This work was based on an investigation of the subject of burnout, as observed by the researcher among social workers that worked for various social services organizations - both Government Departments and Non-Governmental Organizations - based in the Eastern Cape Province. The study of burnout was conducted with the aim to obtain information from the respondents about their conditions at work, and how those conditions contributed, as alleged, to burnout experienced by them. A qualitative research method was used as an approach that the researcher found best in that it allowed for an in-depth probe into the circumstances of the respondents (including the attitudes and emotions of the respondents), to give a broad picture of the situation as experienced by the respondents at work. A qualitative method was handled through the exploratory research principle of sampling and gathering of data, as the researcher felt it a sufficiently appropriate route to help yield the required outcomes of the study. The researcher's motivation to pursue the research was prompted by several indicators which included an article in the Daily Dispatch of 26 August 2003 that wrote 'Social workers quit in droves' and some personal contact with graduated students of social work, recently employed as social workers in various settings. Interesting dynamics about social work practice and its frustrations surfaced, and out of that premise, the researcher felt that it was an opportune moment to carry out an investigation to discover the facts about burnout as experienced by social workers. The findings on the research would be published, and the researcher intended to inform the social work community about the outcomes of research, hoping that the information would become useful to them in curtailing or preventing future encounters of burnout as experienced by them at the work place. In other words, recommendations for solutions would be provided based on the findings as an outcome of that investigation. To allow for the success of the research process, the researcher planned to draw from several resource centers and other researchers' data, any valuable piece of information, record, or existing data that could assist in evaluating information that became available during data collection. Such information was seen as very important since it helped in making the data analysis process easier and more than enough information could thus be obtained. Finally the researcher had found the study quite fascinating in that it addressed human concerns in the form of social work issues at work, which the researcher personally considered important and shared as one of the issues affecting social work professionals.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses a major challenge for social workers worldwide, as well as in South Africa. In light in the above, the present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of social workers dealing with victims of IPV at Ehlanzeni District, Mpumalanga Province. A qualitative study was conducted among social workers working with victims of IPV. The study had anticipated using 10 participants but, due to data saturation, only six participants were interviewed. Each interview took 45–60 minutes, depending on each participant’s responses. A total of six participants, all females between the ages of 24 and 39 years, were selected using purposive sampling. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews, and interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was applied for data analysis. Four major themes emerged from the analysis of the data: a) emotional and psychological distress experienced by social workers; b) impact on personal and professional lives; c) coping strategies; and d) vicarious posttraumatic growth. Importantly, some themes and subthemes not included in the interview guide emerged from the data. These included subthemes such as family involvement and societal pressure. The findings of the study highlighted that it is quite rare for men to report IPV, although at times they do. There is greater IPV prevalence among females of different ages. Secondary traumatisation is one of the negative effects that social workers experience when working with cases of traumatic IPV. However, social workers have found effective ways of coping with the demands of their work. Some of the identified coping mechanisms included choosing to spend time with family, trying to forget about the day’s work, travelling, being strong and resilient, consulting a psychologist, playing games, praying (spirituality) and reading the Bible, sharing their experiences with a more experienced social worker, spending time with friends, laughing, singing and remaining professional. The study found that these coping strategies helped the social workers to deal with burnout and compassion fatigue. The present study recommends that effective coping methods and support for mental health care workers are needed to assist with secondary trauma stress and the negative effects that comes with the job.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Background: Employee Health and Wellness Programme is an intervention by government to build and maintain a health promoting workplace. The programme aims to address various health and wellness problems employees‟ face that may negatively impact their performance and productivity. The programme is available for social workers; however, their utilisation is low. It is important to understand how social workers perceive the programme, in order to enhance provision of this programme to them and to promote their general health and wellness. Objectives: The study was aimed at exploring and describing the perceptions of social workers about the Employee Health and Wellness Programme. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory descriptive study was conducted using semi-structured face-to-face interview. The study site was at the selected locations in the Polokwane Municipality. Purposive sampling was used and due to data saturation, 10 participants were interviewed. All the interview sessions were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. Results: The results highlighted positive and negative perceptions about the Employee Health and Wellness Programme among social workers and the Department of Social Development. The positive perceptions include alleviating stress and burnout, reduced sick leaves and increased productivity. The negative perceptions include stigma and confidentiality issues. The results also revealed challenges of accessibility, awareness, promotion and marketing of the programme. These challenges make it difficult for social workers to utilise and benefit from the programme as expected. Conclusions: The Employee Health and Wellness Programme should be well implemented, widely marketed and promoted to all employees within the Department of Social Development.

Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Social workers are working with vulnerable, marginalised and abused clients on a daily basis. Hence, Employee Assistance Programme services are vital to nurture the emotional well-being of employees. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of social workers regarding utilisation of Employee Assistance Programme services in the Greater Giyani Municipality of Limpopo Province. The objectives of the study were to determine social workers' awareness of Employee Assistance Programme services available to them and to establish factors that contribute to the utilisation of Employee Assistance Programme services. The study adopted a qualitative approach and used face-to-face interviews aided by a semi-structured interview schedule to collect data. Non-probability sampling and purposive sample technique were used to select the participants. Moreover, exploratory design was used as a blue print of the study to obtain insight about the perception of social workers of the utilisation of Employee Assistance Programme services. The researcher used thematic analysis to analyse and interpret data. The findings show that participants are not taking advantage of the available psychosocial services within the Department of Social Development. The study also found that participants had never used the EAP, despite the fact that the majority of them had felt the need to seek professional help at some point. Furthermore, participants do not believe in the credibility of the Employee Assistance Programme resulting in them not utilising the available services. Participants expressed concerns about confidentiality, a lack of office space, resources, and poor marketing. The study has concluded that social workers based at the Greater Giyani Municipality of Limpopo Province, have a negative perception regarding the use of EAP services, hence the programme is under-utilised.

M.A. / The aim of this study was to compare the effect of violence on the rendering of social work services in severely strife-torn areas with its effect in moderately strife-torn areas. The social workers in the Gauteng Department of Welfare and Population Development were divided into two groups according to the area in which they render services. 2. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES OF VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL WORK A broad theoretical outline followed which consisted of the definition of violence, the rendering of social work services and crime. Furthermore attention was given to theories of violence and different types of violence. Then a description of violence in South Africa was given, followed by a layout of the many factors contributing to violence in South Africa. This section concluded with a description of violence in the rendering of social work services nationally and internationally. RESEARCH DESIGN The research concentrated on a comparative study which was undertaken between social workers rendering services in severely strife-torn areas and those rendering services in moderately strife-torn areas with regard to the effect violence had upon them in the rendering of services to clients. RESEARCH RESULTS Six types of hypotheses were postulated beforehand and these were then compared with information that was received from respondents from the two identified areas. The results may be summarised briefly as follows: Social workers in both strife-torn areas were prevented from visiting clients; they were prevented from going to work; their vehicles were hijacked; their vehicles were stoned often; they were abducted; they had to run away or hide; their service offices were damaged; they were late for work; their service offices had to close at times; there were times they felt that their families were in danger; they didn't want to visit clients living in certain areas; violence caused them to postpone dealing with other social problems; their relationships with their clients were strained; their clients were prevented from keeping appointments; their clients were mildly injured (no hospitalisation); their clients were seriously injured or killed; the social workers had to take leave as a result of violence; some of them possess licensed firearms (11 out of 81 social workers); they can testify to incidents where people were killed or seriously injured; they felt negative about the effect violence had on their rendering of social work services; and they were positive about the proposed ways to handle violent situations. In addition, when comparing these two areas, clients known to social workers in severely strife-torn areas can testify to more incidents where they witnessed people being killed or seriously injured, than those in moderately strife-torn areas; clients themselves were also injured more in the former than in the latter areas; and the social workers in the former areas felt that their families were in greater danger than those of their counterparts in moderately strife-torn areas. But the other variables was found not to be statistically significant. 5. RECOMENDATIONS The respondents' reaction to the proposed ways to handle violent situations led to the prioritisation of the following fourteen ways in descending order of importance: two-way radios or cellular telephones in vehicles; replacement of "G" by "T" registration of vehicles; verbal telephone codes to request assistance; in-service training in order to handle violent situations; awareness of high-risk procedures, for example the removing of a child; reporting and recording incidents of violence; retreating and getting away if possible; obtaining discreet police assistance; using conventional alarm systems; the proximity of a "stand-by" person; paired home-visits; pre-arranged interview interruptions; carrying a service firearm; and supervised office interviews. The above-mentioned ways of handling violent situations were then included in four main categories to form part of a safety strategy for this specific organisation.

The purpose of the current study was to clarify the importance of social relationships in the retention of social workers in Child Welfare agencies. Data had been gathered by the California Social Work Education Center, University of California Berkeley, in a 2-year state funded study, titled "Retention of California's Child Welfare Workers".

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research investigates education strategies for field instructors working with undergraduate social work students. Social work students at the University of Stellenbosch receive practical experience and education at welfare institutions as part of their formal education. During this practice education period students are guided and educated by field instructors. Practice education of undergraduate social work students is a demanding responsibility to field instructors and knowledge and skills are required to complete the task successfully. During the practice education period, field instructors are still confronted with their own work pressure and environmental demands in practice, along with the practice education of undergraduate social work students. The basic premise for this research is focused on the importance of the role of field instructors during the field practice period, as well as the importance of continuous education to these field instructors. This research report includes 'n thorough literature study that refers to the knowledge and skills that are required of field instructors for practice eduaction of students. The partnership between the educational institution and practice education agency are discussed and the roles, tasks and expectations of the partners are described in the chapters. Both parties are responsible for the education of field instructors and several educational strategies are examined. As a conclusion, educational strategies for field instructors are discussed and recommendations are made. The empirical research involved the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the theoretical part of the research. An explorary study was used to obtain the information from respondants. The findings and results of the research are analized and compared with the literature and some recommendations are made. The findings of this research can be used as guidelines for the education of field instructors concerned with the education of undergraduate social work students. Field instructors contribute to the education of professional social workers and all parties involved in the education process should bare a responsibilty to participate in field instructors' education. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing ondersoek opleidingsstrategieë vir praktykopleiers van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente. Maatskaplikewerk-studente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch word as deel van hul formele opleiding blootgestel aan praktiese ondervinding en -onderrig by welsynsinstansies. Gedurende hierdie praktykonderrigplasing ontvang studente leiding en onderrig van praktykopleiers. Praktykonderrig van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente stel hoë eise aan praktykopleiers en verg kennis en vaardighede om die taak suksesvol uit te voer. Tydens die praktykonderrigperiode word praktykopleiers steeds gekonfronteer met die eise van die werks- en omgewingsdruk in die praktyk, tesame met die praktykonderrig van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente. Hierdie navorsing is gerig op die noodsaaklikheid van praktykopleiers se rol tydens die praktykonderrigperiode van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente, sowel as die belangrikheid van voortgesette opleiding aan hierdie praktykopleiers. Ten einde opleidingsstrategieë vir praktykopleiers daar te stel, fokus die literatuurstudie op 'n bespreking van die kennis en vaardighede waaroor praktykopleiers moet beskik vir praktykonderrig aan studente. Die vennootskap tussen die opleidingsinstansie en praktykonderrigsinstansie word volledig bespreek en rolle, funksies en verwagtinge van die vennote word aangedui. Beide partye dra 'n verantwoordelikheid teenoor die opleiding van praktykopleiers en moontlike opleidingsmetodes word ondersoek. Ter samevatting word opleidingsstrategieë vir praktykopleiers bespreek en aanbevelings word gemaak. Die teoretiese deel van die verslag word uitgebrei in die empiriese ondersoek, deur 'n ontleding en bespreking van die resultate van die ondersoek. 'n Verkennende studie is benut en beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes is gebruik om die inligting van respondente te bekom. Die bevindinge en resultate van die ondersoek is geanaliseer en vergelyk met die literatuur en sekere aanbevelings is gemaak. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie kan as riglyn gebruik word vir die opleiding van praktykopleiers wat betrokke is by die onderrig van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente. Praktykopleiers speel 'n belangrike rol in die opleiding en onderrig van professionele maatskaplike werkers en betrokke partye in die opleidingsproses dra 'n verantwoordelikheid om praktykopleiers toe te rus vir die taak.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work