This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation process, as developed by facilitators within the organisation, is presented. The researcher’s own experiences in the organisation (as director and as a facilitator) are reflected upon. Observations, incidents, and experiences are used as additional data sources. Facilitating vulnerable youth from an ecological systems perspective is an intricate, reflexive, complex and challenging process. / Psychology / MA (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood. This indicates a growth process the goal of which is maturity. This growth process is regarded as a turbulent phase as there are various adolescent developmental tasks to be mastered that bring about certain challenges. These challenges have resulted in youths engaging in risk-taking behaviour, such as antisocial behaviour and committing crime. Several factors or social problems in South Africa lead to the vulnerability of youths, which leads to crime. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of probation officers regarding the contribution of diversion programmes for male juvenile offenders to prevent re-offending. The research was done on the basis of an extensive literature review, which focused on the nature and extent of youth crime, the legal points of departure of the Child Justice Act (75 of 2008) and diversion programmes to prevent re-offending. A combined quantitative and qualitative research approach and an exploratory and descriptive research design was utilized in this study because the researcher wanted to develop a better understanding of the social problem or phenomenon and the perspectives of probation officers with respect to the contribution of diversion programmes for male juvenile offenders, as well as the factors that lead to re-offending in South Africa. The respondents consisted of all probation officers employed by government organizations in the Eden-Karoo Region who have the necessary knowledge and experience regarding the topic. A purposive, non-probability sampling was used. Data were gathered through a semi-structured questionnaire in 20 separate interviews. The composition of the questionnaire was based on the information obtained from the literature review. Based on the results arising from the literature and empirical research, appropriate conclusions and recommendations were made. The results were largely confirmed by the literature review, namely that diversion programmes contribute to the prevention of re-offending if correctly implemented, that significant resources in the intervention should be involved and follow-up care and monitoring after the programmes or interventions must take place. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessensie is die ontwikkelingstadium tussen die kinderjare en volwassenheid. Dit dui op ’n groeiproses waarvan die doelwit volwassenheid is. Hierdie groeiproses word beskou as ’n stormagtige fase aangesien die adolessent verskeie ontwikkelingstake moet bemeester wat sekere uitdagings meebring. Die uitdagings het tot gevolg dat die jeugdiges riskante gedrag toon, soos antisosiale optrede en die pleeg van misdaad. Verskeie faktore of maatskaplike probleme in Suid-Afrika lei daartoe dat jeugdiges kwesbaar is en betrokke raak by misdaad. Die doel van hierdie studie is om ondersoek te doen na die sieninge van proefbeamptes rakende die bydrae van afwentelingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders om hermisdaadpleging te voorkom. Die ondersoek is gedoen aan die hand van ’n uitgebreide literatuurstudie, wat gefokus het op die aard en omvang van jeugmisdaad, die wetlike vertrekpunte van die Wet op Kindergeregtigheid (75 van 2008) en afwentelingsprogramme vir die voorkoming van hermisdaadpleging. ’n Gekombineerde kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering en ’n verkennende en beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is in hierdie studie benut, omdat die navorser ’n beter begrip wou verkry van die maatskaplike probleem of fenomeen en die sieninge van proefbeamptes met betrekking tot die bydrae van afwentelingsprogramme vir manlike jeugoortreders. Die faktore wat aanleiding gee tot hermisdaadpleging in Suid-Afrika word ook verken. Die universum bestaan uit alle proefbeamptes werksaam by regeringsorganisasies in die Eden-Karoo Streek wat oor die nodige kennis en ervaring van die onderwerp beskik. ʼn Doelbewuste, nie-waarskynlikheid-steekproeftrekking is benut. Gegewens is ingewin deur middel van ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys in twintig afsonderlike onderhoude. Die samestelling van die onderhoudskedule is gegrond op die inligting wat uit die literatuuroorsig verkry is. Op grond van die resultate voortspruitend uit die literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek, kon toepaslike gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings gemaak word. Die resultate het grotendeels die literatuuroorsig bevestig, naamlik dat afwentelingsprogramme bydra tot die voorkoming van hermisdaadpleging indien dit korrek geïmplementeer word, dat betekenisvolle hulpbronne in die intervensieproses betrek moet word en dat nasorg en monitering na afloop van die programme of maatskaplike intervensies moet geskied.

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2001.

No abstract available / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation This research is based on a youth intervention organisation founded by the researcher in 1997. The organisation (Agape Copeland Train) is located in the Northern Cape. Youths’ contexts in the Northern Cape are fraught with psychological, social and relational problems, including violence, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, depression, crime, poverty, and curtailed future prospects. An exploratory enquiry, informed by ecological and positive psychology, is undertaken. In particular, this research focuses on the (often neglected) perspectives of facilitators who work with youth. Exploration of how facilitators’ well-­‐being is impacted on whilst serving youth in this challenging context is undertaken. Interviews with facilitators yielded themes of positive transformation, including shifts in mindsets and positive affect. In addition, aspects of the organisation’s development, as relevant to the context of the research, are described and a model of youth facilitation process, as developed by facilitators within the organisation, is presented. The researcher’s own experiences in the organisation (as director and as a facilitator) are reflected upon. Observations, incidents, and experiences are used as additional data sources. Facilitating vulnerable youth from an ecological systems perspective is an intricate, reflexive, complex and challenging process. / Psychology / MA (Clinical Psychology)

No description available.

While many follow-up studies have been conducted which examine the post-school status of special education students from a single point in time perspective, few can be found which provide an in-depth look into their lives in the years following school completion. The purpose of this study was to develop a detailed picture of the adult lives of selected learning disabled subjects to determine the impact of their disability on this post school years. / Ed. D.