Substance abuse is a major social problem with far-reaching implications. Substance abuse is a critical problem in South Africa and across all segments of the population and in some way, impacts on all members of our society. The challenge is to explain why people engage in behaviours that they know will harm them. The aim of the study was to understand how people came to abuse substances, by exploring the factors that contribute to substance abuse by recovering service users at Newlands Park Rehabilitation Centre. The ecosystems perspective was used to guide the study. The study used an exploratory design as it attempted to explore new insights into factors contributing to substance abuse by service uses at Newlands Park Rehabilitation Centre. A qualitative research was used to understand the reasons that govern this behavior. Convenience sampling was used as a sampling technique. Ten participants were selected from a group of twenty service users that were in their last week of the rehabilitation program at Newlands Park Rehabilitation Centre. Semi-structured interviews were used as a primary technique for data collection. The data was analyzed thematically. The findings of the study reveal that there are several factors that led respondents’ to abuse substances. These are intrapersonal factors that both initiated and maintained the abuse of substances by respondents. The results from the study also show interpersonal and environmental factors that contributed to respondents’ abuse of substances. It is recommended that prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse take account of intrapersonal, interpersonal and environmental factors that contribute to substance abuse. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Limited research has been conducted on the effectiveness of preventive programmes in addressing the needs of adolescents/youth. This study is aimed at examining the effectiveness of a training programme and whether the training conducted by the researcher contributed to equipping the peer educators with skills to undertake capacity building and empowerment programmes. The research sample consisted of fifteen peer educators who had undergone the training programme. The participants were all grade eleven pupils from the Hillview Secondary School in Newlands East. The majority of the participants in this research study reside in Newlands East. This was an evaluative research study. The data collection instruments were sessional evaluation questionnaires, verbal group evaluation and retrospective evaluation questionnaires. Secondary data were also collected from the school personnel to enhance the research findings. The research findings revealed that the peer educator training undertaken by the researcher was effective and useful in developing skills of the peer educators to initiate and implement capacity-building and empowerment programmes within the school environment. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

This research study aimed to explore the impact on individuals of becoming physically disabled through being victims of crimes of violence. The study begins with a literature review related to issues of disability and to victims of crime. The main focus of the research, however, was to gather information regarding the experiences and needs of persons disabled through being victims of crime and to establish the rehabilitation and trauma counselling services that they have had access to. An exploratory, descriptive, research design guided the study. A purposive sampling procedure was used to identify twenty persons known to the Durban branch of the Association for the Physically Challenged, which provides services to physically disabled persons. Individual, face-to-face interviews were held with the respondents, using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviewer observations were also undertaken in the process. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in analysing the results, from which conclusions and recommendations were drawn. The study findings indicate that the majority of persons had become severely disabled through being victims of crimes of violence. The majority of respondents were young when they became disabled, and were mostly single persons who experienced a high degree of dependence on others for various types of assistance, particularly their families and friends. The respondents also experienced a variety of unmet needs as both disabled persons and as victims of crimes of violence, through a lack of and/or inaccessibility to services. Disability, as seen within the context of the "social model", emphasises the role of a disabling environment in contributing to the meaning of disability. Resulting from the findings, it is proposed that social workers are ideally placed to foster empowerment initiatives of disabled persons and victims of crime through facilitating their active involvement in directing services that are both accessible and relevant to their needs. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

It has almost been a decade since the inception of a 'New South Africa', without apartheid, which separated South Africans and classified them hierarchically according to their 'race'. The 'eradication' of apartheid has meant that South Africans have had to re-look at issues around racial identity without a dominating apartheid ideology. The purpose of the research was to describe and to look at some of the features and dynamics concerning racial identity that are prevalent in a post-apartheid South Africa. This was done by exploring the nature and type of interactions University of Natal Durban (UNO) students (doing a Human Behaviour and the Environment module) had with persons not from their own racial group, prior to coming to UNO as well as at UNO. The possible challenges, threats and opportunities students felt were afforded them because of their racial group were also explored. Literature concerning issues of racial identification in South Africa and other parts of the world was also examined. A descriptive research design, using a triangulated research methodology incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods was used in the study. A non-probability sampling method with reliance on 83 available law, community development, nursing and psychology students representing the four racial classifications in South Africa, namely black, white, coloured and Indian was used. Data were collected through observations as well as through a self administered structured questionnaire. The findings of the research suggest that issues related to racial identification in a post-apartheid South Africa, for black, white, coloured and Indian students is in turmoil and requires reconstruction. The findings further indicated that questions about affirmative action and the future of non-black South Africans in South Africa is believed to be uncertain and negative. The issue of poverty and the internalised oppression and inferiority of black students was also identified to be problematic. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

The purpose of the study was to assess funding and support provided for development projects in Kenya and South Africa. The focus was to identify comparisons and differences in development, funding and national development priorities in both countries. The study was carried out in Kenya and South Africa. Through purposive sampling, six organizations were selected as the units of analysis. Data was collected by means of questionnaires, interviews, national policies and written records. Six major themes emerged from the data collected. They included (a) the purpose and internal structure of the organization (b) programs and projects supported (c) sustainability and continuation (d) internal and external factors affecting the organization (e) conditions (f) the aid-chain. The findings indicated that despite the differences in both countries, poverty remained a national priority. In both countries, factors such as inflation rates, conditions tied to aid and internal and external factor affected the development organizations and their operations. Suggestions were made to development organizations for optimal development. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Recent changes to welfare policy in South Africa advocated the need for social workers to adopt social development as a paradigm for service delivery. Within this policy framework empowerment is touted as the model to affect the transformation of the welfare sector and to achieve sustainable development in the post apartheid society. The concept empowerment and the issues relating to it are ambiguous and ill-defined. The study took place at the Pinetown Service Office, a local service provider of the Department of Welfare. The areas of operation are the inner and outer west areas of the Durban Unicity City Council and some areas of the Ilembe regional council. The purpose of the study was to analyse perception of practitioners about empowerment towards poverty alleviation. An exploratory-descriptive research design incorporating of questionnaire was utilized to collect data. The findings reflected that the perceptions of the participants about empowerment towards poverty alleviation were consistent in that they identified that it comprised of micro and macro socio- economic strategies to empower consumers to become self reliant. Other findings revealed that the predominant activities of the social workers regarding poverty towards poverty alleviation are to refer consumers to social security and developmental groups. Additionally, the study indicated that the Department of Welfare' s organizational bureaucracy inhibited the adoption of an empowerment orientation to social work practice. The recommendations included changes about organizational policy and social work practice in accordance to developmental social welfare policy proposed in the White Paper on Social Welfare, 1997. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The HIV/AIDS orphan crisis is one of the humanitarian and developmental challenges facing the global community. Providing a home, medical care, education, psychosocial support and basic needs for these children is part of the challenge that faces our generation. The purpose of this study was to explore whether an AIDS CARE pilot project implemented at DCS was able to successfully place ten HIV/AIDS infected orphans in fostercare. The ecological perspective provided the theoretical framework within which the study was conducted. This perspective guided the selection of the study samples and the analysis of data. Sample one comprised ten foster parents who resided in various townships and suburbs in Durban. Sample two comprised of semi professional and professional staff that were involved in the daily care of the HIV infected orphans and well as ensuring their placement in fostercare. The study found that recruitment, training and support were vital aspects in preparing foster parents to care for the HIV/AIDS infected child. The study also found that while residential child care institutions will continue to play a role in the care of children affected by HIV/AIDS, the magnitude and social impact of the disease renders it necessary that alternate models of care (this study proposes one model), within a community development paradigm be developed. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

The sacrifices required of Navy families are substantial. In order to maintain readiness, the Navy must maintain high standards and retain well trained people. To retain experienced and productive service members, family life must be supported and enhanced as much as possible. This study examined deployment related stress as experienced by deployed staff of the SAS SCORPION and their spouses and the Command's responses in terms of alleviating such stresses. A qualitative research methodology was used employing an exploratory, descriptive strategy. The study made use of non-probability purposive sampling for all three samples. To ensure rich data semi-structured interviews were used for samples one and two. Data was collected by means of a workshop for sample three. Respondents from sample one and two indicated dissatisfaction in the areas of military support, crime, medical problems, military housing, crisis periods, unplanned trips, and prolonged sea service. Sample three responded by acknowledging hardships experienced by samples one and two. They agreed in principle that a deployment seminar be made compulsory for military families and an incumbent be employed as a Naval liaison officer to coordinate problems experienced by deployed members and their families. The findings of this research, indicated the need for support structures and preventative programmes. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

The research entailed the development, implementation and evaluation of a conflict resolution programme. Using the ecological perspective as the theoretical framework, the study highlighted the school as an appropriate context within which to promote non-violent strategies for conflict resolution. A conflict resolution programme for adolescents was developed by adapting specific modules of existing programmes. The researcher trained a group of social work students in the implementation of the programme. Using the groupwork method, the programme was subsequently implemented with standard five pupils at primary schools in Durban. The researcher supervised four pairs of students who implemented the programme with four groups of pupils at three schools. The thirty-nine pupils who collectively made up these groups, constituted the sample in the study. The pupils ranged in age from eleven to fifteen. The programme was implemented over eight one-hourly sessions, held once weekly, over eight consecutive weeks. Several data collection instruments were developed. The programme was evaluated in terms of its content, methods of implementation and outcome. The incorporation of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis enabled the researcher to validate information derived from different sources. The study discusses the processes used in programme development, the training of the facilitators, the selection of the sample, programme implementation and programme evaluation. The study found that the conflict resolution programme was effective in creating awareness of the advantages of adopting non-violent strategies of conflict resolution and in contributing to the development of effective problem-solving skills. The research data and the literature reviewed, reflected the need for school-based conflict resolution programmes. Based on the outcome of the evaluation, recommendations were made with regard to the further adaptation of the programme, the inclusion of conflict resolution programmes into school curricula, appropriate training for programme implementation and the social work role in conflict resolution skills training. Policy recommendations regarding conflict resolution skills training and the need for further research in the area of conflict resolution and programme evaluation, were also provided. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

The main aim of the study was the description of the experiences of opportunities, rewards and challenges faced by social workers in private practice in the Durban Metropolitan Area, Kwa Zulu Natal. This study used an exploratory design, which was qualitative in nature. The researcher administered interview schedules that contained both open–ended and close–ended questions. The findings of the study indicated that some of the challenges experienced are professional isolation, stress and burnout, difficulties of managing a business and role confusion and conflict between a social worker in private practice and a psychologist. Respondents indicated that some of the benefits of private practice were working with motivated clients, control over professional growth and work environment, financial rewards, escape from bureaucracy, flexibility and quality casework services. The opportunities offered to private practitioners were employee wellness programmes, legal work, training, work in schools and quality casework services that made private practice a lucrative business. In terms of support systems it was found that the South African Association of Social Workers in Private practice was supportive. Respondents regarded The South African Council for Social Services Professions and the Department of Social Development as unsupportive. Emanating from the findings, recommendations have been made with regards to making private practice a more viable option. The findings can also be used to inform future research on a national level as well as comparative studies on the experiences between social workers in private practice and those at an agency level. Some of the recommendations in relation to private practice are that the South African Council of Social Services Profession and the Government should acknowledge social workers in private practice, the community should become more responsive to private practitioners and tertiary institutions should offer training courses to prepare social workers for private practice. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.