Occupational social work and corporate social responsibility share commonalities which could provide significant avenues for occupational social worker practice, especially at a macro level of intervention, the area most lacking in their service delivery. The engagement of occupational social workers in corporate social responsibility in South Africa seems to have been misunderstood, with consequent limited involvement of the profession in this field. The main aim of this qualitative exploratory study was to explore the perceptions of occupational social workers in Gauteng regarding their definition and envisaged engagement in corporate social responsibility interventions in order to motivate for the incorporation of corporate social responsibility into their practice. To achieve the aim of the study, semi-structured interviews were held with seven occupational social workers and three social workers with five years practical experience in occupational social work. Sampling was not necessary given the small size of the research population. Data analysis took the form of thematic content analysis. The main findings were that the participants’ primarily defined corporate social responsibility as the contribution made by companies to the community outside the workplace however, they subsequently identified internal stakeholders, such as employees, as legitimate recipients of corporate social responsibility services. The data analysis revealed a clear perception that occupational social workers were well-suited to play roles in corporate social responsibility, utilising a full range of their micro, meso and macro skills. The identification of avenues for macro practice with internal and external company stakeholders was particularly significant, given that this is the area of intervention which has been most lacking in occupational social work service delivery. It was also established that the objectives of developmental social welfare could be incorporated into occupational social work roles in corporate social responsibility. The conclusion was reached that occupational social workers could play valuable roles in the social responsibility endeavours of companies to contribute towards change efforts to address the social problems and transformation challenges which plague South African society. The support of company leadership, who are open to the ideas of occupational social workers and champion an increased mandate for them, would be facilitative to the development of an occupational social work domain in the field of corporate social responsibility.

The study aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by social workers rendering Occupational Social Work (OSW) services, particularly in establishing and maintaining workplace support groups for employees living with HIV and AIDS. The study used a qualitative research approach, aided by exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. Data was collected from eight participants with semi-structured interviews and was analyzed by applying eight steps for data analysis as proposed by Tesch, cited in Creswell (2003:191). Data verification was done by applying Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991). The themes, which emerged from the interviews, were: the recruitment of members in workplace support groups and the challenges faced by social workers rendering OSW services. The findings indicate that, critical as their roles may be, social workers experience numerous challenges when providing workplace HIV and AIDS support groups. These include HIV and AIDS disclosure, management, organisational and logistical challenges / Social Work

The productivity and well-being of the SANDF are dependent on the effective functioning of its individual members, positive relationships amongst various groups of members and between members and the organization. Military social work, based on occupational social work, was established in order to support the well-being of the organization. Supervisors within the South African National Defence Force play a fundamental role in the management and assistance of employees and organizational units whose performance is affected by a range of problems. These supervisors are the key role players in the identification and effective referral of 'employees whose performance is affected by problem situations. The Supervisory Training Course was developed and implemented by military social workers as a training aid to equip supervisors in appropriate ways of managing and assisting employees and organizational units. The Supervisory Training Course (a very comprehensive package) is currently presented on a small scale amongst SANDF supervisors. These supervisors are not using acquired knowledge and skills effectively regarding the management of their subordinates. This situation motivated the researcher to undertake this study. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The productivity and well-being of the SANDF are dependent on the effective functioning of its individual members, positive relationships amongst various groups of members and between members and the organization. Military social work, based on occupational social work, was established in order to support the well-being of the organization. Supervisors within the South African National Defence Force play a fundamental role in the management and assistance of employees and organizational units whose performance is affected by a range of problems. These supervisors are the key role players in the identification and effective referral of 'employees whose performance is affected by problem situations. The Supervisory Training Course was developed and implemented by military social workers as a training aid to equip supervisors in appropriate ways of managing and assisting employees and organizational units. The Supervisory Training Course (a very comprehensive package) is currently presented on a small scale amongst SANDF supervisors. These supervisors are not using acquired knowledge and skills effectively regarding the management of their subordinates. This situation motivated the researcher to undertake this study. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Cette thèse intitulée : le service à l’épreuve de l’entreprise, les formes contemporaines d’exercice du métier porte sur l’évolution d’un groupe professionnel : « les assistants sociaux du travail ». S’intéressant au sens que ces travailleurs sociaux donnent à leurs pratiques professionnelles, nous avons voulu saisir les formes contemporaines d’exercice du métier en tentant de répondre au questionnement suivant : quelles sont les ressources mobilisées par les assistants sociaux du travail pour répondre à la demande sociale et institutionnelle ? quelles sont les marges de créativité et d’inventivité dont les professionnels (elles) disposent dans leur pratique professionnelle ? quelles sont les stratégies développées pour accompagner les salariés dans les entreprises ? quels sont les enjeux auxquels sont confrontés les assistants sociaux du travail ? Ainsi, à partir d’un travail d’enquête de terrain effectué auprès de 38 assistants sociaux du travail, notre thèse de doctorat porte un regard particulier au vécu d’une catégorie de professionnels (elles) mal connus (es). L’objet de cette thèse est donc de s’intéresser non seulement à la réalité du service social du travail d’aujourd’hui, la place qu’il occupe dans l’entreprise, les transformations qu’il connait, mais également au contexte d’intervention spécifique des assistants sociaux du travail, sans omettre les mutations qui affectent le monde du travail ainsi que les problématiques rencontrées par les salariés. Dans ce travail une large place est accordée aux pratiques d’accompagnement social impulsées par les travailleurs sociaux comme en témoigne la typologie des assistantes sociales ci-dessous issue de nos différentes analyses : « les paternalistes », les « généralistes », les « conventionnelles », les « créatives » et les « spécialisées ». Enfin, l’avenir du service social du travail se jouant dans la capacité à prendre en compte les mutations de l’entreprise et les besoins des salariés, nous avons tenté à la fin de notre travail de doctorat de poser dans une visée prospective quelques éléments de réflexions pour penser le service social du travail de demain / This thesis entitled “Social service in enterprise. Contemporary forms of practice”, is about the evolution of a professional group: “occupational social workers”. Interested in what sense these social workers are attributing to their professional practice, we wanted to understand contemporary forms of this professional practice by trying to answer the following questions: Which resources do occupational social workers mobilize in order to respond to social and institutional demands? How much range in creativity and imaginativeness do these professionals obtain in their practice? Which strategies are developed concerning the accompaniment of the enterprise’s employees? What are the issues the occupational social workers are confronted with? Starting from a fieldwork research with 38 interviews with occupational social workers, this thesis is especially regarding the practice of an often unrecognized professional category. The aim of this thesis is to not only to understand the reality of contemporary occupational social work, its role in the enterprise, the transformations it has to deal with, but also to recognize the context of the occupational social worker’s specific intervention without omitting the changes that affect the world of work as well as the problems employees are facing. This work is filled with practice of social accompaniment, encouraged by social workers as show the different typologies of social workers we analyzed throughout our research: “paternalist”, “generalist”, “conventional”, “creative” and “specialized” social workers. The future of occupational social work is taking place within the capacity of considering changes in enterprises as well as the employee’s needs. So at the end of our doctoral thesis we tried to point out some elements of reflection in order to view tomorrow’s occupational social service

The study aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by social workers rendering Occupational Social Work (OSW) services, particularly in establishing and maintaining workplace support groups for employees living with HIV and AIDS. The study used a qualitative research approach, aided by exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. Data was collected from eight participants with semi-structured interviews and was analyzed by applying eight steps for data analysis as proposed by Tesch, cited in Creswell (2003:191). Data verification was done by applying Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991). The themes, which emerged from the interviews, were: the recruitment of members in workplace support groups and the challenges faced by social workers rendering OSW services. The findings indicate that, critical as their roles may be, social workers experience numerous challenges when providing workplace HIV and AIDS support groups. These include HIV and AIDS disclosure, management, organisational and logistical challenges / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Farm workers are viewed as a neglected segment in the South African society. This qualitative research study focused on exploring and describing the social needs of farm workers in the Central Koup from the perspectives of samples comprising of farm workers and farm owners and/or managers. The aim was to contribute in finding solutions to address the identified needs through employee assistance programmes (EAPs) as one of the areas that an occupational social worker focuses on. The qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, and the findings were verified with literature. Tesch’s framework for data analysis (in Creswell, 2003) was employed, and data verification was conducted through Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222). The findings indicated that the social needs of farm workers could be addressed through typical EAP-related focus areas such as working- and interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, spiritual well-being, recreation, financial management, conflict management, child care and parenting skills, trauma counselling, and practical assistance regarding transport, housing and accessibility of resources. This research endeavour resulted in recommendations regarding the use of EAPs to address the social needs of farm workers. / M. Soc. Sc.

Farm workers are viewed as a neglected segment in the South African society. This qualitative research study focused on exploring and describing the social needs of farm workers in the Central Koup from the perspectives of samples comprising of farm workers and farm owners and/or managers. The aim was to contribute in finding solutions to address the identified needs through employee assistance programmes (EAPs) as one of the areas that an occupational social worker focuses on. The qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, and the findings were verified with literature. Tesch’s framework for data analysis (in Creswell, 2003) was employed, and data verification was conducted through Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222). The findings indicated that the social needs of farm workers could be addressed through typical EAP-related focus areas such as working- and interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, spiritual well-being, recreation, financial management, conflict management, child care and parenting skills, trauma counselling, and practical assistance regarding transport, housing and accessibility of resources. This research endeavour resulted in recommendations regarding the use of EAPs to address the social needs of farm workers. / M. Soc. Sc.

AFRIKAANS : Die navorsing is uitgevoer ten einde die aard en benutting van Personeelondersteuning- en Loopbaansentrum (POLS) se dienste aan die AID-personeel van die hoofkampus van UP, te verken en waar primêr gebruik gemaak was van ‘n kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering. Met die aanvang van die navorsingsprosedure was ‘n uitgebreide literatuurstudie oor verwante konsepte van WHPs en die universiteit as werkplek onderneem, gevolg deur empiriese navorsing deur die benutting van twee self-geadministreerde posvraelyste. Die eerste vraelys was aan geselekteerde AID-toesighouers en die tweede vraelys aan AID-werknemers ook geselekteer volgens die proporsioneel-gestratifiseerde steekproeftrekking, versprei. Daar was derhalwe deur middel van evaluerende navorsing ondersoek ingestel na werknemers en toesighouers se behoeftes en verwagtinge van die bestaande dienste, die mate van tevredenheid wat ervaar was en of hul deur die huidige dienste bereik word. Die behoefte aan ‘n volwaardige en gestruktureerde WHP vir UP was ook bepaal. Die studie het ‘n uitgebreide teoretiese deurskouing van die literatuur oor WHPs in die algemeen voorsien en aspekte soos die universiteit as werkplek, met spesifieke klem op die AID as werkplek, ondersoek en beskryf. Indien die literatuurstudie oor WHP in ag geneem word, blyk dit duidelik dat die dienste soos deur POLS gelewer, nie aan die standaarde en riglyne soos deur EAPA-SA gestel, voldoen nie. POLS voldoen op hierdie stadium ook nie aan ‘n tipiese WHP of Bedryfsmaatskaplike werk program nie, vanweë die lewering van beperkte dienste. Die literatuur het ook lig gewerp op die feit dat die WHP ten doel het om die organisasie se visie en missie te ondersteun. Die werksopset, organisasie dinamika en personeel diversiteit binne die Universiteit van Pretoria het dan ook aangedui dat die universiteit ‘n unieke werkgewer is en ook gebonde is tot die onderskrywing van verskeie wetgewing soos van toepassing op alle ander werkgewers. Die AID se missie, organisasiestruktuur, strategiese bestuur, fasiliteite en menslike hulpbronne dui daarop dat die AID nie van enige ander organisasie met betrekking tot werknemer en werkgewer verwagtinge verskil nie. Die literatuurstudie het aangedui dat die kern van WHPs gesetel is in ‘n doelgerigte en gestruktureerde program met die uitsluitlike doel om die werknemer se algehele maatskaplike funksionering te bevorder. Die empiriese navorsing het getoon dat POLS, as die Universiteit van Pretoria se hulpverleningsdiens, nie ten volle in die doel kon slaag nie. Die situasie kan grootliks toegeskryf word aan onkunde met betrekking tot POLS en gepaardgaande dienslewering asook die leemte aan doeltreffende bemarking deur POLS. Daar word derhalwe aanbeveel dat die Universiteit van Pretoria sterk oorweging skenk aan die ontwikkeling en implementering van ‘n volwaardige gestruktureerde werknemerhulpprogram, geskoei op die voorskrifte en beleid van EAPA-SA. ENGLISH : The research was performed to explore the nature and utilization of the Employee Assistance- and Career Centre's (EACC) services to the Academic Information Service (AIS) personnel on the main Campus of the University of Pretoria, and where a quantitative research approach was primarily used. With the commencement of the research procedure an extensive literature study about related concepts of EAP's and the University as a work place was undertaken, followed by empirical research through the usage of two self administered post questionnaires. The first questionnaire was sent to selected AIS-supervisors and the second questionnaire to the AIS-employees, also selected according to proportional stratified sampling procedure. An investigation was therefore done, through research evaluation, whether the employees and supervisors' needs and expectations of existing services, the extent of satisfaction experienced have been met and whether they are reached by the present services. The need for a full-fledged and structured EAP for UP was also determined. The study provided an extensive theoretical study of the literature on EAPs in general and surveyed and described aspects such as the university as work place, with specific emphasis on AIS as work place. Should the literature study on EAP be taken into account, it is evident that services provided by EACC, do not comply with standards and guidelines set by EAPA-SA. The EACC does not comply, at this stage, to a typical EAP or Occupational Social Work programme, because of the delivery of limited services. The literature also revealed the fact that EAPs purpose is to support the vision and mission of the organization. The work set-up, organization dynamics and personnel diversity with-in the University of Pretoria also indicated that the University is a unique employer who is also tied to the underwriting of several legislation applicable to all employers. The AIS's mission, organizational structure, strategical management, facilities and human resources, indicated that AIS do not differ from any other organization with regards to employee and employer expectations. The literature study indicated that the core of EAPs is settled in a purposeful and structured programme with the exclusive purpose to promote the employee's entire social well-being. The empirical study showed that the EACC, as employee assistance service of the University of Pretoria, could not reach the expected goals. This can be assigned to the lack of knowledge regarding EACC and their services, as well as the inefficient marketing by EACC. It is therefore recommended that the University of Pretoria should strongly consider a full-fledged Employee Assistance Programme based on the prescription and policies upheld by EAPA-SA. / Dissertation (MSD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

An intoxicated police employee can never keep the community safe and secure, as mandated by law enforcement prescripts. However, limited attention is given to harmful or hazardous substance abuse or the binge drinking habits of police employees. Substance abuse being a ‘culture’ in law enforcement agencies and the maintenance of the blue wall of silence as a protective measure necessitates scientific research to explore how a collaborative working relationship between the occupational social worker and especially First Line Managers (FLMs) can contribute to addressing this phenomenon in a timeous manner. The researcher applied a quantitative research approach and utilised a switching replication quasi-experimental design to determine whether the collaborative working relationship between South African Police Service (SAPS) FLMs and Police Social Workers (PSWs) can be strengthened to the extent that they effectively and efficiently deal with the harmful or hazardous substance abuse or binge drinking habits of SAPS employees by exposing the FLMs to a social work intervention, namely the Sober Workplace Programme for Managers. The pre-, mid-, and posttest measurements are based on knowledge, attitude, and behaviour constructs to determine if the two hypotheses formulated were supported. The study, however, did not indicate that the Sober Workplace Programme for Managers strengthens the collaborative working relationship between the FLMs and PSWs to address the harmful or hazardous substance abuse or binge drinking habits of employees in the workplace. Alternative research and occupational social work strategies are recommended to establish if and how the Sober Workplace Programme for Managers can be implemented to strengthen the collaborative working relationship between the FLMs and PSWs to address the harmful or hazardous substance abuse or binge drinking habits of employees. / Social Work / Ph. D. (Social Work)