An exploratory study of the experiences of people with disabilities in a social development programme

• Main Author: Koopman, Gadija
• Other Authors: Kruger, S. P.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: People with disabilities > Economic aspects > South Africa > Western Cape > Evaluation; People with disabilities > Services for > South Africa > Western Cape; Income maintenance programs > South Africa > Western Cape > Evaluation; Social work with people with disabilities > South Africa > Western Cape; Economic empowerment; Dissertations > Social work; Theses > Social work
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53263

Thesis (M Social Work)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Social workers are increasingly being encouraged to include the economic development of their clients in the intervention strategies they apply. As a result of this, social work programmes with income generating activities are becoming commonplace within the social work arena. People with disabilities have been identified as a group that should be targeted for support in income generating activities and small business initiatives. An exploratory study of the effect of a social work programme on the lives of people with disabilities was undertaken. A literature study was conducted on perspectives and intervention strategies that are applied in social work intervention with people with disabilities. This included the ecological and strengths perspectives of social work as it applies to people with disabilities. The empowerment approach was described as an intervention strategy to be applied by social workers working with people with disabilities. Disability in South Africa was explored by focussing on the disability rights movement as well as the policies and institutions that affect the lives of people with disabilities. Little research has been done to explore the effect of social work programmes with income generating activities on the lives of the people involved in them. Exploratory research was done in the Western Cape using the interview survey for data collection,. The experiences of people with disabilities, who are members of a social work income-generating programme, were explored. Information obtained during the interviews is presented in four categories, namely: demographic information of the respondents, the nature of the respondents' disabilities, respondents' involvement in the programme and their awareness of their rights as people with disabilities. The study revealed that although, income generating activities were the focus of the programme, respondents did not identify economic rewards as the main reason for remaining in the programme. Respondents identified emotional and social rewards as being of most value to them in their membership of the programme. It is therefore concludedthat social work programmes should include both income-generating activities as well as activities that will enhance the emotional and social development of people with disabilities. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Maatskaplike werkers word al hoe meer aangemoedig om die ekonomiese opheffing van hul kliënte in te sluit by die intervensie strategieë wat hul implementeer. Gevolglik word strategieë met inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite al hoe meer alledaags in die maatskaplike werk arena. Mense met gestremdhede is as 'n groep geïdentifiseer om ondersteuning in inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite en kleinsake inisiatiewe te ontvang. 'n Verkennende studie is onderneem om die effek van 'n maatskaplike werkprogram op die lewens van mense met gestremdhede te ondersoek. 'n Literatuurstudie is ook onderneem om die maatskaplike werk perspektiewe en intervensie strategieë wat van toepassing is op mense met gestremdhede, te beskryf. Dit het die maatskaplike werk ekologiese en sterkte perspektiewe ingesluit en ook hoe dit van toepassing is op mense met gestremdhede. Die bemagtigings benadering in maatskapike werk en die toepassing daarvan op mense met gestremdhede word ook beskryf. Gestremdheid in Suid-Afrika is verken deur te fokus op die gestremdheids regtebeweging, sowel as die beleid en instansies wat 'n effek het op die lewens van mense met gestremdhede. Min navorsing is tot dusver gedoen om die effek van maatskaplike werkprogramme met inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite op die lewens van mense met gestremdhede te verken. Verkennende navorsing is in die Wes-Kaap gedoen met behulp van onderhoude as 'n instrument vir data insameling. Die ervaringe van mense met gestremdhede, wie lede van 'n maatskaplike werk inkomstegenererende program is, is verken. Inligting wat ingewin is gedurende onderhoude word in vier kategorië aangebied, naamlik: demografiese inligting van respondente, die aard van respondente se gestremdhede, respondente se betrokkenheid by die program sowel as hulle bewustheid van hulle regte as gestremdes. In die studie is bevind dat alhoewel inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite die fokus van die program was, het respondente nie noodwendig die ekonomiese beloning as die hoof rede om in die program aan te bly, geïdentifiseer nie. Respondente het die emosionele en sosiale beloning geïdentifiseer as die aspek wat die meeste waarde vir hulle ingehou het. Die gevolgtrekking is dus dat maatskaplike werk programme beide inkomste-genererende aktiwiteite, sowel as aktiwiteite wat die emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling van gestremdes aanmoedig, moet insluit.