M.A. / 1. Motivering vir die studie Die studie is ingelei met ‘n beskrywing van die historiese ontwikkeling van skool maatskaplike werk in onderwys. Daar was bevind dat die doelwitte en die karakter van skool maatskaplike groepwerk gerig is op terapie, en daarop gemik is om probleme te eliminieer wat skoliere moontlik kan kortwiek in hul skool werk. Groepwerk in die verband is ook daarop gerig om die individu in te sluit in ‘n groep sodat hy deel kan voel van die gemeenskap. In Suid Afrikaanse konteks is daar reeds geweldige vooruitgang gemaak in die geskiedenis van die Opvoedkunde, maar skool maatskaplike werk figureer steeds nie in die ontwikkelinge nie. Sommige privaat skole in Suid Afrika het hul eie residensiële maatskaplike werkers. Skole tans steun steeds meestal op die Voorligting onderwyser/es om leerlinge by te staan deur moeilike tye en om hulle toe te rus met die nodige vaardighede vir die toekoms. Tog blyk dit dat meeste van die onderwysers nie oor die nodige vaardighede beskik om leerlinge te help deur hulle toe te rus met die nodige vaardighede om moeilike tye te oorkom nie. Verder blyk dit dat programme wat tans aangebied word, nie in die behoeftes van die leerlinge voldoen nie. In die verlede was Voorligting geïgnoreer as skoolvak. Lewensvaardighede was selde aangebied in skole, en het nie deel gevorm van die skoolkurrikulum nie. Die aanleer van lewensvaardighede was oorgelaat aan toeval. Ervaringsleer is baie suksesvol in groepwerk konteks. Alle lewensvaardigheids klasse is gebaseer op die groepwerk metode. Leerlinge het ervaring daarvan om deel van ‘n groep te wees in een of ander vorm, en daarom is die maatskaplike werk metode iets waarmee leerlinge hulself kan vereenselwig. 2. Doel van die studie Voortvloeiend uit die motivering, is die navorsingsdoel van die studie die ontwikkeling en die evalueering van ‘n lewensvaardigheidsopleidingsprogram. Die opleidingsprogram is bedoel vir graad agt seuns, en die program behoort deel van die totale skool kurrikulum uit te maak. 3. Die geïntegreerde ontwikkelings- en evalueeringsmodel Om uitvoering aan die doelstellings van die studie te gee, is ‘n geïntegreerde teoretiese ontwikkelingsnavorsings- en evalueeringsmodel gekonseptualiseer (Nel en Nel 1993; Nel 1992). Die model bestaan in hoofsaak uit Thomas (1984) se vierfase model, waarin ‘n analise-, ontwerp-, ontwikkeling- en evalueeringsfase figureer. In elkeen van die fases word ‘n aantal materiële voorvereistes gestel, asook metodologieë deur middel waarvan daar aan die voorvereistes voldoen kan word. Aangesien ‘n program as deel van die totale skoolkurrikulum daargestel moes word, is daar in die ontwerpfase van Thomas (1984) se metodologieë afgewyk en hoofsaaklik op opleidingsmodelle in die Bedryfsielkunde asook kurrikuleringsnavorsing in die Opvoedkunde gesteun. De Vos (1991) se Geïntegreerde Model van Programevaluering is vir die evalueeringsfase geselekteer. 4. Die analisefase In die eerste fase is ‘n ontleding van die opleidingsprobleem onderneem, die stand van bestaande programme is ondersoek en ‘n uitvoerbaarheidstudie is onderneem en op grond waarvan daarna besluit is om met die ontwerpfase voort te gaan. 5. Die Ontwerpfase In hierdie fase is daar aan die volgende materiële voorvereistes voldoen, te wete doelstellings en doelwitte is vir die program geformuleer, ‘n praktykmodel is opgestel, ‘n tentatiewe voorstelling van die innovasie is gemaak, en die innovasieprosedures is bepaal. Wat die praktykmodel betref, is ‘n geïntegreerde praktykmodel gekonseptualiseer wat as verklaringsmodel gedien het waarbinne die inhoude van die laboratotiumprogram verantwoord kon word. Uit die praktykmodel is kritieke rolbeskrywings afgelei, asook ‘n vaardigheidsrepertoire is opgestel wat in die program aangespreek work. Gedurende die ontwerpfase was dit ook nodig om die bepaling van programinhoude, die spesifisering van onderigstrategieë en onderigbronne te doen. 6. Die ontwikkelingsfase Nadat ‘n ontwikkelingsplan geformuleer is, het daar ‘n operasionele voorbereiding ten opsigte van die beplande loodsgebruik en ontwikkelingstoetsing plaasgevind. Met implementering van die program het dit geblyk dat sekere verstellings nodig is. Insluitend in die ontwikkelingsfase is daar hoofsaaklik gekonsentreer op programmoniteringevalueering (kwalitatiewe ondersoek) en impakevalueering (kwantitatiewe ondersoek). Vir hierdie doeleindes is ‘n kwasi-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp benut, waarin voorsiening gemaak is vir ‘n voor- en nameting. Die kontrolegroep het bestaan uit graad agt seuns van King Edward VII School. Die evalueringsinstrument waarvan gebruik gemaak was gedurende die impakevalueringsfase het die Psigo-sosiale Funksionerings Inventaris ingesluit, wat bestaan uit ‘n pen en papier selfevalueringsmetode wat gebruik work om sosiale funksionering te meet. Toepaslike hipoteses is geformuleer en die parametriese hipotese vir twee steekproewe gemiddelde toets: onafhanklike steekproewe is gebruik. 7. Hoofbevinding Daar is in hoofsaak bevind dat ‘n lewensvaardigheidsopleidingsprogram daargestel kon word wat in die navorsingsdoel beantwood het. Wat die programdoelstellings en –doelwitte betref, is bevind dat die program oor die algemeen aan die programdoelstellings en doelwitte beantwoord het / Prof. J.B.S Nel

M.A. / 1. Introduction Internationally there has been a paradigm shift towards a developmental and preventative approach in social work. Also, the cost-effectiveness of programs aimed at community development has been noted. 2. Goal of the study The main aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a life skills program aimed at personal / community enrichment through the extension of self-knowledge according to the themes of temperament, early childhood experiences, transactional analysis, self-presentation and cognitive reconstruction and presented according to experiential instruction methods. 3. Objectives of the study In order to come to a conclusion regarding the impact of the abovementioned program, the following objectives were identified: - Has the program empowered the respondents to enhance their self-knowledge; - Has the program led the respondents to a better understanding of others; - Has the knowledge created a willingness to undertake necessary adjustments; - Respondents’ impressions of the program and the presentation thereof. 4. Methodology A qualitative grounded evaluative research design was used for the study. An availability sampling method was used: In this case the attendants at a workshop where the abovementioned program was implemented. 5. Data collection methods The following methods of data gathering were implemented: - The respondents had to give feedback on what they have realized or learned about each theme. - The theme on self-presentation was introduced by a brainstorming session on which aspects the respondents regarded as important aspects by which first impressions are formed. - Each respondent had to complete a questionnaire (enclosed as annexure 3) at the end of the workshop. - The results were compared with the literature overview. 6. Limitations of study - The researcher had no control over whether the faxed invitations to the workshop (enclosed as annexure 1) actually reached the intended population or not. - Although the invitation was intended for adults as well as teenagers, eventually only one teenager and nine adults were included in the sample. - The category: “Other”, was not included to the biographic questions. Because it was a small group which was known to the researcher, the question on marital status could be rectified and: “Divorced and remarried”, could be included for analysis. - The fact that some of the open ended questions in the questionnaire (annexure 3) didn’t require the respondents to motivate their answers, left a gap in the interpretation of those answers. - After the respondents named so many aspects attributing to first impressions, the researcher assumed that the topic was known so well, that the theoretic information wasn’t presented in full. When the results were analyzed, this seemed to be a wrong assumption, as more discussion was requested on this topic. - Despite the small sample, the results have been confirmed by the literature overview, which means that literature based on Western research also apply to the Afrikaans speaking case sample. 7. Goal achievements The abovementioned goals were conclusively achieved and can be summarized as follows: The life skills program for personal / community development presented according to experiential instruction methods and aiming at the extension of self-knowledge according to the themes of temperament, early childhood experiences, transactional analysis, self-presentation and cognitive reconstruction, has indeed: - Led to the enhancement of the respondents’ self-knowledge; - Created a better understanding for others; - Created a willingness to make adjustments; - As a whole been evaluated positively: As a dynamic, organized, understandable and effective presentation. 8. Recommendations The following recommendations were made: 8.1. Methodology - The program can be marketed as a personal-, marriage- family- or community enrichment program, and even as an employee assistance program (EAP). - Personal invitations, preparation and screening are recommended. - The questionnaire for completion at the end of the program, should be adapted to eliminate the limitations that were identified. 8.2 Program content and presentation - The program content can be perceived as effective for enhancing self-knowledge, to create a better understanding for others, as well as creating a willingness for change and adaptations. - Experiential instruction methods contribute to the success of the program and should be retained. - Do not deviate from the intended theory included in the program. - The participant manual (annexure 2) is a resourceful device which is also useful for future reference. - Permanent transparencies can be added to the program to enhance the efficiency thereof. - The five themes lend itself for presentation during five group sessions. 8.3 With regards to social work profession - This study proved that the case sample were more inclined to change and for adaptations once they got to know themselves better. Thus the social worker should experience less resentment or poor/lack of co-operation with helping programs. Indeed, the more the client gets to know himself, the more inclined should he be to accept responsibility for his own growth as a person in his social environment. - It would be unethical to leave a client who is ready for change and growth without further directions. Therefore the social worker should be capable to either present follow-up programs or to refer appropriately. / Prof. W.A. Mitchell