A transformation strategy for Protective Workshops : towards comprehensive services for adults with intellectual disability

• Main Author: Terreblanche, Susan Elizabeth
• Other Authors: Goliath, Charlyn
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2015
• Subjects: UCTD; People with mental disabilities > Services for > South Africa; Sheltered workshops > South Africa
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97037

Thesis (MOccTher)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African Protective Workshops struggle to transform to align to a developmental human rights approach and to increase sustainability in the absence of a uniform model and an implementation strategy. This study applied qualitative research methodology in the form of Action Research with Co-operative Inquiry to answer the research question of what could be a framework of best practice for and strategy of transformation for protective workshops (PWs) operated by the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) in South Africa. It included the development of a transformation strategy for 31 PWs for adults with intellectual disability operated by SAFMH member organisations across South Africa. Seven representatives from the managers and service users of PWs were selected trough convenient sampling. The participants formed a co-operative inquiry group to determine the nature of the service to be delivered and how it should be implemented. The purpose was to develop a framework for possible and relevant services for persons with intellectual disability. Such services should preferably be aligned to the human rights based legislation and funding requirements of the Department of Social Development as to increase the long-term sustainability of the PWs. Given that the study was funded by the SAFMH, the directors requested that the Co-operative Inquiry Group use the exisisting best practice model used by Cape Mental Health as a template and point of departure. The study was done over a 12-month period (February 2012 – February 2013) and included a research initiation meeting, four search conferences and a presentation of the findings to the SAFMH Directors. The study contributed new knowledge on the nature of service provision to persons with ID and the ideal process to transform services within the SAFMH context. Through inductive content analysis two themes emerged namely: 1) Comprehensive service provision and 2) Coordinated transformation of services. The first theme determined that comprehensive services to persons with ID should consist of inclusive, appropriate, enabling and empowering services. The second theme suggested a new way of coordinating the transformation of services through systematic implementation, suitable regulation, sufficient capacity and ensuring sustainability. A central management structure was suggested to ensure coordinated implementation, to secure funding and to monitor and evaluate the implementation. A mind-shift towards new thinking was identified as a prerequisite for stakeholders buy-in on transformed service delivery. This mind-shift relates to the status of the service users with ID as adults in training towards employment in the open labour market and maximum integration into society. This study contributed new knowledge that informs the development of a new service delivery framework of best practice. The proposed implementation strategy could offer persons with ID the opportunity to progress and develop towards their maximal level of integration into society. It further provided PWs with possibilities for conceptualising different models of practice in the form of an implementable framework and a strategy to transform services. The findings were presented to the SAFMH Directors who adopted the concept framework and implementaimplementation strategy in theory as a proposal for future transformation without amendments. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaanse Beskermde Werkswinkels vind dit moeilik om te transformeer na ‘n ontwikkelingsbenadering wat op menseregte gegrond is en om hul volhoubaarheid te verbeter in die afwesigheid van ‘n eenvorminge model en ‘n strategie vir implimentering. Hierdie studie het kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes in die vorm van Aksie Navorsing met Koöperatiewe Ondersoeke gebruik om ’n transformasie strategie vir die 31 Beskermde Werkswinkels vir volwassenes met intellektuele gestremdheid, wat bestuur word deur die lidorganisasies van die South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) regoor Suid-Afrika. Die koöperatiewe ondersoekspan het bestaan uit verteenwoordigers van die werkswinkel bestuurders en gebruikers van die dienste wat geselekteer is deur middel van gerieflikheidsteekproefneming. Hulle ondervinding het meegewerk om vas te stel wat die aard van die dienste moet wees en hoe dit effektief geïmplementeer kon word. Die doel van die studie was om dienste daar te stel vir persone met intellektuele gestremdheid wat in lyn is met menseregte wetgewing en die riglyne vir befondsing deur die Departement van Maatskaplike Dienste om sodoende die langtermyn volhoubaarheid van die werkswinkels te verbeter. Omdat die studie deur SAFMH befonds is, het die direkteur die koöperatiewe ondersoekspan gevra om die Cape Mental Health model as ’n beginpunt te gebruik aangesien dit reeds as ’n beste praktyk model in die sektor erken word. Die studie is oor ’n periode van 12 maande uitgevoer (Februarie 2012 – Februarie 2013). Dit het ’n inisiasie vergadering, 4 ondersoek konferensies en ’n aanbieding van die bevindinge aan die SAFMH-direkteure ingesluit. Die eerste tema het nuwe insig gegee oor die aard van dienste aan persone met intellektuele gestremdheid en die ideale manier om dit te implementeer om te transformeer van huidige na beste praktyk status binne die SAFMH konteks. Deur induktiewe inhoud analise het twee temas na vore gekom vanuit die kodes, sub-kategorieë en kategorieë. Die eerste tema het gedui op omvattende dienste aan persone met intellektuele gestremdheid in die vorm van inklusiewe dienste, toepaslike dienste, dienste wat persone in staat stel en dienste wat hulle bemagtig. Die tweede tema het nuwe kennis opgelewer aangaande die gekoördineerde transformasie van dienste deur sistematiese implementering, toepaslike regulering, genoegsame kapasiteit en deur te verseker dat dit volhoubaar is op die lang duur. ’n Sentrale bestuursentrum is voorgestel om gekoördineerde implementering te verseker. ’n Nuwe denkwyse oor die status van volwassenes met intellektuele gestremdheid deur alle belanghebbendes is geïdentifiseer as ’n voorvereiste vir die aanvaarding en suksesvolle implementering van die transformasie strategie. Hierdie persone moet gesien word as volwassenes wat in opleiding is om in die ope arbeidsmark te werk en op die hoogste vlak van integrasie in hulle gemeenskappe te funksioneer. Die nuwe kennis het gelei tot die ontwikkeling van ’n nuwe diensleweringsraamwerk en implementeringstrategie wat persone met intellektuele gestremdheid die geleentheid kan gee om maksimaal te ontwikkel en te integreer in hulle gemeenskappe. Dit bied verder aan beskermde werkswinkels die geleentheid om alternatiewe modelle van dienslewering te oorweeg. Die bevindinge is aan die SAFMH-direkteure voorgelê en die raamwerk en strategie vir implementering is in teorie aanvaar sonder enige veranderinge.