Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gedoen om die opvoedkundige ondersteuning wat leerders in spesiale jeugsorgsentrums in die Wes-Kaap ontvang te ondersoek, deur gebruik te maak van ’n kwalitatiewenavorsingsontwerp en binne ’n interpretatiewe paradigma te werk. Hierdie studie het ook die belewenisse van manlike jeugoortreders ten opsigte van hul opvoedkundige ervaring binne die rehabilitasiekonteks ondersoek. Die populasie vir die studie was oortreders in ’n spesiale jeugsorgsentrum – ’n onderwysinrigting waartoe jeugdiges deur die hof gevonnis word indien hulle herhaaldelik by misdaad betrokke is. Die navorsing het uitgelig dat die jeugoortreders in die studiepopulasie ’n lang geskiedenis van aanhouding het; dat hulle voorheen in ’n inrigting van die Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling, ’n gevangenis van die Departement Korrektiewe Dienste en ’n spesiale jeugsentrum van die Departement van Onderwys aangehou is. Die betekenisvolheid hiervan is dat dit toon hoe gefragmenteer dienste aan jeugdige oortreders gelewer word. Daar was baie onderbrekings in die deelnemers se opvoedkundige pad, asook verwydering van die gesins- en gemeenskapslewe. Verder wil dit voorkom of geen departement aanspreeklikheid aanvaar het vir die rehabilitasie van die jeugdiges nie, aangesien hulle heen en weer tussen die inrigtings van die verskillende departemente geskuif is. Daar moet beter samewerking en skakeling wees tussen alle departemente wat betrokke is by jeugoortreders en die implimentering van programme moet effektief gemonitor en gereeld geëvalueer word. Programme moet gereeld hersien en konstant aangepas word om sodoende die lewensvatbaarheid van die programme en inrigtings te bepaal. Jeugdiges in jeugsentrums is nie ’n homogene groep nie en kom uit verskillende agtergronde met diverse opvoedingsbehoeftes waarin voorsien moet word. Die jeugdiges het ook hul opvoedkundige behoeftes verwoord en dit het beroepsvaardighede, sosiale en morele ontwikkeling ingesluit. Verder is die redes ondersoek waarom die jeugdiges aanhoudend betrokke bly by misdaad. Hulle het aangevoer dat dit as gevolg van portuurdruk, dwelms en armoede is. Die jeugdiges het ook voorstelle van alternatiewe programme en ondersteuning gemaak. Volgens hulle moet dit insluiting in die gemeenskap, positiewe vryetydsbesteding, erkenning deur ander en weerbaarheid behels. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was done to investigate the educational support that learners receive at a special youth centre in the Western Cape, by making use of a qualitative research design and working within an interpretive paradigm. This study also investigated the experiences of male youth offenders with regard to education within the rehabilitation context. The study population were young offenders in a special youth centre, which is an educational institution where young offenders are being sentenced to after being repeatedly involved in crime. The research revealed that the youth offenders of the study population have a long history of detention; that they were held in an institution of the Department of Social Development, the prison of the Department of Correctional Services and special youth centres of the Department of Education. This finding is significant because it shows the fragmentation of services that are delivered to youth offenders. There was a lot of interruption along the participants’ educational pathway, as well as removal from family and community life. Furthermore, it would appear that no department accepted responsibility for the rehabilitation of the youths, because they were moved back and forth between the institutions of the different departments. There should be better collaboration and liaising between departments that are involved with young offenders and the implementation of programmes should be monitored effectively and evaluated regularly. Programmes should also be reviewed regularly and constantly adjusted to establish whether is the programmes and institutions are sustainable. The youth in youth centres are not a homogenous group and come from different backgrounds with diverse educational needs that should be met. The youths also voiced their educational needs, which included workplace skills, social and moral development. Furthermore, the reasons why the youths continue to be involved in crime were investigated. They said that it was because of peer pressure, drugs and poverty. The youths also made suggestions of alternative programmes and support. According to them it should entail inclusion in the community, positive free-time spending, recognition by others and resilience.