The aim of the study was to explore youth participation in Community Development Organisations and its implications for positive youth development from the perspective of a select sample of Youth in the Western Cape. A purposive sample of 18 youth respondents between the ages (14-35) from five communities in the Western Cape were approached. The study used Lerner (2004) and Lerner et al.'s (2005) Positive Youth Development model (PYD), and the Critical Youth Empowerment model (CYE) by Jennings et al (2006). The study adopted a qualitative exploratory approach, using a structured interview schedule for face to face interviews with the young people. The findings revealed that young people volunteer in youth-initiated organisations within their communities because they are able to occupy instrumental roles. The findings also revealed that young people participate because they want to see positive change in their communities. Additionally, youth participation in community development has a positive impact on young people's lives (skills acquisition, personal growth, opportunities made available, connection to their communities and community members). Lastly, the findings revealed that young people are capable of making a positive contribution by getting involved in meaningful activities in their communities. The study's main recommendation is for increased efforts in education institutions, community councils and development organisations to involve young people in effective and instrumental participation in community development initiatives. Another recommendation is for the adoption of the Positive Youth Development approach in community and youth development programmes/strategies across the country.

This study explored the challenges facing immigrant traders in the Western Cape Metropole at the Greenmarket Square and the Hout Bay Harbour markets. A purposive / convenience sample was drawn of twelve immigrant traders and five key informants (seventeen participants). An exploratory, qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured interview schedules to guide face to face interviewing. The data was analysed using Tesch's (1990) approach.

Includes bibliographical references. / Cross border migration is an ordeal that forces migrants in vulnerable situation and compromise their ability to negotiate preventive health care choices. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that influence behavioural intentions and attitudes of young migrants in Cape Town South Africa towards condom use. The study is a qualitative study that utilized purposive sampling and snow balling as its methodology to investigate and obtained findings to the intentions of migrants’ behaviour. It employed in-depth open-ended questions developed for interviews in English. Participants consisted of 20 young migrants in the 18-35year cohort. The 20 respondents are from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo respectively. The 20 samples consisted of; 13 males and seven females; 10 singles and 10 married; nine single males and one single female; six married females and 4 married males.

HIV and AIDS has severely inflicted suffering on the global population and reported to be the worst killer disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Preventive measures such as condom use among young people is still low and less effective in preventing the spread of the disease, it was recommended by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV and AIDS (2001) to accelerate the development of HIV vaccine aimed at curbing the disease. This study sought to explore young women’s experiences and perceptions about HIV prevention vaccine clinical trials so as to inform the design and implementation of vaccine trials in Africa. The study employed purposive sampling to interview 27 participants using semi-structured interview schedule. A tape recorder was used to capture data and coding procedures were used to analyze data. Findings drawn from participants’ responses and compared with literature from previous studies on vaccine trials and social development theories indicate that participants decide to join HIV prevention vaccine clinical trials because they hope to be protected from HIV infection. Most importantly participants hope to get access to medical care and treatment, meanwhile some participants perceived HIV vaccines harmful to humans hence they usually decline to participate. The study also identified study participation challenges related to socio-cultural and historical aspects. Although vaccines have had some success stories in the prevention and control of infectious diseases such as the eradication of polio, smallpox and measles, prevailing challenges need to be addressed if vaccine development is to be feasible. Providing more information, reinforcement of community awareness and mobilization around issues of HIV vaccine clinical trials at all levels of vaccine design and implementation is required to ensure appropriateness and acceptability of vaccine trial participation.

Youth unemployment and crime is a serious problem in South Africa. Young people form the majority of the South African population (Barrar, 2010) and as future leaders and decision makers, it is vitally important to focus on youth and their future prospects. It is for this reason that this study examines youth development in the context of South Africa’s young democracy. This research explored the experiences of young people who had completed a skills training programme at the Chrysalis Academy in Cape Town. Chrysalis Academy is an initiative of the Western Cape Provincial Government. The programme was developed to address crime in poor communities as a preventative measure rather than a rehabilitative one; it aimed to provide skills training to youth to enable them to obtain employment in the hope of preventing their engagement with a life of crime, gangsterism, and drug and alcohol abuse.This study was based on a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive research design and therefore in depth, qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 past students who had graduated from the academy within the past five years. The findings of the research showed that the Chrysalis programme was unique in many respects. Its approach and subject matter as well as the learning techniques offered were different to those many of the participants had previously encountered. The programme offered the students valuable knowledge and skills, which they were able to utilize in their lives after the completion of the programme. There were, however, limitations identified in the programme and recommendations in response to these limitations are made at the conclusion of this paper.

The sustainability of the nonprofit sector is vital to social development in South Africa. The sector plays a significant role in the provision of social protection and developmental services to the most vulnerable citizens of our country. Nonprofit organisations operate in an environment which is often complex, volatile and uncertain. With the increasing demand for accountability, sound governance and ever more creative fundraising models, leading and managing nonprofits has become particularly challenging. Most nonprofits survive infancy because of the incredible passion and commitment of nonprofit founders, towards their unwavering belief in a social cause. Without their energy and charisma, the nonprofit sector would not be as influential and substantial as it is today. For an organisation to mature and increase its desired impact, the founder energy needs to be refined and combined with new skills that suit a larger and more effective organisation. However, if this does not happen, some organisations become dependent on the founder, causing risk of trauma, stagnation or demise, particularly when the founder moves on. Even where an organisation remains in operation, a founder transition may result in unnecessary damage to all stakeholders, if not planned and managed well. Founder transitions in nonprofit organisations has not been given the recognition in South African literature that it deserves. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to answer the question, “How do nonprofit organisations in South Africa experience founder transitions?” In this study, an exploratory qualitative research design was used in order to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of founder transitions in nonprofit organisation. Based on a literature review on founder transitions and related succession planning and founder’s syndrome in the nonprofit sector, the research questions and a research methodology were chosen. Ethics clearance was given by the University of Cape Town and a sample of 17 participants were selected to take part in the study by purposive sampling. The participants, all senior leaders in the nonprofit sector with experience of founder transitions, represented eight organisations in the Western Cape. The data was collected using a semi-structured interview schedule, and analysed using Tesch’s (1990) steps of data analysis. The contribution this study makes is to add to the understanding of the founder transition planning and management practices of South African nonprofit organisations, exposing both the opportunities and challenges experienced during the transition. The study makes a number of findings including: 1) the level of risk and challenge to nonprofit organisations during the founder transition is underestimated by their leaders, 2) nonprofit leaders feel they are ill equipped to manage founder transitions effectively, 3) founder transitions are a particularly emotional experience requiring relationships to be managed skillfully, 4) succession planning is a neglected risk management practice, impacting on the magnitude of the founder transition, 5) nonprofit founders and boards are not certain of their distinct roles during the founder transition, which can result in poor leadership and management of the founder transition, and 6) effective founder transitions constitute an additional cost to nonprofit organisations which should be budgeted for. Based on these findings, the study concludes with recommendations for nonprofit boards on how to improve the planning and management of founder transitions in nonprofit organisations.

Includes bibliographical references. / This study aimed to explore early childhood development teacher attitudes towards parent involvement in early childhood development centres. The researcher aimed to gain an understanding of how ECD teachers describe their roles within the ECD centres, their perception of parent involvement in ECD centres, the ways in which ECD teachers involve parents within the ECD centre, to know the factors influencing parent involvement within the ECD centres and teachers needs for further support in parent involvement. The study was undertaken in Athlone with the aim to using the results to highlight areas that need improvement within ECD centres.

This study examined the role of social protection programmes in reducing household poverty in the post-conflict area of Teso in Eastern Uganda and focused on Katakwi district. Mixed methods, was used in the form of qualitative and quantitative tools drawing on a sample of 200 respondents and 20 key informant interviews and 30 participants who were part of focus group discussions. The study results showed that 45% of the sampled population in Katakwi district was poor; 20% were at risk of being poor if social protection is removed, and 35% not poor. We further established that 53% of the female non-beneficiaries live in poverty compared to 49% of female beneficiaries. In contrast, male beneficiaries (51%) were found to be living outside the poverty line compared to male non-beneficiaries (47%) who live in poverty (see Figure 4.2). This variation in poverty levels among male respondents is attributed to the overreliance of household beneficiaries to social protection services, which in most cases are delayed; hence, they fall back into poverty These findingsfurther show that social protection cash transfers constitute the most direct approach that the Government of Uganda uses to address household poverty and vulnerability. Social protection cash transfers can raise living standards; reduce the severity of poverty and vulnerability at the household level and distribute income to the poorest which, thus, reduces the poverty gap between the rich and poor. We further, established that male heads of households who shoulder the burden of paying school fees do not actually receive cash transfers. Factors that significantly influence the standard of life of households include having a university graduate in the household, receipt of income and access to social services. Access to social protection services such as education, health and water were shown to significantly influence a household's status. Although households in Katakwi district that receive social protection support have better chances of escaping poverty, the district is more susceptible to insecurity as a result of continued the cattle rustling compared to those districts that are not closer to cattle rustling warriors. The value of the study is that it provides a better understanding of social protection services in reducing household poverty in post-conflict areas. This study contributes to the limited body of literature on household heads experiences in dealing with vulnerability poverty and household vulnerability to community poverty in post-conflict settings. It provides a disaggregated analysis of social protection measures in responding to poverty and vulnerabilities at the household level.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-104). / This study examines post-1994 challenges facing six Western Cape NGOs with a development focus in South Africa. It is an exploratory qualitative study that aims to understand the challenges NGOs are facing as they try to promote development strategies in a cash strapped environment. The objectives of the study are to explore: regulatory frameworks such as the Non-Profit Organizations Act (Act 71 of 1997), the National Development Agency Act (Act 108 of 1998), and the Taxation Laws Amendment Act (Act 30 of 2000) that impact on NGOs; the nature and impact of services; the nature of the funding environment; networking, policy and advocacy initiatives; and other challenges that these NGOs identify.Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were carried out on a non-probability sample of 12 participants from six NGOs. Data was analysed using Tesch's approach to data analysis (De Vos, 2002). The main findings were: Despite not having an in depth knowledge of the NPO Act 71 of 1997, the Taxation Laws Amendment Act 30 of 2000 and the NDA Act 30 of 3000, all participants identified the benefits of the regulatory frameworks but noted the challenges with the NDA. All NGOs provided services that promoted development. Although all participants identified that the NGOs were making an impact, they did not have proper monitoring and evaluation systems in their organisations. All but one of the NGOs identified funding as a challenge. Funding remains one of the main problems that NGOs are facing. All NGOs were networked into a broader coalition and identified challenges and benefits from networking with government and civil society. The main recommendations were for: Findings to be made to the participating NGOs to put in place proper monitoring and evaluation tools Government to rethink strategies for a more effective NGO-government partnership and to rethink the criteria for allocating much needed funds to NGOs. Further research regarding the nature and impact of services should be made.

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of women involved in food garden projects. This was evaluated against the Community Driven Development approach which is a development initiative to empower community groups by giving them control over resources and decision making in their efforts to improve their living conditions. The context in which the seventeen women who participated in the study live is one of poverty. Many women in the study mentioned lack of employment as their motivation for joining food gardens, which they saw as a way of escaping poverty and providing food for their households. An exploratory and descriptive study was conducted to obtain information from the women involved in food gardens as it allowed the researcher to gain data in an open, flexible and inductive manner. This research design was appropriate for the study as research participants were best understood within their natural setting. Seventeen face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted. The participants’ ages ranged from twenty-eight to sixty years old. The majority of the women interviewed were in their fifties. A semi-structured interview schedule was used as a guideline and was however, not followed rigidly. Data was collected through an audio recorder and consent forms were signed by the participants. Transcription was done using Tesch’s (1990) method of analysis. The findings indicated that food gardens provide an opportunity to the women to take action to sustain their livelihoods, providing a form of self employment, food and a means to generate some income. The food gardens also created social networks for these women which resulted in them being included in the community’s activities as they had developed networks which acted as sources of support. However, the women repeatedly iterated that lack of funds and inconsistent support from role players such as government and other agencies hindered the success of their activities. Their main comments on recommendations for assistance and support were directed to the government and other organisations working with people in the grassroots level. Support for these local initiatives may contribute to their success.