The research describes how post-training supervisory support enhances training transfer in the private sector. Transfer of training principles were identified, after which the participants were interviewed to determine which transfer of training criteria were used by supervisors to enhance training in the work environment. The study population for this research was comprised of call centre supervisors and call centre agents from a company in the private sector in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The study methodology involved qualitative interviews and document reviews. Themes and sub-themes were identified from the data collected. The findings of the study reflected how post-training supervisory support enhances transfer of training. Recommendations were provided that could have a significant impact on organisations’ approach towards ensuring successful transfer of training to the work environment. Suggestions for further studies were made. The study concludes by suggesting a transfer of learning strategy aimed at enhancing transfer to the work environment that should be implemented by organisations. / Adult Basic Education (ABET) / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine the extent to which employee assistance programmes can be utilised by welfare agencies to ensure that work-related and personal problems do not negatively influence the productivity of social workers. The group of respondents consisted of ten social work supervisors from ten different welfare agencies, which included civil sevice organisations, specialist organisations and family welfare organisations. The conclusion that was reached based on the findings of the empirical study is that social workers have a need for services that will prevent, relieve or eliminate their work-related and personal problems, in order to improve the productivity and general functioning of social workers. It is recommended that welfare agencies in accordence with their unique nature and functioning and the specific needs of the social workers, utilise employee assistance programmes so as to ensure optimal productivity of social workers / Die doel van die navorsingstudie is om te bepaal tot watter mate werknemerhulpprogramme deur welsynsinstansies aangewend kan word ten einde te verseker dat werkverwante en persoonlike probleme nie die produktiwiteit van maatskaplike werkers negatief beinvloed nie. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit tien maatskaplikewerksupervisors van tien verskillende welsynsinstansies, te wete staatsdiensorganisasies, spesialiteitsorganisasies en gesinsorgorganisasies. Na aanleiding van die empiriese ondersoek is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat maatskaplike werkers 'n behoefte aan dienste het wat hul werkverwante en persoonlike probleme voorkom, verlig of uit die weg ruim ten einde produktiwiteit en algemene funksionering van maatskaplike werkers te bevorder. Daar word aanbeveel dat welsynsinstansies, na gelang van hul unieke aard en funksionering en die spesifieke behoeftes van die maatskaplike werker, werknemerhulpprogramme sal aanwend ten einde optimale produktiwiteit van maatskaplike werkers te verseker. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

South Africa is currently facing a severe shortage of trained and competent social workers. Case loads have reached proportions of such magnitude that social workers in the field are battling to meet the needs of the people they serve, while still maintaining high ethical and professional standards. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the field of social work has currently redirected a major part of the focus of the profession on meeting the needs of child-headed households, to find and train foster parents for these children and generally to assist the poorest of the poor to access various grants applicable to their circumstances. This redirection appears also to have changed the emphasis regarding social work training requirements. Whereas in the past the newly qualified social worker was able to acquire additional skills in the workplace, under the guidance of experienced social workers, today it would seem that the demands of the work place are such that the social worker needs to take on significant responsibilities on entering the field. At the same time the Department of Social Services in South Africa is encouraging universities to increase the intake of social work students, in an attempt to meet this rising need for personnel trained to meet the current requirements of the clients of social work services. This exploratory research will focus on the applicability of UNISA (University of South Africa) social work training to these current requirements of social work by tapping into three different frames of reference: 1) The experiences and perceptions of the final year social work student in their placement setting, and particularly on whether they have felt their UNISA training equipped them for the work they are required to do. 2) The way the UNISA student is perceived by the practice setting personnel (contact person), and whether they meet the requirements of the field setting. 3) Input from the UNISA appointed supervisors responsible for the final year social work students' professional development in the field.The person-centred approach and the developmental approach have been briefly discussed in relation to social work in South Africa in the literature review and form the backdrop to this research, guiding the researcher in the exploration of the perceptions of the three different types of respondents. Post-modern theory is also at the root of the researcher's attempt to find fit between the different perceptions and the implications for social work training at a distance learning institute in South Africa today. / Social Work / M. A. (Mental Health)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine how Police Social Workers experience the supportive function in supervision, and how they can be empowered through the strenghts perspective. The respondents were fifteen (15) Police Social Workers in the Western Cape. The findings of the empirical study proved that Police Social Workers also experience the profession to be stressful in nature. The respondents do have inherent strenghts, that can be utilised optimally during supervision, to enhance service delivery to their different client systems. It is recommended that all SAPS social workers be exposed to supervision / consultation, as a stress management mechanism. SAPS supervisors must be empowered, eg. Inservice training, to develop an effective supervion programme. / Die doel van die navorsing is om vas te stel hoe Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie ervaar, en hoe hulle bemagtig kan word deur die sterkteperspektief. Die respondente was vyftien (15) maatskaplike werkers indiens van die SAPD in die Wes Kaap. Die empiriese studie het getoon dat Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers ook die professie as stresvol ervaar. Die respondente beskik almal oor inherente sterkpunte en vaardighede, wat optimaal benut kan word tydens supervisie om sodoende 'n effektiewe diens aan hul onderskeie klientsisteme te lewer. Daar word aanbeveel dat alle SAPD maatskaplike werkers aan supervisie / konsultasie blootgestel word, en dat supervisie / konsultasie as 'n streshanteringsmeganisme benut moet word. SAPD supervisors moet ook bemagtig word, deur byvoorbeeld indiensopleiding, om 'n effektiewe supervisie program te ontwikel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

South Africa is currently facing a severe shortage of trained and competent social workers. Case loads have reached proportions of such magnitude that social workers in the field are battling to meet the needs of the people they serve, while still maintaining high ethical and professional standards. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the field of social work has currently redirected a major part of the focus of the profession on meeting the needs of child-headed households, to find and train foster parents for these children and generally to assist the poorest of the poor to access various grants applicable to their circumstances. This redirection appears also to have changed the emphasis regarding social work training requirements. Whereas in the past the newly qualified social worker was able to acquire additional skills in the workplace, under the guidance of experienced social workers, today it would seem that the demands of the work place are such that the social worker needs to take on significant responsibilities on entering the field. At the same time the Department of Social Services in South Africa is encouraging universities to increase the intake of social work students, in an attempt to meet this rising need for personnel trained to meet the current requirements of the clients of social work services. This exploratory research will focus on the applicability of UNISA (University of South Africa) social work training to these current requirements of social work by tapping into three different frames of reference: 1) The experiences and perceptions of the final year social work student in their placement setting, and particularly on whether they have felt their UNISA training equipped them for the work they are required to do. 2) The way the UNISA student is perceived by the practice setting personnel (contact person), and whether they meet the requirements of the field setting. 3) Input from the UNISA appointed supervisors responsible for the final year social work students' professional development in the field.The person-centred approach and the developmental approach have been briefly discussed in relation to social work in South Africa in the literature review and form the backdrop to this research, guiding the researcher in the exploration of the perceptions of the three different types of respondents. Post-modern theory is also at the root of the researcher's attempt to find fit between the different perceptions and the implications for social work training at a distance learning institute in South Africa today. / Social Work / M. A. (Mental Health)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine how Police Social Workers experience the supportive function in supervision, and how they can be empowered through the strenghts perspective. The respondents were fifteen (15) Police Social Workers in the Western Cape. The findings of the empirical study proved that Police Social Workers also experience the profession to be stressful in nature. The respondents do have inherent strenghts, that can be utilised optimally during supervision, to enhance service delivery to their different client systems. It is recommended that all SAPS social workers be exposed to supervision / consultation, as a stress management mechanism. SAPS supervisors must be empowered, eg. Inservice training, to develop an effective supervion programme. / Die doel van die navorsing is om vas te stel hoe Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers die ondersteuningsfunksie in supervisie ervaar, en hoe hulle bemagtig kan word deur die sterkteperspektief. Die respondente was vyftien (15) maatskaplike werkers indiens van die SAPD in die Wes Kaap. Die empiriese studie het getoon dat Polisie Maatskaplike Werkers ook die professie as stresvol ervaar. Die respondente beskik almal oor inherente sterkpunte en vaardighede, wat optimaal benut kan word tydens supervisie om sodoende 'n effektiewe diens aan hul onderskeie klientsisteme te lewer. Daar word aanbeveel dat alle SAPD maatskaplike werkers aan supervisie / konsultasie blootgestel word, en dat supervisie / konsultasie as 'n streshanteringsmeganisme benut moet word. SAPD supervisors moet ook bemagtig word, deur byvoorbeeld indiensopleiding, om 'n effektiewe supervisie program te ontwikel. / Social work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research study is to determine the extent to which employee assistance programmes can be utilised by welfare agencies to ensure that work-related and personal problems do not negatively influence the productivity of social workers. The group of respondents consisted of ten social work supervisors from ten different welfare agencies, which included civil sevice organisations, specialist organisations and family welfare organisations. The conclusion that was reached based on the findings of the empirical study is that social workers have a need for services that will prevent, relieve or eliminate their work-related and personal problems, in order to improve the productivity and general functioning of social workers. It is recommended that welfare agencies in accordence with their unique nature and functioning and the specific needs of the social workers, utilise employee assistance programmes so as to ensure optimal productivity of social workers / Die doel van die navorsingstudie is om te bepaal tot watter mate werknemerhulpprogramme deur welsynsinstansies aangewend kan word ten einde te verseker dat werkverwante en persoonlike probleme nie die produktiwiteit van maatskaplike werkers negatief beinvloed nie. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit tien maatskaplikewerksupervisors van tien verskillende welsynsinstansies, te wete staatsdiensorganisasies, spesialiteitsorganisasies en gesinsorgorganisasies. Na aanleiding van die empiriese ondersoek is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat maatskaplike werkers 'n behoefte aan dienste het wat hul werkverwante en persoonlike probleme voorkom, verlig of uit die weg ruim ten einde produktiwiteit en algemene funksionering van maatskaplike werkers te bevorder. Daar word aanbeveel dat welsynsinstansies, na gelang van hul unieke aard en funksionering en die spesifieke behoeftes van die maatskaplike werker, werknemerhulpprogramme sal aanwend ten einde optimale produktiwiteit van maatskaplike werkers te verseker. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)