The Student Support and Development Services (SSDS) at Further Education and Training (FET) colleges represent a holistic and systemic approach to addressing barriers to learning and development. College SSDS are based on the acknowledgement that all FET students need support and development and that, when addressing needs of the college student, it is done in a holistic, integrated, intersectional and inclusive manner.<br /> <br /> The SSDS therefore strive to develop competencies, knowledge, skills and attitudes in a systemic and holistic manner. The aim of the study was to design, implement and evaluate SSDS at the FET colleges in the Western Cape Education Department and to establish a Lecturer Support and Development Team (LSDT) at each FET college, which would include the following services.<br /> <br /> <ul> <li>student counselling services</li> <li>academic development and learning support</li> <li>occupationald evelopmenat nd careerg uidance</li> <li>life skills education and health education, and</li> <li>college institutional development</li> </ul> Student counselling services at FET colleges aim to render comprehensive student services with a holistic developmental aspect of the student in relation to his/her social, emotional, physical and cognitive dimensions. The staff of the LSDT are the first line of contact for the troubled student. Academic development is aimed at the students who enter the FET sector with inadequate schooling, education and training. Orientation programmes include bridging the gap between schooling and FET education and training. Bridging programmes and remedial programmes are offered to students to compensate for their academic backlog and to accelerate their education and training up to a level suitable for FET.

Absenteeism can be a major problem for organisations. As pressures increase on the budgets and competitiveness of companies, more attention is being given to reduce workplace absenteeism and its cost. Job satisfaction has been noted as one of the factors influencing an employee's motivation to attend. Studies on the relationship between absenteeism and job satisfaction seem to be inconsistent. Some research has found no correlation between these two variables whereas other studies indicate a weak to moderate relationship between these two variables. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between job satisfaction and absenteeism in a selected department within and Electricity Unit in the Western Cape.

Research suggest that increasing employee commitment and satisfaction impacts on employee productivity and job performance, and has implications for job related behaviours such as absenteeism, turnover and tardiness. Moreover, literature also suggests that downsizing and cost-cutting negatively impacts on the satisfaction and commitment of employees and impacts on the effectiveness of organisations. The contention is that in order to reconcile the need to achieve high quality and organisational effectiveness in an environment of declining per capita resources and change, it will be necessary to secure a high level of commitment and satisfaction from all those employed in the higher education sector. This study sought to investigate the factors that produce commitment and satisfaction in academic and support staff respectively and to understand any important similarities and differences that may exist.

Increasing HIV infection rates affect government employees as much as workers in other places. While government has responded to the evolving crisis with a number of policy documents, little is known about the implementation of such policies in government departments. This study assessed the HIV/AIDS policy in the Department of Labour and identified weakness in the implementation. The results of the study may be used by the Dept. of Labour to improve its implementation if necessary.

This study aimed to determine health promotion needs of physically disabled youth with spinal cord injury. The study specifically explored health-related behaviours with reference to participation in physical activity and substance usage, factors that influenced these behaviours and major issues that needed to be targeted in health promotion.

<p>The water resources management regime has shifted from one focusing almost exclusively on augmenting supply to one where ensuring access, equity and sustainability are an integral part of the process. A growing demand for water and the fact that the amount of fresh water is constant raises the impression of water scarcity will occur. Indications are that the notion of access to water for basic needs as well as access to productive water underpins perceptions of scarcity. This thesis interrogated perceptions of scarcity in a small rural community in order to understand the role water can play in developing sustainable livelihoods.</p>

<p>In many countries, the scale of poverty, and the alarming number of children now being orphaned by HIV and AIDS, has increased the roles and responsibilities of grandparents as caregivers in their grandchildren's lives. Not only do grandparents have to care for their grandchildren on a daily basis but they also carry the burden of seeing them through school, possibly with the fear that they might not be able to see them achieve all their dreams. This study examined the complex issues surrounding school attendance for orphaned children in Mbekweni, a township in the Western Province, in South Africa. The study explored the relationship between the attitudes of orphaned learners and their caregivers towards education and schooling itself, uncovering the struggles and the strengths of caregivers and orphaned children that directly relate to success or faiolure in school.</p>

Thesis (MCOM)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The flexible nature of the service delivery environment has had a major impact on the functioning of organisations. Managers realise that they need to be flexible and able to change if they want to survive in the long run. Employees are the tools service organisations utilise to make profit in the hospitality industry. The restaurant industry is a highly competitive environment and managers cannot afford poor service delivery from employees. Employees experiencing high levels of job engagement and low levels of job burnout have indicated superior performance and increased financial returns. The primary objective of this research study was to develop and empirically test a structural model that elucidates the antecedents of variance in job engagement and job burnout among frontline waitrons at franchise x in the Western Cape. In addition, the research study investigated whether employees utilise deep acting or surface acting when faced with emotional labour demands. The study investigated whether certain personality traits are more suitable for the industry by investigating whether certain personality characteristics are related to job engagement or job burnout. In this research study, partial least square (PLS) analyses were utilised to test the formulated hypotheses. Quantitative data was collected from 333 frontline waitrons employed at franchise x in the Western Cape. Data was collected specifically for the purposes of the study and participation was voluntary. The survey was distributed at the branches of franchise x. Managers had a week to facilitate their frontline waitrons in the completion of the surveys. The data was kept confidential and anonymous throughout the study. The survey comprised five sections. The first section asked participants for specific biographical and employment information. Subsequent sections measured specific latent variables applicable to the study utilising reliable and valid measuring instruments. These instruments were the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Naude & Rothmann, 2004), Ultrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004), HEXACO-PI-R (Ashton, Lee, Pozzebon, Visser & Worth, 2010) and the Emotional Labour Scale (ELS) (Van Gelderen, Konijn & Bakker, 2011). Data was subjected to a range of statistical analyses. The findings shed light on the importance of job engagement for frontline waitrons at the branches of franchise x in the Western Cape. The results indicate that proactive management of job and personal resources and job demands may result in desirable outcomes such as increased job engagement and financial returns. The study provides South African industrial psychologists with much needed insight into the presenting problem within the hospitality industry. With reference to the managerial implications and the recommended interventions, industrial psychologists can ensure retention of job engagement and decrease of job burnout among frontline waitrons within the hospitality industry. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die buigsame aard van die diensverskaffingsomgewing het ‘n groot impak gehad op die funksionering van organisasies. Bestuurders het tot die besef gekom dat hulle buigsaam moet wees asook bereid wees om te verander indien hulle op die lange duur wil oorleef. Werknemers is die gereedskap wat diensorganisasies gebruik om ‘n wins in die gasvryheidsbedryf te maak. Die restaurantbedryf is ‘n hoogs mededingende omgewing en bestuurders kan nie swak dienslewering deur hul werknemers bekostig nie. Werknemers wat hoë vlakke van werksbetrokkenheid (job engagement) en lae vlakke van werksuitbranding (job burnout) ervaar, toon superieure prestasie en verhoogde finansiële opbrengste. Die hoofdoelwit van hierdie navorsingstudie was om ‘n strukturele model te ontwikkel en empiries te toets om die antesedente van variansie in werksbetrokkenheid en werksuitbranding onder eerstelynkelners by franchise x in die Wes-Kaap te verklaar. Daarbenewens het die navorsingstudie ook ondersoek of werknemers van deep acting of surface acting gebruik maak wanneer hulle deur emosionele arbeidseise gekonfronteer word. Die studie het ondersoek of sekere persoonlikheidseienskappe meer geskik is vir die bedryf deur te kyk of hulle verwant is aan werksbetrokkenheid of werksuitbranding. In hierdie navorsingstudie is gedeeltelike kleinstekwadrate (partial least squares (PLS)) analises gebruik om die geformuleerde hipoteses te toets. Kwantitatiewe data is verkry vanaf 333 eerstelynkelners wat vir franchise x in die Wes-Kaap werk. Die data is spesifiek vir die doelwitte van die studie versamel en deelname was vrywillig. Die opname is in harde kopie onder die bestuurders van franchise x versprei. Bestuurders het ‘n week gehad om die opname onder hulle eerstelynkelners te versprei vir voltooiing. Die data is as vertroulik beskou en anonimiteit is verseker. Die opname is in vyf dele verdeel. Die eerste gedeelte het die deelnemers se biografiese en indiensnemingsinligting gemeet. Die daaropvolgende dele het spesifieke latente veranderlikes gemeet wat van toepassing was op die studie deur van betroubare en geldige meetinstrumente gebruik te maak. Hierdie instrumente was die Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Naude & Rothmann, 2004), die Ultrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004), HEXACO-PI-R (Ashton, Lee, Pozzebon, Visser & Worth, 2010) en die Emotional Labour Scale (ELS) (Van Gelderen, Konijn & Bakker, 2011). Data is aan ‘n reeks statistiese analises onderwerp. Die bevindinge werp lig op die belangrikheid daarvan dat eerstelynkelners in franchise x se takke in die Wes-Kaap werksbetrokkenheid ervaar. Die resultate toon dat pro-aktiewe bestuur van werk en persoonlike hulpbronne en werk aanvraag kan lei tot gewenste resultate soos hoër werksbetrokkenheid en finansiële groei. Die studie verskaf Suid-Afrikaanse bedryfsielkundiges met belangrike insigte in die presenterende probleem in die gasvryheidsbedryf. Met verwysing na die bestuursimplikasies en die aanbevole ingrypings, kan bedryfsielkundiges die behoud van werksbetrokkenheid en ‘n vermindering van werksuitbranding onder eerstelynkelners in die gasvryheidsbedryf verseker.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to measure the level of HIV and Aids knowledge, attitudes and safer sex practices among student men who have sex with men (MSM) at a higher education institution in the Western Cape. The study served to recommend guidelines for effective and enhanced targeted intervention response for MSM student community. A total of 36 MSM students aged between 19 and 36 (of which most were South African, black and Xhosa speaking) were recruited to take part in the study. Selection was done via snowball sampling. Respondents completed questionnaires upon consenting to participate in the study. The study found moderately high levels of basic HIV knowledge among the sampled MSM population. There were, however, lower levels of knowledge reported regarding the associated risk and effective prevention strategies of anal sex when compared to similar information about vaginal sex and oral sex. Findings also show that participants had very positive attitudes towards HIV testing, condom use and a non-discriminating environment. Respondents lacked confidence in both management and student leadership with regards to their responsibility in mitigating homophobia/discrimination against MSM student population. Furthermore, a high number of respondents reported having sex with men and women as well as multiple sexual partnerships. Self-reported alcohol and drug use were found to be very low, with the majority of participants indicating non-use. Participants stated little challenges accessing health care services. However, respondents felt MSM specific information about health care related rights and needs were lacking. Recommendations from this study include current HIV and Aids policy reform, mainstreaming MSM-friendly health care services, introducing combination HIV prevention programmes such as Mpowerment and addressing the human rights needs of MSM. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die vlakke van MIV en Vigs kennis, houdings en veilige seksuele praktyke onder manlike studente wat seks het met mans (MSM) by 'n hoër onderwys instansie in die Wes-Kaap te meet. Die studie het gepoog om riglyne daar te stel vir die bewerkstelling van effektiewe en verbeterde geteikende intervensies vir die MSM studente gemeenskap. Daar was 36 MSM studente tussen die ouderdomme van 19 en 36 (meestal Suid-Afrikaans, swart en Xhosa-sprekend) gewerf vir die studie. Seleksie is gedoen deur middel van die sneeubal steekproef-metode. Deelnemers het 'n vraelys voltooi nadat hulle ingewillig het om deel te neem aan die studie. Deelnemers het matig tot hoë vlakke van basiese MIV en Vigs kennis getoon. Daar was egter laer vlakke van kennis oor gepaardgaande risiko’s en effektiewe voorkoming strategieë ten opsigte van anale seks in vergelyking met dieselfde informasie oor vaginale en orale seks. Die studie het verder bevind dat deelnemers baie positiewe houdings gehad het teenoor MIV-toetsing, die gebruik van kondome en 'n nie-diskriminerende omgewing. Verder het hulle min vertroue getoon in beide die bestuur en studente leierskap se vermoë om sake wat verband hou met homofobie en/of diskriminasie teen die MSM studente bevolking, effektief te hanteer. Daar is gevind dat baie respondente seks het met mans en vroue en ook verskeie seksuele maats het. Self-gerapporteerde alkohol- en dwelmgebruik was relatief laag onder respondente met die meerderheid wat aangedui het hulle glad nie alkohol of dwelms gebruik nie. Deelnemers het ook rapporteer dat gesondheidsdienste vir hulle maklik toeganklik is. Respondente het ook gevoel dat MSM spesifieke informasie oor gesondheidsverwante regte en behoeftes tans ontbreek. Aanbevelings wat voortspruit uit hierdie studie sluit in die hersien van die huidige MIV en Vigs beleid, die skepping van MSM-vriendelike dienste, die implementering van MIV-voorkomingsprogramme soos Mpowerment en die bevordering van menseregte wat verband hou met MSM.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Research findings indicate that between 42% and 56% of people dying between the ages of 25 to 70 are most likely to die out of a preventable cause. Most of these illnesses are chronic illnesses, directly a result of lifestyles that people have adopted over long periods. Whilst it has been difficult to cure some of the diseases, it has been however possible to treat the ailments. Consequently, patients who have followed faithfully the treatment regimes have lived far longer than would have been expected. Because these illnesses needed continued treatment, they are therefore referred to as chronic illnesses. It is expected therefore that the patients should regularly go for medical check-ups as well as take their medicines continuously. Chronic illnesses are an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in Metro District primarily because most chronic patients die even though their deaths are preventable. The research findings presented here are a result of a survey of 200 chronic-patients in the Metro-District in Cape Town using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. The objectives of the studies were primarily to establish reasons for the noticed defaulting rate amongst the patients. Because the medication was subsidised by the government and the patients got the treatment at no cost, it was expected that few, if any, would default. The findings indicated that close of 40% of the patients’ default and various reasons were provided ranging from forgetting, no transport money, no one to accompany them to the outlets to absence from town. The findings provide valid information to be used by the district to address the high rate of chronic medicines defaulting.