labour market, the subject of this study is relatively new. The researchers have therefore conducted an exploratory research study to explore employment possibilities for people with disabilities, the attitudes, perceptions and needs of employers as well as barriers that prevent the employment of disabled people. On the basis of this information the researchers have described guidelines for a training programme for employers to integrate people with disabilities into the open labour market
DIE ONGETROUDE VOLWASSE TSWANA-VROU SE PERSEPSIES VAN DIE HUWELIK
Get PDFThe objective of this article is to explore and describe the adult unmarried Tswana woman’s perceptions of marriage in order to contribute to the development of indigenous knowledge as a basis for culture congruent marriage preparation services. For these purposes a qualitative, exploratory research study has been undertaken. Thirty-two Tswana women, who met all the set criteria, were included in the study by means of purposive sampling. An in-depth exploration of the perceptions of unmarried mature Tswana women was undertaken by utilising the semi-structured method of interviewing. Relevant data were analysed by means of descriptive analysis as described by Tesch. A variety of factors that influence the adult unmarried Tswana woman’s perceptions of marriage, such as the traditional and changing role and status of the married woman, the high divorce rate, the bogadi- and stay at in-laws-custom, and the Tswana woman’s expectation of a spouse, have been identified. In this article the findings of this study is presented and discussed, and recommendation regarding culture congruent marriage preparation services made
STRENGTHS-FOCUSED INTERVENTION: THE NEW APPROACH OF THE SOCIAL WORK SERVICE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE (SAPS)
Get PDFIn 1996 social work in the newly constituted South African Police Service (SAPS) was at a crossroad. The era of the South African Police (SAP) had ended with the promulgation of the South African Police Service Act (Act 68/1995) on 4 October 1995. The South African Police Service (SAPS) was in the process of implementing a new policy that emphasised the empowerment of personnel in the interests of effective service delivery within a transforming organisation and society. At the same time however, SAPS was facing an increase in the incidence of social problems among its 120 000 members. A choice had to be made. It was either to stick to the therapy-centred approach that had become the norm in the SAP, or try to conceptualise an alternative service-delivery paradigm. The choice fell on the latter. The result was the operationalised version of social work’s strengths approach that now forms the basis of occupational social work in the SAP
CHALLENGES FOR BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Get PDFThe primary goal of partnerships in social development is to strategically join efforts to reduce poverty, address inequalities and social injustices through the redistribution of resources, and through social and economic development programmes. This can only be achieved when there is a true commitment from all partners involved to take up the challenges of building partnerships which could provide a negotiated framework for a partnership strategy for social development. These challenges include understanding the changing role of the state, redefining partnerships, empowerment of NGOs to be service deliverers and advocates, the creation of an enabling environment, recognition and balancing of social development partners’ strengths and weaknesses, an agreement on the social development agenda and a plan for sustainable social development. Although a partnership strategy for social development needs to be in place to provide broad guidelines, each kind and level of partnership need to be uniquely negotiated, planned, designed and maintaine
ADVANCING THROUGH RETREATING: SELF-CARE AMONG HELPING PRACTITIONERS
Get PDFThe research was conducted in Cape Town amongst a non-probability sample of 16 helping practitioners who are also retreatants. A literature review describes the value of retreats and retreating and informs the empirical study. The review supports the view that helping practitioners have not only the ability but also a duty to care for themselves The empirical research explores respondents’ perceptions and explanations of their retreating experience, using their own words. Six themes surrounding the meaning of retreating emerged from the data. A discussion of findings identifies the efficacy of retreating as a self-care tool among helping practitioners. Retreatants yearn for recuperative silence and reflective opportunities that remedy the stresses and pace of modern living. By retreating, they experience not only an avoidance of burnout but also an enhancement of functioning and well-being. The tools used on retreat have as much value outside the retreat setting as in it. Eight recommendations encourage the development of self-awareness and self-care practices related to retreating, including making space for this development in the workplace
EXPLORING ARTICULATION AND PARTNERING OF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMMES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DURBAN -WESTVILLE (UDW) AND NORTH LONDON (UNL)
Get PDFAs a result of an exploratory visit by Kasiram and Partab to the University of North London to investigate partnering possibilities between the two Universities, it was agreed that a comparative study of the Social Work programmes at both Universities be undertaken. The University of North London had already devised a post hoc student survey as part of the General Social Care Council feedback for quality assurance. The survey was adapted and adopted for use by the University of Durban-Westville, Social Work. The results of the two surveys were compare
CAN WE LEGISLATE FOR PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN? AN ANALYSIS OF ASPECTS OF THE 2002 DRAFT CHILDREN’S BILL
Get PDFThis article provides an explanation and critical analysis of the prevention and early intervention provisions in the South African Law Commission ‘s 2002 Draft Children’s Bill. In addition, the inter-sectoral approach provided for in the Draft Bill and the proposed national policy framework are evaluated. Innovative recommendations that would allow child and family courts to issue early intervention orders are discussed. It is contended in the article that if the prevention and early intervention provisions in the Draft Bill were to be translated into legislation, this could produce significant consequences. It would cause a fundamental shift in balance between proactive and reactive social work services for children in South Africa