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Enhancing a sense of self in a group of socially marginalised adolescent boys through participatory action research

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation sought to understand the experience of six participants as members
of a cluster group of socially marginalised youth in a farmworker community. Through
a collaborative process, the study sought to reframe the perceptions around the
behavioural outcomes of membership to such an outcast group. Theories of
empowerment through active participation underpinned the whole study. The study
was qualitative in nature and used a Participatory Action research methodology
which created the space for creative exploration with enabling methodologies such
as the Youth Engagement Cycle and Activity Theory. Data were collected through
focus group- and semi-structured interviews; participant observation and participant
generated artefacts. Six adolescent males who were part of an already established
cluster group of socially marginalised youth at a school were purposively selected
into the study. The analysis of data was an ongoing and iterative process informed by
the theories that underpinned the study and through content analysis of emerging
themes. The study revealed that the cluster group was not formed with delinquent intent.
Instead, it was created as a space that allowed its members to feel a sense of
belonging, security and being valued. However, the group dynamic caused individual
self-efficacy to become so enmeshed with collective agency that if left unchecked, it
had the potential to propel its members along a trajectory to delinquency. The
dissertation recommends understanding cluster groups as unique heterogeneous
entities that show insight and empathy into the challenges their cohorts experience.
Recognising that this elevates the peer group's influence above that of adults the
study recommends a collaborative, well-structured and strategic intervention that
allows individuals to experience success and self-influence in attaining mastery
within the group dynamic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling het ten doel gehad om ses deelnemers se ervaring as lede van
'n 'cluster' groep gemarginaliseerde jongmense binne 'n plaaswerker gemeenskap te
probeer verstaan. Deur middel van 'n proses van samewerking, het die studie
gepoog om die persepsies rakende die gedragsuitkomste van lidmaatskap binne so
'n geïsoleerde groep te herformuleer. Die hele studie is gebaseer op teorie van
bemagtiging deur middel van aktiewe deelname. Die verhandeling was kwalitatief
van aard en het gebruik gemaak van 'n Deelnemende Aksie Navorsingsmetodologie
wat ruimte geskep het vir kreatiewe ontdekking met bemagtigende metodologieë
soos bv. "Youth Engagement Cycle" en "Activity Theory". Data is ingesamel deur
middel van 'n fokusgroep en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude; deelnemer
waarneming en deelnemer gegenereerde artefakte. Ses adolessente mans wat
reeds deel was van 'n gevestigde groep sosiaal-gemarginaliseerde jongmense by 'n
skool, is doelbewus geselekteer vir die studie. Die analise van die data was 'n
deurlopende en iteratiewe proses wat belig is deur die teorieë waarop die studie
gebaseer was asook deur inhoudsanalise van die ontluikende temas. Die studie het getoon dat die 'cluster' groep nie gevorm is met misdaad as doel nie.
Inteendeel, die groep het ontstaan as 'n ruimte wat sy lede toegelaat het om 'n mate
van geborgenheid, sekuriteit en waardering te ervaar. Die groepsdinamiek het
individuele self-doeltreffendheid toegelaat om so verbonde te raak met kollektiewe
agentskap dat indien dit nie gekontroleer was nie, dit die potensiaal getoon het om sy
lede op 'n trajek van jeugmisdaad te plaas. Die verhandeling beveel dus aan dat 'n
'cluster' groep gesien word as 'n unieke heterogene entiteit wat insig en empatie toon
met die uitdagings wat lede ervaar. Op grond van die feit dat dit die portuurgroep se
invloed bo die van die volwassenes verhef, wil die studie 'n samewerkende, goedgestruktureerde
en strategiese bemiddeling aanbeveel wat die individu sal toelaat om
sukses en selfgelding te ervaar met die bereiking van bemeestering binne die
dinamiek van die groep.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/86657
Date04 1900
CreatorsDamons, Lynne Nesta
ContributorsDaniels, Doria, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Formatxviii, 223 p. : ill. , chiefly col.
RightsStellenbosch University

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