This study examined the dynamics of school violence and the role of school leadership in reducing it in two Umlazi township schools. A case study was conducted in two secondary schools in Umlazi township. The aim of the study was to explore how school leaders (School Governing bodies, School Management Teams, educators, learners and parents) help schools to reduce violence. This qualitative study was set in the interpretivist paradigm. The research tools compromised of semi-structured interviews, documents analysis and observations. The two theories which underpinned this study were violent and non-violent theories. A review of international and national literature around school violence revealed that some of the challenges of learner-indiscipline encountered by South African schools were being experienced world-wide. The findings of this research were a revelation to me that violence in schools and in the community has escalated to such an extent that it has become an access problem for some learners in many schools in South Africa (SAIRR, 2008). I had a privilege of experiencing first-hand what secondary school educators, managers and parents encountered and dealt with on a daily basis. It is evident that learner indiscipline is on the increase; educator’s teaching time is being consumed in dealing with discipline issues; educators are becoming frustrated and demoralised; the tribunal hearings are not regarded as an effective structure by educators, learners and parental involvement is lacking as parents seems to have abdicated the responsibility for their children’s behaviour and education to the school management and educators. Further, the SGB play a limited role in the activities of the school due to their incapacity and lack of empowerment. Some of the recommendations based on the findings are that schools must involve all stakeholders in the formation of the Code of Conduct policy. The contents and procedures outlined in the policy must be communicated to all stakeholders and there must be consistency in its application. Stakeholders must formulate innovative strategies to engage parents to actively participate in the activities of the school. The Department of Education must fulfil its obligation to capacitate parents and other stakeholders. An empowered SMT and SGB will make a greater contribution to the elimination of school violence. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The purpose of the study is to seek an understanding of social workers experiences in working with children who have witnessed violence. The study aims to study and analyze what efforts the social services offer children who have witnessed violence, and what difficulties there are for social workers to help children who have witnessed violence, with the ambition to increase knowledge about what support children who have witnessed violence receive from social services and whether there are factors experienced that make it more difficult for social workers to work with children who have witnessed violence. To answer this purpose, the following questions were asked: According to the social workers, how are children affected by witnessing violence? How does the social service work with these consequences and what support does the social service offer to children who have witnessed violence? According to the social workers, what are the obstacles to being able to give children that support after they have witnessed violence? To pursue the study, we chose to do a qualitative method and we interviewed five social workers. The essay's results show that the social workers think that the consequences of witnessing violence are very different for each child. But there is a common picture among the social secretaries that children who witness violence are exposed to great psychological stress. It will also have a negative effect on the children's social, mental and physical well-being. Several times the child has their basic safety removed. The study also shows that social workers experience that they can not always help the children although they want to and believe that the children are in need of help. The result has been analyzed using theories about coping and street level bureaucracies. The coping strategies were mainly helpful in analyzing the first question regarding children's consequences. Street level bureaucracies were especially helpful in explaining the support provided by social workers to children and the obstacles that may exist in helping children who have been subjected to violence and who have adopted the various coping strategies.

Text in English / The study aimed at exploring the “mindset” of learners, teachers and principals behind the violence in schools. “Mindset” is a person's general attitude with which he/she approaches a situation and the way they think about things, their experiemces and opinions. The data in the current study was gathered from three schools on the Cape Flats in the Western Cape. The Cape Flats is home to South Africa’s most violent gangs, perpetuated by the socio-economic issues created by apartheid. A provincial breakdown of crime statistics ranks the Western Cape second highest in South Africa. The researcher adopted Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Framework to delineate the risk factors which impact on the community, family, individual, peer group and school environment. Participants’ selection was effected through a non-probability method of purposive sampling. Participants’ in a non-probability sample are selected based on their accessibility or by the purposive personal judgment of the researcher. The downside of the non-probability sampling method is that an unknown proportion of the entire population was not sampled. From the preceding results, it is evident that learners are exposed to many forms of violence. Too many children are reared in dysfunctional families, poorly managed schools and neighbourhoods caught in the grip of violence and poverty. If this malady is not addressed and managed, South Africa can expect another generation of youth who resort to violence as a means of conflict resolution. The rich and in-depth information around participants’ unique opinions, experiences and realities contribute towards a better understanding of school violence, dysfunctional behaviour and towards the improvement of school violence interventions. It is also argued that additional insights from the study would add value to the organisational incapacity management process of schools. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is die aard en gevolge van bendegeweld onder kinders in die vroeë adolessente jare by bendegeteisterde skole in die Wes-Kaap ondersoek ten einde terapeutiese riglyne te bepaal vir leerders wat bendegeweld by die skool ervaar. Die verskynsel van bendegeweld is in die literatuur ondersoek. Die bio-ekologiese teorie van Urie Bronfenbrenner het as teoretiese grondslag vir die navorsing gedien, welke teorie die wedersydse invloed wat persone en hul omgewing op mekaar het, beskryf. Trauma by die vroeë adolessent en drie bestaande modelle vir traumaberading word bespreek, waarna ’n stel maatstawwe vir ’n traumaberadingsmodel uit die drie modelle sowel as die literatuur gekies word. Die empiriese navorsing is deur middel van sowel kwantitatiewe- as kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gedoen. ’n Fokusgroepbespreking én onderhoude met onderwysers en skoolhoofde het plaasgevind om diepgaande inligting oor behoeftes ná voorvalle van bendegeweld te verkry. Twee in-diepte onderhoude is met persone wat kenners op die gebied van bendes en bendegeweld is, gevoer. Vervolgens is twee vraelyste, een vir leerders en een vir onderwysers en skoolhoofde, opgestel om vas te stel watter hulp hulle met betrekking tot ’n trauma-intervensieprogram benodig. Die studie het bevind dat bendegeweld leerders se akademiese prestasie sowel as hul emosionele en sosiale funksionering raak, terwyl dit gevoelens van magteloosheid en frustrasie by onderwysers en skoolhoofde veroorsaak. Die studie sluit af met ’n verskeidenheid aanbevelings oor die daarstel van terapeutiese riglyne vir opvoeders om die impak van bendegeweld op leerders by skole in bendegeteisterde gebiede te hanteer. / This study investigated the nature and effects of gang violence among children in the early adolescent stage of development at gang-infested schools in the Western Cape in order to identify therapeutic guidelines for learners who experience gang violence at school. The phenomenon of gang violence was explored in the literature study. The bioecosystems theory of Urie Bronfenbrenner was employed as the theoretical basis for the study, which describes the reciprocal influence between humans and their environment. Early adolescent trauma and three existing models for trauma counselling are discussed, followed by the selection of a set of criteria for a trauma counselling model based on the three models as well as the literature studied. The empirical research was carried out through both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. A focus group discussion as well as interviews with educators and principals were conducted in order to obtain in-depth information on their needs after incidents of gang violence. Two in-depth interviews have been conducted with professionals who are experts in the domain of gangs and gang related violence. This led to the development of two questionnaires, one for learners and one for educators and principals, to determine what type of support they need in terms of a trauma intervention programme. The study found that gang violence severely affects learners’ academic performance as well as their emotional and social functioning, while it creates feelings of frustration and powerlessness among teachers and principals. The study concludes by offering a range of recommendations for the formulation of therapeutic guidelines for educators to address the effects of gang violence on learners who attend schools in gang-infested areas. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Die Brasiliaanse opvoedkundige Paulo Freire word as een van die belangrikste opvoeders van die twintigste eeu beskou. Sy benadering tot volwasse onderrig is op verskeie terreine toegepas maar nooit direk as teenvoeter vir geweld teen vroue en kinders aangewend nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel op welke wyse Paulo Freire se benadering tot leer en onderrig in volwasse basiese onderrig as teenvoeter kan dien vir die kultuur van geweld teen vroue en kinders in Suid-Afrika. Die studie bestaan uit ’n analitiese literatuurstudie en ’n kwalitatiewe studie met elf deelnemers. Ten einde die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord neem die studie ‘n aanvang met ’n literatuurstudie oor die redes vir geweld teen vroue en kinders. Daarna val die fokus op volwasse basiese onderrig [VBO], volwasse leer en die knelpunte in VBO in Suid-Afrika. In die volgende hoofstuk word die literatuur ten opsigte van Freire se werk en sy benadering tot volwasse onderrig bespreek. Kernelemente van sy benadering word getabuleer waarna kritiek op en die belang van sy benadering, sowel as die toepassing daarvan, in Afrika en Suid-Afrika bespreek word. In die kwalitatiewe empiriese studie word die resultate van die vrae in die onderhoudsgids met betrekking tot geweld en VBO bespreek waarna die resultatate in die laaste hoofstuk in die lig van die literatuurstudie geanaliseer word. Nadat die data beoordeel is, word aanbeveel dat, hoewel kennis geneem moet word van die uitdagings in VBO en Freire se benadering, die benadering steeds as ’n middel in basiese volwasse onderrig gebruik kan word om geweld die hoof te bied. ’n Praktiese voorstel vir teengeweldonderrig word gemaak met behulp van ’n teengeweldlesplan vir VBO. Die navorsing sluit af met beperkings van die studie en voorstelle vir optrede. / The Brazilian educator Paulo Freire is considered to be one of the most important educators of the twentieth century. His approach to adult education has been applied to various fields, but never directly to prevent violence against women and children. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how Freire’s approach to learning and teaching can be used as an antidote against violence against women and children in South Africa. The study consists of an analytical literature review and qualitative study with eleven participants. To answer the research question, the study commences with a literature study on the reasons for violence against women and children. Therafter the focus shifts to the adult basic education, adult learning and the restraints in adult basic education in South Africa. In the next chapter Freire’s work and his approach to adult education is dis-cussed. Key elements to his approach is tabled whereafter critique on and the im-portance of his approach, as well as its application in South Africa, is discussed. In the qualitative empirical study the results of the questions in the interview guide with regard to violence and adult basic education is discussed, whereafter the results are analised in the final chapter in view of the literature study. After the consideration of the data, it is recommended that cognisance must be taken of the challenges to adult basic education and Freire’s approachwhich can still be utilised as a medium in adult basic education to combat violence. A practical proposal for antiviolence education is made through a antiviolence lesson plan for ABE. The research concludes with limitations and recommendations. / ABET and Youth Development / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie is die aard en gevolge van bendegeweld onder kinders in die vroeë adolessente jare by bendegeteisterde skole in die Wes-Kaap ondersoek ten einde terapeutiese riglyne te bepaal vir leerders wat bendegeweld by die skool ervaar. Die verskynsel van bendegeweld is in die literatuur ondersoek. Die bio-ekologiese teorie van Urie Bronfenbrenner het as teoretiese grondslag vir die navorsing gedien, welke teorie die wedersydse invloed wat persone en hul omgewing op mekaar het, beskryf. Trauma by die vroeë adolessent en drie bestaande modelle vir traumaberading word bespreek, waarna ’n stel maatstawwe vir ’n traumaberadingsmodel uit die drie modelle sowel as die literatuur gekies word. Die empiriese navorsing is deur middel van sowel kwantitatiewe- as kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gedoen. ’n Fokusgroepbespreking én onderhoude met onderwysers en skoolhoofde het plaasgevind om diepgaande inligting oor behoeftes ná voorvalle van bendegeweld te verkry. Twee in-diepte onderhoude is met persone wat kenners op die gebied van bendes en bendegeweld is, gevoer. Vervolgens is twee vraelyste, een vir leerders en een vir onderwysers en skoolhoofde, opgestel om vas te stel watter hulp hulle met betrekking tot ’n trauma-intervensieprogram benodig. Die studie het bevind dat bendegeweld leerders se akademiese prestasie sowel as hul emosionele en sosiale funksionering raak, terwyl dit gevoelens van magteloosheid en frustrasie by onderwysers en skoolhoofde veroorsaak. Die studie sluit af met ’n verskeidenheid aanbevelings oor die daarstel van terapeutiese riglyne vir opvoeders om die impak van bendegeweld op leerders by skole in bendegeteisterde gebiede te hanteer. / This study investigated the nature and effects of gang violence among children in the early adolescent stage of development at gang-infested schools in the Western Cape in order to identify therapeutic guidelines for learners who experience gang violence at school. The phenomenon of gang violence was explored in the literature study. The bioecosystems theory of Urie Bronfenbrenner was employed as the theoretical basis for the study, which describes the reciprocal influence between humans and their environment. Early adolescent trauma and three existing models for trauma counselling are discussed, followed by the selection of a set of criteria for a trauma counselling model based on the three models as well as the literature studied. The empirical research was carried out through both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. A focus group discussion as well as interviews with educators and principals were conducted in order to obtain in-depth information on their needs after incidents of gang violence. Two in-depth interviews have been conducted with professionals who are experts in the domain of gangs and gang related violence. This led to the development of two questionnaires, one for learners and one for educators and principals, to determine what type of support they need in terms of a trauma intervention programme. The study found that gang violence severely affects learners’ academic performance as well as their emotional and social functioning, while it creates feelings of frustration and powerlessness among teachers and principals. The study concludes by offering a range of recommendations for the formulation of therapeutic guidelines for educators to address the effects of gang violence on learners who attend schools in gang-infested areas. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, 2002.

Summaries in Afrikaans and Engish / The aim of this research was to explore the emotional experience of grade 7 learners in a gang afflicted area. The researcher further investigated how the learners experience this gang violence and how they give meaning to it The researcher also examined the possible ways in which the educational psychologist could assist these learners in actualising their full potential. A literature study of relevant sources has been undertaken to establish the theoretical context of the gang related problem. Two groups of 8 grade 7 learners were used as respondents in the empirical study. The qualitative research method has been used and the researcher made use of focus groups and interviews as measuring instruments. The results of the empirical study have shown that learners experience gang violence negatively when they are exposed to it on a regular basis and that it impacts negatively on their performance at school. / Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om die emosionele belewing van graad 7-leerders in 'n bendegeteisterde gebied te ondersoek. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die belewing van leerders van die bendegeweld en op watter wyse hulle daaraan betekenis gee. Voorts is daar ook gekyk na moontlike hulpverlening aan hierdie bendegeteisterde leerders deur die opvoedkundige sieikundige ten einde die leerders te help om hulle volle potensiaal te verwesenlik. 'n Literatuurstudie van relevante kontemporere bronne is onderneem om die teoretiese konteks van die bendeprobleem te bepaal. Vir die empiriese ondersoek is daar twee groepe van 8 leerders elk uit 'n graad 7-klas as respondente gebruik. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik en daar is spesifiek gefokus op fokusgroepe en die voer van onderhoude. Die resultate uit die empiriese ondersoek het getoon dat leerders die gereele blootstelling aan bendegeweid negatief beleef en dat dit negatief op hulle skoolwerk impakteer. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Summaries in Afrikaans and Engish / The aim of this research was to explore the emotional experience of grade 7 learners in a gang afflicted area. The researcher further investigated how the learners experience this gang violence and how they give meaning to it The researcher also examined the possible ways in which the educational psychologist could assist these learners in actualising their full potential. A literature study of relevant sources has been undertaken to establish the theoretical context of the gang related problem. Two groups of 8 grade 7 learners were used as respondents in the empirical study. The qualitative research method has been used and the researcher made use of focus groups and interviews as measuring instruments. The results of the empirical study have shown that learners experience gang violence negatively when they are exposed to it on a regular basis and that it impacts negatively on their performance at school. / Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om die emosionele belewing van graad 7-leerders in 'n bendegeteisterde gebied te ondersoek. Daar is ook ondersoek ingestel na die belewing van leerders van die bendegeweld en op watter wyse hulle daaraan betekenis gee. Voorts is daar ook gekyk na moontlike hulpverlening aan hierdie bendegeteisterde leerders deur die opvoedkundige sieikundige ten einde die leerders te help om hulle volle potensiaal te verwesenlik. 'n Literatuurstudie van relevante kontemporere bronne is onderneem om die teoretiese konteks van die bendeprobleem te bepaal. Vir die empiriese ondersoek is daar twee groepe van 8 leerders elk uit 'n graad 7-klas as respondente gebruik. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gebruik en daar is spesifiek gefokus op fokusgroepe en die voer van onderhoude. Die resultate uit die empiriese ondersoek het getoon dat leerders die gereele blootstelling aan bendegeweid negatief beleef en dat dit negatief op hulle skoolwerk impakteer. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)