Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Multi-cultural social work practice necessitates that the social worker possesses
specific knowledge and practice skills in order to render a competent service to a
diverse client system. To date, the SANDF does not possess any definite guidelines
regarding multi-cultural social work practice. Consequently social work practitioners
are ill-equipped to render a needs-based, multi-cultural competent service to the
culturally different client system.
The purpose of this study, was to develop theoretical and practical guidelines for
multi-cultural social work practice within the SANDF. An attempt is made to ensure
that the social service delivery system is attentive to cultural diversity among clients,
whilst providing social work interventions to the client system. The objectives of the
study were: firstly, to present a profile of the current consumers of social work
services within the SANDF; secondly, to reflect on the nature and function of military
social work within the SANDF, and to investigate the need to incorporate
multi-cultural social work practice into the military setting; thirdly, to determine how
the existing social work programmes in the SANDF are meeting the needs of the
client system of diverse origin and culture; fourthly, to investigate the extent to which
the social worker gives attention to the different cultural backgrounds of the client
system; and fifthly, to explore the knowledge and practice skills needed by the social
work practitioner to render multi-cultural social work services in the military setting.
The study was confined to a purposive sample of 557 clients to assess their need for
multi-cultural social work services. They were representative of the unique diversity
in ethnic and cultural heritage, gender, and religious affiliations. The results were
analysed qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Structured interviews were
conducted with 16 key figures in social work management in order to assess how
existing social work programmes have been designed and are managed to meet the
requirements of multi-cultural social work. The results were also analysed
qualitatively and quantitatively. Furthermore, group interviews with a randomly
selected sample of 45 social work officers [production workersl, were conducted to
determine their knowledge and perceptions of and attitudes towards multi-cultural social work and to investigate the extent to which they were attentive to the cultural
backgrounds of clients when rendering social work services. These results were
again analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively.
The empirical study enabled the researcher to draw certain conclusions. From the
client system's responses it was obvious that social workers should be aware of the
client system's cultural, ethnic and/or religious background. Social work managers
on the other hand must be skilled in the management of a multi-cultural social work
personnel system. The processes used during strategic planning, which should
always be preceded by an environmental study, would have an effect on service
rendering within multi-cultural social work practice. Most social work programmes
have been adapted to suit the needs of a diverse client system. The research
results pointed out that the DSW's business plan should focus more on
developmental issues like HIV/AIDS. The majority of the social work managers
regarded their service rendering as being culturally competent. Although certain
misconceptions were evident, social work practitioners do understand the meaning
of a multi-cultural competent service rendering. Social work practitioners are not
clear whether their cultural, ethnic and/or language background has an influence on
their service rending. Concerning communication it was pointed out that
communication in a person's mother tongue is most effective during social work
intervention. Although all social work approaches are utilised by the practitioners,
their overall theoretical knowledge and skills application of these approaches are
questionable. In the light of these aspects confusion exists amongst the
respondents as to whether social work programmes are meeting the needs of a
multi-cultural client system.
A number of recommendations flow from the findings and conclusions. The DSW's
business plan should focus more on developmental social work aspects, and should
continuously stress the importance of having a diverse knowledge and skills base of
the most significant models and approaches. The social work delivery system
requires more theoretical knowledge and skills in the management and
implementation of a multi-culturally competent social work service, and should be
skilled in how to convert social work programmes into culturally competent programmes. The workers should further be competent at addressing problems
experienced within their own cultural/ethnic background, before engaging in any
social work intervention with a diverse client system. Social workers should further
be empowered regarding the role, function and implementation of social
development strategies within the daily service rendering and thus be guided to work
in a multi-cultural social work environment. In the broader sense, staff in each social
work office and/or section should identify the stumbling blocks that communication
has on their service delivery. Training programmes should be developed for
preparing or ongoing education of the social service delivery system regarding
cultural competence. Further research should be undertaken concerning factors
such as: decreasing stress experienced by social workers towards a diverse client
system; the effectiveness of social work programmes in reaching cultural
competence; and lastly, the effect of social work management on culturally
competent practice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die praktyk van multi-kulturele maatskaplike werk vereis dat die maatskaplike werker
oor spesifieke kennis en praktykvaardighede moet beskik ten einde 'n bevoegde
diens aan die kultureel-diverse kliëntsisteem te lewer. Die Suid-Afrikaanse
Nasionale Weermag (SANW) beskik tans oor geen definitiewe riglyne rakende
multi-kulturele maatskaplikewerk-dienslewering nie. Gevolglik is maatskaplike
werkers nie toegerus om 'n behoefte-gebaseerde, multi-kulturele diens aan die
kultureel-diverse kliëntsisteme te lewer nie.
Die doel van hierdie studie is om teoretiese en praktiese riglyne vir multi-kulturele
maatskaplike werk in die SANW daar te stel. Daar is gepoog om die
maatskaplikewerk-diensleweringsisteem bedag te maak op die variasies van kultuur
wat by kliënte tydens maatskaplikewerk-dienslewering teenwoordig is. Die doelwitte
van die studie is soos volg: eerstens, om die huidige profiel van die verbruikers van
maatskaplikewerk-dienste in die SANW weer te gee; tweedens, om te fokus op die
aard en funksie van militêre maatskaplike werk in die SANW, en die nut van
multi-kulturele maatskaplike werk binne die militêre omgewing te ondersoek;
derdens, om vas te stel of die huidige maatskaplikewerk-programme binne die
SANW wel aan die behoeftes van 'n kultureel-diverse kliëntsisteem voldoen;
vierdens, om die mate waarin die maatskaplike werker aandag skenk aan die
kulturele agtergronde van kliëntsisteme te ondersoek; en laastens om vas te stel
watter kennis en vaardighede maatskaplike werkers benodig ten einde 'n
multi-kulturele maatskaplikewerk-diens binne die weermag opset daar te stel.
Die studie het 'n doelbewuste steekproef van 557 kliënte ingesluit om die behoefte
aan multi-kulturele maatskaplikewerk-dienste vas te stel. Hulle was
verteenwoordigend van 'n verskeidenheid van etniese en kulturele agtergronde,
geslag asook godsdienstige affiliasies. Die resultate is beide kwalitatief en
kwantitatief ontleed. Gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer met 16 sleutel figure
wat deel vorm van maatskaplikewerk-bestuur ten einde vas te stel hoe huidige
maatskaplikewerk-programme ontwerp en bestuur word ten einde aan die vereistes
van multi-kulturele maatskaplike werk te voldoen. Hierdie resultate is ook kwalitatief en kwantitatief ontleed. Voorts is groepsonderhoude gevoer met 'n ewekansige
geselekteerde steekproef van 45 maatskaplikewerk-offisiere [produksie werkers] om
hulle kennis, en menings van en houdings teenoor multi-kulturele maatskaplike werk
vas te stel. Daar is verder bepaal in hoe 'n mate hulle wel sensitief is vir kliënte se
kulturele agtergronde tydens dienslewering. Hierdie resultate is ook kwalitatief en
kwantitatief ontleed.
Na aanleiding van die empiriese ondersoek is bepaalde gevolgtrekkiogs gemaak.
Die kliëntsisteem het aangedui dat dit belangrik is vir maatskaplike werkers om
bewus te wees van die kulturele, etniese en godsdienstige agtergronde van die
kliënte. Maatskaplikewerk-bestuurders moet vaardig wees in die bestuur van 'n
multi-kulturele maatskaplike werk personeel sisteem. Die proses wat tydens
strategiese beplanning gebruik word, en voorafgegaan word deur 'n
omgewingsontleding, sal wel 'n effek hê op dienslewering binne 'n multi-kulturele
maatskaplike werk. Maatskaplikewerk-progamme is wel aangepas om aan die
behoeftes van 'n kultureel-diverse kliëntsisteem te voldoen. Die navorsing het
aangedui dat die Direktoraat Maatskaplikewerk-dienste se besigheidsplan meer op
ontwikkelingsaspekte soos MIV/VIGS moet fokus. Die meerderheid
maatskaplikewerk-bestuurders beskou hul dienslewering as kultureel aanvaarbaar.
Ten spyte van sekere wanopvattings, verstaan maatskaplikewerk-praktisyns wel die
betekenis van multi-kultureel bevoegde dienslewering. Onduidelikheid bestaan
egter of hulle eie kulturele/etniese/taal agtergrond wel dienslewering kan beïnvloed.
Met betrekking tot kommunikasie is aangedui dat maatskaplikewerk-intervensie
meer effektief is indien dit in 'n persoon se moedertaal plaasvind. Alhoewel die
meeste maatskaplikewerk-benaderings wel deur die praktisyns benut word, word hul
teoretiese kennis en die toepassing daarvan, bevraagteken. In die lig van veral
hiervan is die respondente in die war of die maatskaplikewerk-programme wel aan
die behoeftes van die multi-kulturele kliënt sisteem voldoen.
Aanbevelings na aanleiding van die bevindinge sluit in dat die besigheidsplan van
die Direktoraat Maatskaplikewerk-dienste meer moet fokus op ontwikkelingsaspekte
en die noodsaaklikheid moet aandui dat 'n verskeidenheid kennis- en
vaardigheidsbasisse nodig is van toepaslike modelle en benaderings in die praktyk. Die maatskaplikewerk-diensleweringsisteem benodig meer teoretiese kennis en
vaardighede in die bestuur en implementering van In multi-kulturele bevoegde
maatskaplikewerk-diens, asook die vaardigheid om maatskaplikewerk-programme in
kultureel aanvaarbare programme om te skakel. Hulle moet verder ook oor die
vaardigheid beskik om probleme binne hul eie kulturele/etniese agtergrond effektief
te hanteer, alvorens enige maatskaplikewerk-intervensie met In kultureel-diverse
kliëntsisteem kan plaasvind. Maatskaplike werkers moet ook bemagtig wees met
betrekking tot die rol, funksie en implementering van maatskaplike
ontwikkelingsstrategieë binne die konteks van daaglikse dienslewering en dus
gehelp word om binne die multi-kulturele maatskaplikewerk-omgewing te werk.
Verder moet personeel in elke maatskaplikewerk-kantoor en/of -afdeling
kommunikasie stuikelblokke identifiseer wat dienslewering negatief kan beïnvloed.
Opleidingsprogramme moet ontwikkel word vir die voorbereiding en voordurende
onderrig van die maatskaplikewerk-diensleweringsisteem rakende kulturele
bevoegdheid. Voorts moet navorsing onderneem word oor die verligting van
spanning by maatskaplike werkers teenoor In kultureel-diverse kliëntsisteem; die
effektiwiteit van maatskaplikewerk-programme om kulturele bevoegdheid te bereik;
en die effek van maatskaplikewerk-bestuur op In kutureelbevoegde-praktyk.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53136 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Pretorius, Andre Johannes |
| Contributors | Green, S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 246 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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