Browsing by Author "Mlauzi, Kate"

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Homelessness and Service Provision: a case Study of Johannesburg Organisation of Services to the Homeless (JOSH).
(2019) Mlauzi, Kate
Over the years Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been providing a variety of social services, ranging from improving the skills of homeless individuals to helping prevent homelessness. This paper shed light on the current efforts by the Johannesburg Organisation of Services to the Homeless (JOSH), a Non-Profit Company (NPC) providing services to homeless individuals in Randburg. The study aimed to bridge the knowledge gap that exists in understanding the experiences of CSOs in service provision by exploring JOSH’s experiences in providing services to homeless individuals. The study asked the following research question: What are the experiences of JOSH as a CSO in providing services to homeless individuals in the City of Johannesburg? And the following three sub-questions: What services are provided to homeless people by JOSH? What informs the approach taken for service provision by JOSH? How does JOSH understand their experiences of service provision? I adopted a qualitative methodology and administered 15 face to face semi-structured interviews with the Directors, volunteers, and the staff at JOSH. This approach presented the opportunity to listen to the ideas, experiences and stories of people engaged with social action at JOSH. I used participant observation to collect data. I found this valuable as it gave me an opportunity to participate and observe the settings at JOSH in a way that provided a nuanced understanding of the services provided at JOSH. Thinking critically about the parameters of my research, I used purposive sampling to select my interviews. I chose people who worked closely with JOSH, whose knowledge and experiences would enable me to answer my research question and sub-questions. The fight to end homelessness has brought a new strategic de-instutionalised model of community engagement that addresses issues of social justice through spaces of engagement. According to Cloke (2011) these new spaces of engagement that emerge are known as ‘rapprochement’. This concept is developed in the literature review. It provides a framework of how non-statutory agencies uses a post-secular approach to engage with the homeless population through community-based social action. Five major themes emerged from data analysis: (1) A snapshot of JOSH’s homeless services, (2) Defining JOSH’s homeless services (3) JOSH’s view on homelessness, (4) Approach taken by JOSH, (5) A culture of support at JOSH and (6) challenges faced by JOSH. The first theme describes the different types of services that are provided by JOSH. This study has revealed that JOSH offers food services, skills assessment as well as counselling services to persons experiencing homelessness. JOSH does this by using a social entrepreneurial model, which is an example of rapprochement. This social enterprise model allows JOSH to put agency, innovation and hope at the heart of their approach. This approach 5 has enabled JOSH to create a space that is a transformative form of hospitality and a leadership style that allows different stakeholders to develop and acquire a sense of agency. The second theme demonstrated the model JOSH has adopted to provide services to homeless individuals. The third theme described the different terms JOSH uses to conceptualise homelessness. The fourth theme illustrates that JOSH uses a case management and service integration system to identify individuals who are homeless. The fifth theme describes how Directors, volunteers, and the staff at JOSH support homeless individuals. The final theme describes the different challenges JOSH faces in providing services to homeless individuals. The findings of the study revealed that JOSH’s soup kitchen was more successful because food services were the most accessible and reliable service to homeless individuals. JOSH also indicated that there is a need for an overnight shelter which was currently not JOSH’s focus of service delivery. Recommendations are made based on the findings of the study.
Perspectives on Working for the Common Good and its Implications for Education and Training
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mlauzi, Kate; Ramsarup, Presha
The study aimed to explore the concept of working for the Common Good by providing a comprehensive understanding of the key notions and tenets associated with working for the Common Good. To achieve this, the study gathered insights from an extensive literature search and various actors across different backgrounds and contexts through a theory- landscaping review and semi-structured interviews. The study focused on four working for the Common Good, related frameworks: Doughnut Economics, Well-being Economy, Economics for the Common Good, and A Common Good Approach to Development. These frameworks offer perspectives in dealing with challenges such as inequality, poverty, and unemployment. While historical elements such as justice, equity, and holistic well-being persist, the frameworks also address emerging challenges such as environmental sustainability, community empowerment, and the need for systemic change. The theory landscaping review and the primary data from interviews revealed key perspectives on working for the Common Good, highlighting principles such as environmental stewardship, social justice, localised initiatives, the interplay between individual and common interests, volunteerism, perspectives beyond GDP, advocacy for structural changes, the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches, and interconnectedness in fostering the Common Good. The study found that these perspectives emphasised the importance of integrating environmental considerations into actions for the Common Good and addressing social, and economic concerns such as fair distribution of wealth and access to basic services. Further, it was revealed that education served as a catalyst by instilling values that enabled individuals to work for the Common Good and fostering a sense of responsibility for individuals to contribute meaningfully to society. The study therefore noted that education has transformative potential to promote the Common Good, by emphasising transformative praxis, reflexive learning, and participatory approaches in education through environmental initiatives and sustainability. Education presented a promising framework for fostering societal change towards more just, sustainable, and equitable systems. 3 Based on these findings the study makes recommendations for the method, practice and for theory development in the domain of working for the Common Good. It is recommended that broader research with diverse samples and empirical studies be done on the practical applicability and effectiveness of the identified frameworks in real-world contexts.