The research took place while the author worked as a volunteer theatre practitioner with the Arts and Culture Group in Wesbank township near Kuils River, Cape Town, South Africa. This organisation was founded in 2002 and was the result of one woman's efforts to keep the children of Wesbank off the streets, by keeping them busy through dance, song and drama. This study investigated the impact of basic theatre training, working towards performance and the performative act itself on the psyche of the drama group participants. More specifically, the study investigated in what ways being involved in a performance can help children and young people in an underprivileged community of Wesbank to develop confidence, a sense of competence, self-reliance, creative thinking, responsibility and the ability to work as an ensemble. The research was to a great extent focused on cross-cultural communication. How could the &quot / Cape Coloured&quot / and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance.

This study has adopted the metaphor of �mind-forged manacles� to explore adolescent transformation within an educational context. It does this by examining the experiences of two groups of people who participated in an intensive, one-off personal development program for adolescents, known as Discovery. The first study involves secondary school students for whom the program was part of the school curriculum. The second study consists of an older group of people who did the program during their adolescence and outside the formal education system. The third study is a contemplation of transformation derived from my experience as researcher during the course of completing this thesis. In an attempt to reflect the perspectival worldview from within which the study is created I have drawn on a range of theorists. To integrate their ideas I created three different �lenses� or ways of viewing the data. The first lens is developed from consciousness theory, the second from process philosophy and complex self-organising systems theory, and the third from individual humanistic psychology. The educational pedagogy is holistic and embraces developmental models of thinking and learning. The study uses participant reflection to argue that a program of intentionally focussed challenges, combined with the support that enables these challenges to be successfully met, can be transformational for many young people. It suggests that the complex postmodern world requires teachers to be aware of their own and their students� consciousness, and demands learning experiences that are deliberately focussed on helping the process of consciousness transformation rather than only on achieving predetermined outcomes. Transformation is understood as a shift to a different order of consciousness in which it is how one sees rather than what one sees that changes. With each shift towards a new order of consciousness the mind-forged manacles are loosed and individuals accept increasing responsibility for their lives and how they live them. Educational programs can be developed to assist this process.

Theory and research have indicated that well-being can be enhanced via the fulfilment of three key well-being concerns or needs, namely efficacy, integrity, and belonging. This thesis used a positive youth development framework to explore well-being concern experiences within the context of a young person’s most salient activities and goals, referred to here as identity projects (Harré, 2007). Guided by an adaptation of the identity project model (Harré, 2007), using a longitudinal design, this thesis incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore how identity projects were negotiated during adolescence; what impact well-being concerns had on commitment to projects; and how this related to subjective well-being (SWB). In the quantitative study, 162 ethnically diverse Year 12 high school students participated at time one (T1); and one year later 87 students took part at time two (T2). Participants completed an adaptation of the Personal Project Analysis tool (Little, 1983), and two independent measures of SWB. The main foci of the quantitative study were to explore the predictive value of each well-being concern to project commitment and SWB; and to investigate if commitment mediated the link between well-being concerns and SWB. For the qualitative study, narrative interviews were conducted among 16 adolescents at three time points – Years 12 and 13, and after completing high school. The main foci of the interviews were to investigate how well-being concerns were voiced within the context of specific projects; and to gain insight into how projects were negotiated during life transitions. The quantitative results showed efficacy and integrity, but not belonging, were predictors of concurrent commitment at T1 and actual commitment to T1 projects at T2. The mediating role of commitment (between the well-being concerns and SWB) was, however, not supported. Instead, each well-being concern directly predicted different aspects of SWB, and these relationships changed over time. Overall, experiences of efficacy and belonging, within identity projects, enhanced SWB in the short term, while only experiences of integrity enhanced SWB, namely life satisfaction, in the long term. The qualitative results indicated experiences of efficacy and belonging were most prevalent within leisure pursuits, while integrity was most commonly discussed within education and career projects. / Whole document restricted until 04/2012, but available by request, use the feedback form to request access.

Magister Artium - MA / The research took place while the author worked as a volunteer theatre practitioner with the Arts and Culture Group in Wesbank township near Kuils River, Cape Town, South Africa. This organisation was founded in 2002 and was the result of one woman's efforts to keep the children of Wesbank off the streets, by keeping them busy through dance, song and drama. This study investigated the impact of basic theatre training, working towards performance and the performative act itself on the psyche of the drama group participants. More specifically, the study investigated in what ways being involved in a performance can help children and young people in an underprivileged community of Wesbank to develop confidence, a sense of competence, self-reliance, creative thinking, responsibility and the ability to work as an ensemble. The research was to a great extent focused on cross-cultural communication. How could the "Cape Coloured" and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance. / South Africa

Esta pesquisa acadêmica discute a evolução histórica e o conceito de juventude. Explica as fases do desenvolvimento humano sob a ótica biológica, cognitiva, afetiva e social, abordando a sua importância para a formação da personalidade adulta. Contextualiza a juventude partindo de análises históricas, geográficas e culturais da Amazônia Ocidental, da Região Norte, do Estado de Roraima e do Município de Boa Vista. Cria o Índice de Desenvolvimento Juvenil Municipal (IDJM), partindo de análises socioeconômicas e das dimensões de educação, saúde e renda e seus respectivos indicadores. Além disso, tem o objetivo de desenhar propostas e oferecer subsídios para a atuação dos governantes, das organizações da sociedade, dos educadores e trazer ao domínio público informações que possam ser tomadas como referência ao debate e à busca de soluções que precisam ser encontradas para a superação dos grandes desafios municipais, colocados para a garantia do pleno desenvolvimento das potencialidades juvenis. A elaboração de Políticas Públicas para a juventude é um ganho social necessário. Deste modo, não se pode mais negar um bem existencial que é fundamental aos jovens: o direito de exercer plenamente a sua cidadania com justiça, equidade e inclusão social. / This academic research discusses the historical evolution and the concept of youth. Explains the stages of human development from the perspective biological, cognitive, affective and social addressing its importance for the formation of adult personality. Contextualizes the youth from analyzes historical, geographical and cultural Amazon Western, Northern, the state of Roraima and Boa Vista city. Creates the Municipal Youth Development Index (IDJM in Portuguese), based on analysis of socio-economic and dimensions of education, health and income and their respective indicators. Also, aims to design proposals and provide grants for the performance of governments, organizations of society, educators and the public to bring information that can be taken as reference for the debate and the search for solutions that need to be found to overcome city of the great challenges that are posed to ensure the full development potential of youth. The development of public policies for youth is a necessary social gain. Thus, can not deny a more existential and it is crucial to young people: the right to fully exercise their citizenship with justice, equity and social inclusion.

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)

Esta pesquisa acadêmica discute a evolução histórica e o conceito de juventude. Explica as fases do desenvolvimento humano sob a ótica biológica, cognitiva, afetiva e social, abordando a sua importância para a formação da personalidade adulta. Contextualiza a juventude partindo de análises históricas, geográficas e culturais da Amazônia Ocidental, da Região Norte, do Estado de Roraima e do Município de Boa Vista. Cria o Índice de Desenvolvimento Juvenil Municipal (IDJM), partindo de análises socioeconômicas e das dimensões de educação, saúde e renda e seus respectivos indicadores. Além disso, tem o objetivo de desenhar propostas e oferecer subsídios para a atuação dos governantes, das organizações da sociedade, dos educadores e trazer ao domínio público informações que possam ser tomadas como referência ao debate e à busca de soluções que precisam ser encontradas para a superação dos grandes desafios municipais, colocados para a garantia do pleno desenvolvimento das potencialidades juvenis. A elaboração de Políticas Públicas para a juventude é um ganho social necessário. Deste modo, não se pode mais negar um bem existencial que é fundamental aos jovens: o direito de exercer plenamente a sua cidadania com justiça, equidade e inclusão social. / This academic research discusses the historical evolution and the concept of youth. Explains the stages of human development from the perspective biological, cognitive, affective and social addressing its importance for the formation of adult personality. Contextualizes the youth from analyzes historical, geographical and cultural Amazon Western, Northern, the state of Roraima and Boa Vista city. Creates the Municipal Youth Development Index (IDJM in Portuguese), based on analysis of socio-economic and dimensions of education, health and income and their respective indicators. Also, aims to design proposals and provide grants for the performance of governments, organizations of society, educators and the public to bring information that can be taken as reference for the debate and the search for solutions that need to be found to overcome city of the great challenges that are posed to ensure the full development potential of youth. The development of public policies for youth is a necessary social gain. Thus, can not deny a more existential and it is crucial to young people: the right to fully exercise their citizenship with justice, equity and social inclusion.

Esta pesquisa acadêmica discute a evolução histórica e o conceito de juventude. Explica as fases do desenvolvimento humano sob a ótica biológica, cognitiva, afetiva e social, abordando a sua importância para a formação da personalidade adulta. Contextualiza a juventude partindo de análises históricas, geográficas e culturais da Amazônia Ocidental, da Região Norte, do Estado de Roraima e do Município de Boa Vista. Cria o Índice de Desenvolvimento Juvenil Municipal (IDJM), partindo de análises socioeconômicas e das dimensões de educação, saúde e renda e seus respectivos indicadores. Além disso, tem o objetivo de desenhar propostas e oferecer subsídios para a atuação dos governantes, das organizações da sociedade, dos educadores e trazer ao domínio público informações que possam ser tomadas como referência ao debate e à busca de soluções que precisam ser encontradas para a superação dos grandes desafios municipais, colocados para a garantia do pleno desenvolvimento das potencialidades juvenis. A elaboração de Políticas Públicas para a juventude é um ganho social necessário. Deste modo, não se pode mais negar um bem existencial que é fundamental aos jovens: o direito de exercer plenamente a sua cidadania com justiça, equidade e inclusão social. / This academic research discusses the historical evolution and the concept of youth. Explains the stages of human development from the perspective biological, cognitive, affective and social addressing its importance for the formation of adult personality. Contextualizes the youth from analyzes historical, geographical and cultural Amazon Western, Northern, the state of Roraima and Boa Vista city. Creates the Municipal Youth Development Index (IDJM in Portuguese), based on analysis of socio-economic and dimensions of education, health and income and their respective indicators. Also, aims to design proposals and provide grants for the performance of governments, organizations of society, educators and the public to bring information that can be taken as reference for the debate and the search for solutions that need to be found to overcome city of the great challenges that are posed to ensure the full development potential of youth. The development of public policies for youth is a necessary social gain. Thus, can not deny a more existential and it is crucial to young people: the right to fully exercise their citizenship with justice, equity and social inclusion.

M.A. / The institutionalisation and rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents has always been a contentious issue, generating much research and differences in opinions. What to do with youngsters who are too young to be criminals and too violent to be youth, remains a complex dilemma in a society where the incidence of juvenile delinquency is increasing by the day. The South African phenomenon of a marginalised generation who readily takes part in criminal behaviour, necessitated the development of a co-ordinated strategy involving formal and informal support groups in the training and development of this group. The establishment of e ,e first Youth Development Centre in Newcastle, named Ekuseni, was initiat ,* by President Nelson Mandela, in response to his concern that the conditions in South African jails are not conducive to transforming and developing young prisoners. The Ekuseni project was aimed at providing young convicted persons with appropriate life skills, education and training, to enable them to pa cipate fully in society. The aim of this study was to develop a psycho-educational programme to facilitate leadership competencies in young prisoners. The leadership programme constitutes one of the development programmes in the holistic rehabilitation model, developed specifically for the Ekuseni project by the Rand Afrikaans University. The leadership programme is aimed at developing various leadership competencies, grounded in leadership competency theory. The competencies included in this study were more specifically based on the research and the development of a unique leadership model for the South African organisational context by Charlton (1993). These concepts were adapted and integrated with theory on juvenile delinquency to develop a leadership program= suitable for South African youth in prison. The first step in the programme was to help students to create a vision for themselves and for the Ekuseni Youth Development Centre, and to take responsibility for attaining that vision. This included a shift from an external to an internal locus of control. Through learned communication skills, e competency to communicate this vision to other prisoners, to enlist them in dedicated action towards a constructive future, was facilitated. The development of conflict management skills as an essential competency for leaders in a youth prison, were facilitated in order for leaders to constructively resolve conflict between prisoners and staff, as well as between prisoners themselves. This is especially necessary in conflict between youth gangs in prison. Trust, earned by leaders through reliable and consistent behaviour is a fourth competency facilitated through IP is programme. Students were taught the art of interpersonal trust, which in turn enabled them to help others and empower themselves. The evaluation of the effectiveness of this programme did not fall nV in the parameters of this study. It is therefore recommended that this study be evaluated in future, before it is implemented in other youth prisons in South Africa.

With Youth work being one of the key interventions used to advance the development of young people, through this study, the researcher takes a closer look at how Youth work can be enhanced to ensure its maximised contribution to empowerment and development of young people. On that basis, the researcher investigates the perceptions, attitudes, and opinions of social service professionals towards emergence and future status of Youth work practice in South Africa. This is essential, given that policy directions ought to be guided by rational, fact-based information. The researcher used two-phased sequential mixed methods research approach, which combines qualitative and quantitative methods in sequence, to explore the research phenomenon. Qualitative data was gathered from four (4) focus groups, conducted in each of the selected South Africa’s provinces. Quantitative data was gathered from five hundred and ninety-three (593) respondents who completed a measuring instrument. Some of the key empirical findings suggested that the social development factors compared to human resources and diversion factors are key drivers behind emergence of Youth work. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that interventions primarily and consequently enhance the social functioning of young people. On the current status of Youth work, a significant majority of respondents indicated that Youth work is the responsibility of a multi-disciplinary team. The evidence also pointed to Youth workers being more skilled than Social workers and Child youth care workers in rendering services to the youth. Additionally, the findings showed that the involvement of social service professionals in Youth work was mainly in collaborating with other professionals when rendering Youth work services, and also in direct service delivery. Their involvement in policy development was to no extent. This was associated with a limited number of Youth workers in the public sector. The findings on perceptions of social service professionals regarding the future status of Youth work showed that 75% of the respondents believe that Youth work should become an area of specialisation for Social work and/or Child and youth care work; followed by 17% who are of the opinion that it should remain as an occupation; whilst only 8% said it should be an autonomous profession. Additionally, an overwhelming majority of the respondents agreed with all statements which were listed as advantages or benefits of having Youth work recognised as an area of specialisation or a profession. On the basis of these findings, the researcher recommended that young people’s problems and aspirations should be addressed within their social contexts; there is a need to ensure that interventions primarily enhance the social functioning of young people; there is a need to have Youth work as an area of specialisation for Social work and/or Child and youth care work; and there is a need to create additional capacity to provide services to the youth, especially in government as a policy making structure. It is essential to note that the support for specialisation supports South Africa’s approach to mainstreaming youth development across various sectors. It could also be seen as a clear indication of the positive role and value placed on Youth work, and the potential contribution it might have should it become an area of specialisation for Social work and/or Child and youth care work. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted