Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research journey explores the lived experiences of children who had previously
been living on the street and were now part of a house being managed by two
voluntary organisations. The caregivers and boys are incorporated as co-researchers
in a participatory action research journey within a post-modern, social constructivist
paradigm. The following research curiosities inform the study:
• How do the caregivers and children in the house stand up to homelessness and
poverty?
• How do their stories reflect the notion of doing hope?
Positioning myself within the research journey necessitates the discussion of beliefs
and constructs that inform the paradigm, such as post-modernism, social
constructionism, discourses and the deconstruction of discourses. According to
Denzin and Lincoln (1994:14), the research strategy comprises the practical
application of the assumptions underlying the paradigm through the use of certain
skills, and can be regarded as the paradigm in action which provides the methods for
the researcher to engage in the research journey.
In this study, a qualitative method is used to describe and understand human
behaviour and the meaning attached to it in the participant's own terms. The coresearchers
participate during all the aspects of the research journey, and the cyclical
nature of participatory action research described by Babbie and Mouton (2001:315-
316) is honoured.
The narrative approach is used in conducting the conversations. According to White
(1991:28), it is a non-recriminatory, power-sharing way of interaction that provides a
context where the consciousness and knowledges of the person are at the centre of the
process of consultation. An opportunity is created for the boys and caregivers to story
their experiences and to explore the meanings that they attach to these experiences.
The main ethical principles that operate are autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence
and validity.
Tape-recordings, transcriptions, reflections and letters are used to document the
research journey. Homelessness and poverty had been dictating certain behaviours to
the boys, and it was even dictating their lived identities. At the time of the research
journey, the caregivers are creating a community of support that is effectively doing
hope for the boys, thus enabling them to loosen the grip of poverty and homelessness.
Personal reflections indicate that I as researcher am not unaffected by the research
journey. Although obstacles present themselves during the research journey, new
possibilities are opened up for further exploration. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingsreis ondersoek die ervarings van kinders wat voorheen op straat
gewoon het en wie nou in 'n huis woon wat deur twee vrywillige organisasies bestuur
word. Die versorgers en seuns word betrek as medenavorsers in 'n deelnemende aksienavorsingsreis
binne die raamwerk van 'n postmodernistiese, sosiaal konstruktivistiese
paradigma. Die studie word toegelig deur die volgende navorsings-ondersoeke:
• Hoe weerstaan die versorgers en kinders in die huis die impak van
woningloosheid en armoede?
• Hoe reflekteer die stories wat hulle vertel die idee van 'hoop doen'?
Ten einde myself binne die navorsingsreis te posisioneer noodsaak 'n bespreking van
die oortuigings en samestellings onderliggend aan die paradigma, soos
postmodernisme, sosiaal konstruktivisme, diskoerse en die dekonstruksie van
diskoerse. Volgens Denzen en Lincoln (1994:14) behels die navorsingsstrategie die
praktiese uitvoering van die opvattings onderliggend aan die paradigma deur die
toepassing van sekere vaardighede. Die navorsingsstrategie kan beskou word as die
paradigma in aksie deurdat dit die metodes vir die navorser verskaf om betrokke te
raak by die navorsingsreis.
'n Kwalitatiewe metode word tydens hierdie studie gebruik om menslike gedrag te
beskryf en te verstaan en om vas te stel watter betekenis die deelnemers self aan hulle
belewenisse heg. Die medenavorsers neem deel aan alle aspekte van die
navorsingsreis en die sikliese aard van deelnemende aksienavorsing soos beskryf deur
Babbie en Mouton (2001:315-316) word gerespekteer.
'n Narratiewe benadering word tydens die gesprekke gebruik. Volgens White
(1991:28) is die narratiewe benadering nie-blamerend en is daar 'n gelyke verdeling
van mag. 'n Konteks word geskep waar die bewustelikhede en kennisse van die
persoon sentraal geplaas word in die konsultasieproses. 'n Geleentheid word geskep
vir die seuns en versorgers om hulle ervarings te vertel en om die betekenisse wat
hulle aan die ervarings heg te eksploreer. Hoofsaaklik word outonomie, niekwaadwilligheid,
goedgesindheid en geldigheid as etiese beginsels gerespekteer.
Bandopnames, transkriberings, refleksies en briewe word gebruik om die
navorsingsreis te dokumenteer. Woningloosheid en armoede het vantevore die gedrag
van die seuns, sowel as die identiteite wat hulle uitgeleef het, voorgeskryf. Ten tye
van die navorsingsreis is die versorgers besig om 'n gemeenskap van ondersteuning te
skep wat effektief hoop doen vir die seuns en wat hulle in staat stel om die greep van
woningloosheid en armoede te verbreek. Persoonlike refleksies dui aan dat ek as
navorser nie onaangeraak gelaat word deur die navorsingsreis nie. Struikelblokke
verskyn tydens die navorsingsreis, maar nuwe moontlikhede baan die weg vir verdere
eksplorasie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/16503 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Smuts, Meryl Frances |
| Contributors | Newmark, Rona, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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