Poverty, violence, unemployment, the high rate of HIV/Aids and a lack of resources are some of the issues the South African government is currently trying to address. Victims of crime and violence have special needs that require early intervention. Studies show that if left unattended, victims may show maladjustment in their social, marital and work environments; receiving assistance and support following victimisation therefore holds many benefits for the victim. The Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) announced by government as part of the National Crime Prevention Strategy is meant to address these needs. The VEP is a comprehensive, multifaceted, intersectoral model that brings together integrated service delivery for victims of crime and violence. One of the mandates of the Department of Social Development as the lead department of the VEP is to provide services that empower and meet the needs of communities and individuals who are considered victims. This study seeks to justify why it is beneficial to use a participatory learning approach when designing and conducting „in-service‟ continuing professional development training courses for state-appointed social workers working within the field of victim empowerment (VE) in South Africa. It also advocates for the theoretical approaches of experiential problem-based learning and psychosocial empowerment, and discusses the use of a crossover of theories from the different disciplines of mainstream psychology, community psychology and social work. The vision of a new South Africa based on post-1994 ANC government policies is outlined and the history of the field of socio-economic development and community development is discussed. Mainstream psychology‟s contribution to community development, and the tenets of community psychology, participation and empowerment, are applied in the design of an „in-service‟ short course. The primary focus of the study is on the range of skills and abilities needed to initiate and maintain successful VE services. These include the following: skills in group process facilitation; skills in intersectoral collaboration (referral and networking) with other governmental departments and other healthcare professionals; knowing how to establish and maintain forums; an understanding of the principles and tools of participatory learning and action; skills required for designing, organising and presenting workshops; project management, and the monitoring and evaluation of VE projects. This study elucidates how critical the „in-service‟ training of VE social workers is within the new social development paradigm in South Africa, and offers key considerations and recommendations regarding future „in-service‟ training programmes/short courses for state-employed social workers involved in VE services. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Current society view performance appraisal in organization as a very important component and organization are sometimes legally obliged to apply performance appraisal. From a qualitative perspective the researcher want to explore and describe the criteria that must be taken in account during performance appraisal of community developers. A qualitative approach will be utilized following an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design. The study will be conducted by municipalities, non-governmental organizations and state departments in the Boland area in the Western Cape. Data will be collected by means of semi-structured focusgroup interviews with community developers. Data will be analysed according to the framework provided by Tesch (in Creswell, 1994). Guba's model (in Krefting, 1991) will be employed for data verification. Recommendations were provided according the criteria that must be taken in account with performance appraisal for community developers. / Prestasiebeoordeling word in die hedendaagse samelewing as 'n belangrike komponent binne enige organisasie beskou en organisasies word soms wetlik verplig om prestasiebeoordeling toe te pas. Vanuit 'n kwalitatiewe perspektief beplan die navorser die navorsingstudie om kriteria wat in aanmerking geneem behoort te word by prestasiebeoordeling van gemeenskapsontwikkelaars te verken en te beskryf. Vir die doel gaan 'n verkennende, bekrywende en konteksueie navorsingsontwerp geimplimenteer word. Die studie sal gedoen word by munisipaliteite, nieregeringsorganisasies en staatsdepartmente in die Boland streek in die Wes-Kaap. Semi-gestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude sal met gemeenskapsontwikkelaars gevoer word om die toepaslike data in te samel. Data sal geanaliseer word volgens die stappe van Tesch (in Creswell, 1994)) en data verifiering sal volgens Guba se model (in Krefting, 1991) onderneem word. Aanbevelings is voorsien met betrekking tot kriteria wat in aanmerking geneem kan word by prestasiebeoordeling van gemeenskapsontwikkelaars. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

Poverty, violence, unemployment, the high rate of HIV/Aids and a lack of resources are some of the issues the South African government is currently trying to address. Victims of crime and violence have special needs that require early intervention. Studies show that if left unattended, victims may show maladjustment in their social, marital and work environments; receiving assistance and support following victimisation therefore holds many benefits for the victim. The Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) announced by government as part of the National Crime Prevention Strategy is meant to address these needs. The VEP is a comprehensive, multifaceted, intersectoral model that brings together integrated service delivery for victims of crime and violence. One of the mandates of the Department of Social Development as the lead department of the VEP is to provide services that empower and meet the needs of communities and individuals who are considered victims. This study seeks to justify why it is beneficial to use a participatory learning approach when designing and conducting „in-service‟ continuing professional development training courses for state-appointed social workers working within the field of victim empowerment (VE) in South Africa. It also advocates for the theoretical approaches of experiential problem-based learning and psychosocial empowerment, and discusses the use of a crossover of theories from the different disciplines of mainstream psychology, community psychology and social work. The vision of a new South Africa based on post-1994 ANC government policies is outlined and the history of the field of socio-economic development and community development is discussed. Mainstream psychology‟s contribution to community development, and the tenets of community psychology, participation and empowerment, are applied in the design of an „in-service‟ short course. The primary focus of the study is on the range of skills and abilities needed to initiate and maintain successful VE services. These include the following: skills in group process facilitation; skills in intersectoral collaboration (referral and networking) with other governmental departments and other healthcare professionals; knowing how to establish and maintain forums; an understanding of the principles and tools of participatory learning and action; skills required for designing, organising and presenting workshops; project management, and the monitoring and evaluation of VE projects. This study elucidates how critical the „in-service‟ training of VE social workers is within the new social development paradigm in South Africa, and offers key considerations and recommendations regarding future „in-service‟ training programmes/short courses for state-employed social workers involved in VE services. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The effort of this research was focused on the assessment of the implementation process of the Hands off our Children parental guidance programme by social workers in the Western Cape during 2005. This could be seen as an evaluation of the programme in order to adjust it for future implementation. The objective of this research was to explore the application, experience and implementation of the programme by social workers in the Western Cape. The universe in this study was all social workers that did the training in the HOOC parental guidance programme in the Western Cape. In this study the population was social workers that implemented the HOOC parental guidance programme training in the work place. Participants were selected until saturation of data was reached. The method used in selecting the participants was non-probability sampling. With-in non-probability sampling purposive sampling was used. Conclusions and recommendations on the programme were made in order to empower the Department of Community safety to implement a more effective and streamline project in the future. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

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)

This study outlines the results of an evaluation of programmes through a developmental quality assurance process within shelters for abused women and their children in Gauteng Province. The survey obtained the attitudes and opinions of the social workers/social auxiliary workers and shelter managers towards their services. The study reflects empirical findings as well as strengths and developmental areas within these shelters. The results from the study indicate that shelters for abused women and their children are functioning well. However, the Minimum Standards for Shelters are not fully adhered to. Therefore, internal and external evaluations should be used by shelter managers to evaluate their own performance and to improve service delivery. / Social Work / MA(SS) (Social Work)

Evaluation determines the impact of social services as well as job performance and assures communities that social workers render effective services. Post audits are done as part of performance management at the Christian Social Councils in the Highveld Synodal Region. The purpose of this research is to look at the experiences of social workers that had a post audit to determine whether adjustments to improve the audit system are needed. A qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. Participants were identified according to the purposive sampling method. Data was collected during semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed and verified according to the models of Tesch (in Creswell, 2003) and Guba (in Krefting, 1991), respectively, and processed in the research report. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Science)

This study outlines the results of an evaluation of programmes through a developmental quality assurance process within shelters for abused women and their children in Gauteng Province. The survey obtained the attitudes and opinions of the social workers/social auxiliary workers and shelter managers towards their services. The study reflects empirical findings as well as strengths and developmental areas within these shelters. The results from the study indicate that shelters for abused women and their children are functioning well. However, the Minimum Standards for Shelters are not fully adhered to. Therefore, internal and external evaluations should be used by shelter managers to evaluate their own performance and to improve service delivery. / Social Work / MA(SS) (Social Work)

The effort of this research was focused on the assessment of the implementation process of the Hands off our Children parental guidance programme by social workers in the Western Cape during 2005. This could be seen as an evaluation of the programme in order to adjust it for future implementation. The objective of this research was to explore the application, experience and implementation of the programme by social workers in the Western Cape. The universe in this study was all social workers that did the training in the HOOC parental guidance programme in the Western Cape. In this study the population was social workers that implemented the HOOC parental guidance programme training in the work place. Participants were selected until saturation of data was reached. The method used in selecting the participants was non-probability sampling. With-in non-probability sampling purposive sampling was used. Conclusions and recommendations on the programme were made in order to empower the Department of Community safety to implement a more effective and streamline project in the future. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Evaluation determines the impact of social services as well as job performance and assures communities that social workers render effective services. Post audits are done as part of performance management at the Christian Social Councils in the Highveld Synodal Region. The purpose of this research is to look at the experiences of social workers that had a post audit to determine whether adjustments to improve the audit system are needed. A qualitative approach with an exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was followed. Participants were identified according to the purposive sampling method. Data was collected during semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed and verified according to the models of Tesch (in Creswell, 2003) and Guba (in Krefting, 1991), respectively, and processed in the research report. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Science)