Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Thus far, no youth intervention strategy has responded to the root causes of the HIV/AIDS crisis amongst young people through an approach that encompasses both a prevention and a future leadership strategy in one development model. This article tells the story of the development and pilot process of an adolescent peer education model, for which the author of this paper was the leader. The model is being proposed as a youth development strategy to positively impact community social norms by using young opinion leaders as the catalyst for change. The model was developed through an NGO, OIL Reach Out Adolescent Training (OIL), that specifically set out to pioneer, implement and evaluate best practice adolescent peer education in one cross-cultural community as a model for other communities in Africa. OIL set out basing its belief in the efficacy of peer education on behavioural theories, which support it as a strategy for behaviour change. At the heart of their peer education pilot was the belief that the message giver is the strongest message; people don’t change with information, they change when others around them change. Together with peer education theories, OIL applied a “futures-oriented” education approach in their curriculum development. OIL set out with a definition of peer education as being “the process whereby skilled facilitators assist a group of suitable young people to: educate their peers in a structured manner; informally role-model healthy behaviour; recognise youth in need of additional help and refer them for assistance; and advocate for resources and services for themselves and their peers”. (Deutsch, C. & Swartz. S 2003), OIL strategically selected a community at the tip of the Western Cape to pilot, made up of 4 diverse school communities and representing a microcosm of periurban South Africa as a whole. OIL was selected by the Western Cape Education Department as part of the provincial pilot programme. The core programme framework was designed together with community stakeholders and adolescent community representatives. Selection of Adolescent Peer Educators was through a combination of self-nomination and referrals from peers. The aim of this process was to yield a diverse group of teens from all the different sub-cultures who were leaders, chosen on their shared experience with learners and making up 10-15% of the class. Training content included a diverse values based curriculum that was designed to provide skills and information needed to tackle root issues facing young people and providing a sense of vision and purpose. Personal transformation of the peer educator was realized to be the critical factor in effective peer education.Over three years, a structured and long-term programme was put in place with programme standards and clear manageable outputs for peer educators. Once the pilot was drawing to completion in 2004, the author of this paper as representative of OIL at the time, together with representatives of the seven other implementing organisations involved in the pilot, were brought together to compile their learnings and document a proposed common model for implementation from 2005 into other communities. OIL’s model and uncompromising standards of peer education were recognized for future programmes to learn from and model. Challenges for future implementers include accessing financial sustainability, community buy and combatting HIV related attitudes / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Weinig beskikbare voorkomingsprogramme is tans op die jeug en toekomstige leiers gerig. In ander lande in Suider-Arika word voorkomingsprogramme sterk op die jeug gevestig ten einde die visie van 'n Vigsvrye generasie in die toekoms te probeer verwesentlik. Hierdie studie is as 'n gevallestudie opgeskryf met sterk klem op 'n volwasse opvoedkundige model en jeugontwikkeling en 'n positiewe fokus op jong opinieleiers, as teikengroep. Die uitkomste van die program is sterk op voorkoming gerig. Die model is ontwikkel deur 'n nie-winsgewende organisasie (NGO), OIL (Reach Out Adolescent Training). Die studie beskryf die ontstaan, metodiek en implementering van OIL en beskryf sekere van die suksesse wat reeds daarmee bereik is. Die teoretiese basis van die OIL program word beskryf. Ook word die belangrikheid van deeglike voorafopleiding en die transformasie wat deur OIL bereik kan word, deeglik op skrif gestel. Die verdere verloop van die opleidingsprogram word uitgespel en voorstelle vir verdere navorsings- en ontwikkelingswerk word aan die hand gedoen.

This study explored the perceptions of beneficiaries of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) with regard to the role that RDP houses play socially, psychologically, and physically in the lives of occupants after moving from an informal settlement into RDP houses. Given that the said housing programme targets disadvantaged people, it was important to understand their own perceptions of these houses. The study also explored the perceptions of government officials in regard to their experiences relating to RDP houses. A case study approach was adopted and Bronfenbrenner‟s ecological theory of human development was used as the theoretical framework to guide this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with two groups of participants. First, Group A comprised three RDP participants who lived in an informal settlement before relocation to their RDP houses. Second, Group B comprised three participants from the national, provincial and local offices of the governmental human settlements departments respectively. Data were analysed and four main themes as well as the subthemes emerged from the analysis. The four main themes are the bolstered sense of psychological well-being; access to basic services, amenities, and benefits of an improved infrastructure; pride of ownership; and ownership as a form of personal economic development or empowerment. Findings suggested that the participants reflected expressions of joy, a sense of permanence, a feeling of being home, hope for the future, and an absence of worry. These meanings and interpretation of home ownership reflect how the participants identify with their RDP houses and how pleased they are to own a house. Basic services enhance their overall quality of life in relation to their psychological, physical and social well-being. Interestingly, access to socio-economic services and amenities such as connected water and electricity inside The Experience of Moving from an Informal Settlement to a Secure Stable Home 4 the houses, the availability of schools and clinics, transport services, and a habitable environment, were found to play an important role in the lives of the participants. However, factors which hamper the success of RDP housing and compound the hopelessness of living in an informal settlement as well as the problems that RDP home owners encounter, which restrain their pride of ownership are: ambivalence over restrictions or limitations imposed by building regulations, the size of the houses, the poor quality construction, and envy at improvements made to subsequent RDP houses. In conclusion, the findings add to a greater theoretical understanding of the factors contributing to human development and the factors that impede the effectiveness of the housing programme. These factors draw attention to a number of important issues regarding RDP housing, which may assist housing practitioners, and in particular, policy developers, in developing policy that may be more useful in meeting the needs of the people. This could enhance the existing housing programme as well as alert the housing practitioners to existing shortcomings and offer them the opportunity to become acquainted therewith. These factors that impede RDP ownership suggest a need for the government and other relevant stakeholders to engage in the issues that prevent the successful implementation of the housing programme thereby maximising the effectiveness of the housing programme, primarily in order to strive to improve the lives of previously disadvantaged people. / Social Work / MA SS (Psychology)

M. Tech. Business Administration / Mining is an economic activity that has the potential to develop areas that are impacted by its operations. However, mining operations may also negatively affect the surrounding communities as a consequence of certain undesired practices which either may damage the environment or disturb existing social structures such as tampering with graves. Despite this destabilisation, mining companies may offer either disproportionately low compensation, or, in some cases, engage in unequal distribution of corporate social benefits. If not planned in a sustainable way, mining activities can damage the landscape resulting in diminishing returns to the communities. Thus the research question is, what benefits accrue to the communities in the Sekhukhune District Municipality as a result of profitable mining operations? The objective of this study was to evaluate community programs driven by mining companies as well as obstacles inherent in the development of sustainable Local Economic Development (LED) projects in areas dominated by mining operations. In completing this research a qualitative method was followed. A case study of the Sekhukhune District Municipality in the Limpopo Province was conducted in order to ascertain the role of mining in contributing towards development of sustainable business ventures. Face to face interviews were conducted with all relevant stakeholders in the district in completing the work. The research revealed discrepancies in as far as mining contribution to the area is concerned. The respondents painted different pictures of the matter. Mining companies believe that they are contributing substantially to the communities in terms of sustainable business development and so forth, whereas the opposite is correct. The local municipalities do not have the capacity to deal with issues relating to community development and negotiating with mining companies. It is recommended that joint participation in the development of programs as well as LED projects by all stakeholders in the area be adequately appreciated and enhanced.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Recently, Participatory action research (PAR) has become a common approach to social programmes in South Africa. This tendency has created a need to evaluate this kind of programmes to determine if it really achieves what it sets out to do. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an entrepreneurial skills training programme in a rural community where a participatory action research approach was followed. A literature review was undertaken to present an in-depth look into the body of literature that surrounds the study. Programme evaluation was discussed as a research design, including types and stages of evaluation. The concept of empowerment was investigated. The review also included a study of literature on PAR, especially the definitions, context and process of PAR. The role of entrepreneurship in rural development was also investigated as well as the evaluation of entrepreneurial skills training programmes. An entrepreneurial skills training programme was implemented in the rural town of Darling on the West Coast of South Africa. The PAR approach was followed in the implementation of the study that was conducted over a period of 15 months. Participants joined the programme that included different projects, voluntarily. The participants were divided into three groups according to their period of participation in the programme. The researcher facilitated actions as well as reflection meetings with the group of participants before and after the entrepreneurial skills training course. The researcher made field notes during the implementation of the programme. The participants' empowerment status was measured with a standardized questionnaire using a pre-test-post-test design. The participants' application of the entrepreneurial skills that were taught in the course was measured during semi-structured interviews at the end of the research perico. four case studies document the extremes of the respective outcomes of the programme, namely empowerment and entrepreneurship. Statistical analysis showed statistically significant improvements in the micro, macro and total empowerment scores of the total group. Looking at the three groups separately, group one showed statistically significant improvements on the micro and interface levels and group two on the micro level. Even though group three showed small improvements on all three levels, none of them were statistically significant. Data from the field notes wer:e analyzed according to the PAR concepts of participation, action and reflection. Participation mostly had a collaborative nature; action was aimed at economical change and reflection aimed at practical problem solving. The interviews revealed that 20 of the 24 participants had micro baking businesses at the end of the research period and they succeeded in the short-term goal of applying the skills that were taught in the course. The case studies showed no correlation between the participants' application of entrepreneurial skills and the changes in their empowerment status. The findings of the study suggest that the longer participants participate in a PAR programme, the bigger the improvement in their empowerment status will be. Monitoring of the implementation revealed that the study fell short of the "ideal type" of PAR, since participation was not yet collegiate. Actions were only effective in economic change and not in social transformation. Reflection resulted in limited critical self-awareness among the participants. The PAR approach has proven to be successful in the attainment of the short-term goals of an entrepreneurial skills training programme. The long-term sustainability of the entrepreneurs' businesses will have to be followed-up by further research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die afgelope tyd is deelnemende aksie navorsing (DAN)'n algemene benadering tot sosiale intervensie programme in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie tendens het 'n behoefte laat ontstaan om hierdie tipe programme te evalueer om te bepaal of dit werklik die program doelwitte bereik. Die doel van hierdie studie was om 'n entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingsprogram in 'n landelike gemeenskap waar die DAN-benadering gevolg is, te evalueer. 'n Literatuuroorsig is onderneem om die konseptueie raamwerk wat vir die studie saamgestel is, te kan beredeneer. Programevaluering, insluitende tipes and stadia van evaluering, is bespreek as 'n navorsingsontwerp. Die konsep van bemagtiging is ook bestudeer. Die oorsig het 'n ook studie van literatuur oor DAN ingesluit, veral definisies, die konteks en die proses van DAN. Die rol van entrepreneurskap in landelike ontwikkeling is 00~ ondersoek sowel as die evaluering van opleidingsprogramme gemik op die ontwikkeling van entrepreneursvaardighede. 'n Entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingsprogram is in 'n landelike dorpie, Darling, aan die Weskus van Suid-Afrika geïmplementeer. Oor 'n periode van 15 maande is die DAN-benadering in die implementering van die program gevolg. Deelnemers het vrywillig by die program wat uit verskillende projekte bestaan het, aangesluit. Die deelnemers is na aanleiding van hul tydperk van deelname in die program in drie groepe verdeel. Die navorser het aksies sowel as refleksie byeenkomste met die groep deelnemers voor en na die entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingskursus gefasiliteer. Die navorser het veldnotas tydens die implementering van die program gemaak. Die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus is gemeet met 'n gestandaardiseerde vraelys terwyl 'n voor-en-na-toets ontwerp gevolg is. Die deelnemers se toepassing van die entrepreneursvaardighede wat in die kursus geleer is, is tydens semigestruktureerde onderhoude aan die einde van die navorsingsperiode gemeet. Vier gevallestudies dokumenteer die uiterstes van die onderskeidelike uitkomste van die program, naamlik bemagtiging en entrepreneurskap. Statistiese analise het statisties betekenisvolle verbeteringe in die mikro, makro en totale bemagtigingsvlakke van die totale groep getoon. Afsonderlik gesien, het groep een statisties betekenisvolle verbeteringe op die mikro en tussenvlak getoon en groep twee net op die mikrovlak. Alhoewel groep drie klein verbeteringe op al drie vlakke getoon het, was geen van die verbeteringe statisties betekenisvol nie. Data van die veldnotas is volgens DAN konsepte, naamlik deelname, aksie en refleksie geanaliseer. Die deelnemers en die fasiliteerder se deelname het meestal In samewerkende aard gehad, aksie was gemik op ekonomiese verandering en refleksie was gemik op praktiese probleemoplossinq. Die onderhoude het aangetoon dat 20 van die 24 deelnemers aan die einde van die navorsingsperiode In mikro bakbesigheid gehad het en dat hulle daarin geslaag het om die korttermyn doelwit, naamlik die toepassing van die vaardighede wat in die kursus geleer is, te bereik. Die gevallestudies het geen korrelasie getoon tussen die deelnemers se toepassing van entrepreneursvaardighede en die veranderinge in hulle bemagtigingstatus nie. Die studie se bevindinge dui daarop dat hoe langer deelnemers aan In DAN-program deelneem, hoe groter sal die verbetering in hulle bemagtigingstatus wees. Die monitering van die implementering van die program het laat biyk dat die studie tekort skiet in vergelyking met die "ideaaltipe" van DAN, want die deelname was nog nie korporatief nie. Aksies was net suksesvol in ekonomiese verandering en nie in sosiale transformasie nie. Refleksie het tot beperkte kritiese "selfbewustheid" by die deelnemers gelei. Dit blyk dat die DAN-benadering suksesvol was om die korttermyn doelwitte van In entrepreneursvaardighede opleidingsprogram te bereik. Die langtermyn volhoubaarheid van die entrepreneurs se bakbesighede sal met verdere navorsing opgevolg moet word.

<p>This study focused on municipal service delivery campaigns before the advent of the integrated development planning framework. In particular, the focus was on the role played by the Masakhane campaign in improving service delivery and contributing to a better life for the community of the greater Middelburg in Mpumalanga Province. The municipality of the greater Middelburg won several awards in recognition of its achievements in the Masakhane campaign and serves as a model example for other municipalities.</p>

This study considered the work of the Department of Community Development in the City of Cape Town, through the manner in which it implemented its developmental vision, its institutional consequences and the obstacles to its realisation.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Information & Communication Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Community Development service practitioners in South Africa have been increasingly burdened with a broader range of responsibilities. Using ICT proficiently could enhance their productivity. The use of ICT is prevalent in almost every organization, therefore, it can also serve as a major factor in providing flexibility of service to communities, but only if the practitioners possess adequate skills in retrieving, presenting and disseminating valuable and adequate information within the workplace to the parties involved. Training interventions are however not always successful and their impact need to be measured. This study focussed on developing a Multi-Stage assessment model to measure the impact of an ICT training intervention, to provide evidence of the effectivity of the training. A syllabus was developed, based on the European e-Competence Framework for ICT Users - Part 1 (CEN, 2013) and contextualized to suit the work environment of Community Development Workers (CDWs) from KwaZulu-Natal, training material was created and a Learning Management System was used to deliver the training. A self-assessment questionnaire was used to determine the pre-training skills level of the CDWs, 189 CDWs from KwaZulu-Natal were trained and a second questionnaire was used to measure the impact of the training. Results were analysed using Item Response Theory, which provided a way to measure not only overall competency but responses to specific items. Classical Test Theory measuring frequencies and averages were also use and the two sets of responses were compared. The training was found to be effective. Recommendations towards the development of a Multi-Stage assessment model are made. / M

Thesis (M.Arch. (Professional))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, 2016. / Drug abuse, particularly among younger generations, is an issue of increasing concern in South Africa. According to recent reports on global substance abuse, South Africa was named as having some of the highest rates of youth drug use in the world. This not only has dire impacts for local communities and their youth, but has led to increasing crime rates and unemployment in these communities. One such community, plagued with youth drug abuse and addiction, is Westbury, a former coloured township in Western Johannesburg. Westbury has, in turn, been selected as the focus area for this thesis due to prevailing struggles with youth drug addiction, high rates of drug-related crime and a community outcry for a solution. This thesis aims to investigate a means of alleviating degrees of drug use, and other risky youth behaviours, by introducing an architectural intervention. This intervention – defined as a Youth Centre and Safe House – will attempt to address the search for identity and meaning within the liminal state of adolescence, and the often risky behaviours that arise as a result, by providing a sense of ‘place’ and belonging for the ailing youth. With the main focus group being at-risk adolescents, and in order to create an architecture that speaks of the liminal state of adolescence, threshold and ‘the space between’ become important design concepts. This thesis attempts to investigate the movement between distinct spaces, the experience of transition, and the physical and psychological effects thereof. The resultant design proposes an architecture of liminality, where soft, implied thresholds and a celebration of ‘the space between’ become the manner in which the liminal subject can negotiate the built environment and establish a sense of ‘place’ within it. / EM2017

The broader aim of this study is to see how these challenges can be dealt with the objective of making public spaces that is meaningful to residents in socially complex and economically challenged areas. The study illuminates the challenges in designing a typology that is as open and volatile as public open space, and in particular the square, that is, conceived space. It also seeks to understand what form public open space and social spaces take on, and how they are used in ways that are peculiar to the township context. the research seeks to establish design concepts to develop WSSD through involvement of the community and being more responsive to its context, can become a meaningful space. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture (Professional) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016 / Hyperembodiment is an approach to negotiating the interface between spaces for women (in Johannesburg’s inner-city) and jewellery as a connector of the body – especially for women – to place. The inner-city, a space that is male-dominated and where women are present but seem to be largely excluded, or to feel unsafe and vulnerable - especially because of what the female body represents in an ‘unsafe’ male space, is also full of vibrancy and activity and has the potential for a positive and radical cultural change, but remains disconnected, nonprogressive and stagnant in thinking as well as non-inclusive of all people. The spatial investigations into places for women (modern feminist spatial concepts) and jewellery as a ‘site’ or interface between the body and architecture, and the interesting parallels it draws between feminist views, space, psychology and the body (process and development of body adornment and jewellery theories), are powerful ways of thinking about space that could suggest an appropriate architectural approach that could realign both spaces for women, a modern approach to the act of making, and creative jewellery practices in Johannesburg. The spatial connotations of the word ‘hyper’ is something that is ‘very’, ‘beyond’, or ‘very active’ and those of the word ‘embodiment’ is something ‘embodying’, ‘representing’ or ‘expressing’ a space. The compound word ‘Hyperembodiment’ used here means beyond embodiment, or very actively personifying a space and its innate properties of land, earth, materials, and the bodies (people) in it. It is also all the layers of embodiment – physical, historical, social layers – that are collaged together in one time and in one space to create a high-intensity and complex expression of place. Jewellery as a connector; for the body and for woman to place, would be these collaged layers made into a physical object and symbol made from the materials, earth, historical and social layers. It is a simultaneous case of the wearer embodying the place, and the place embodying the wearer. / MT2017