School of Social Sciences
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Item Item Exploring the perceptions of women have about breast cancer in Bolobedu, Limpopo(2016) Tivani, TsakaneBreast cancer is identified as one of the most serious disease women face all over the world. It has been described as having physical and emotional challenges for both women and their families (Henderson, 2011). The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions women have about breast cancer in Bolobedu Area, Limpopo. The study used a qualitative research approach. Since qualitative is concerned with meaning that participants attach to their life experience, the researcher used exploratory case studies. Using non-probability purposive sampling technique, the researcher interviewed ten participants and two key informants using two different semi-structured interview schedules. There was an interview schedule for participants and a different one for key-informants. During the face-to-face individual interviews, data was recorded with the participants consent and transcribed verbatim. The most important problem that emerged from thematic analysis of the discussion included lack of knowledge about breast cancer, symptoms and self-examination. It is important for social workers to understand all the components that might exist with different individuals in various contexts in order to empower them. This study is likely to contribute to knowledge and social work practice with appropriate breast cancer intervention, especially in the rural areas in South Africa. Keywords: breast cancer, women, rural areaItem Experiences of brain injured individuals post hospitalisation at Headway-Khomelela(2017) Mogashoa, ThomontleHeadway-Khomelela offers services to those individuals who have experienced traumatic brain injuries post hospitalisation. There was a need to add to the database of Headway about the experiences their clientele went through post hospitalisation. The primary aim of this research report was to understand the post hospitalisation experiences of those individuals who have a brain injury. This included their coping strategies which they had to learn in order to make life easier for themselves on a day to day basis and the employment challenges which they are experiencing. The theoretical lens which was used is the biopsychosocial model. The methodological framework for this qualitative investigation was an exploratory research design. Ten participants were selected by using purposive sampling from those individuals who receive services from Headway-Khomelela. The research instrument was used was an interview schedule and semi structured interviews was used to collect the data. The data was analysed via thematic analysis. This research report has a potential of adding information to the Headway-Khomelela database as the database currently has very limited experience regarding these clients’ experiences and difficulties in finding employment. It may also be of assistance to social workers with regard to understanding the challenges of the clientele of Headway-Khomelela post being hospitalised and perhaps aid interventions. The research study found that the participants valued the importance of rehabilitation and family role after the injury. This also included the physical challenges the participants experienced. The study was concluded that participants recommend rehabilitation as soon as a person is discharged from hospital and they should focus on recovery first. • Keywords: Headway, brain injury, family support, rehabilitation, therapists, home exercising, coping strategies, employment challenges.Item Exploring experiences of non-South Africa social work students in field work placement(2015) Mathenjwa, MthokozisiField education is an essential part of the curriculum for social work practice training. During field work, students develop practice skills, translate theory from lectures to the reality of practice, and test their aptitude to be professional social workers. Field practicums afford students the opportunity to attest their fitness to be qualified professional social workers. Placements present critical learning period for students. There has been limited attention in South Africa directed specifically to experiences of international students in the field work and this is what this study will focus on. This research will be qualitative in nature. A non-probability purposive sampling will be used to select study participants. Semi- structured interview schedules will be used to conduct in-depth individual interviews with eight (8) participants. For triangulation purposes, the researcher will also interview one social work field placement supervisor. Interviews will be audio- recorded, with participants consent and transcribed verbatim in combination with the previous literature review. This study hopes to contribute to debates on social work field work placements at South African universities at an undergraduate studies level. Key words: field work placements, international students, social workItem The Perceptions of Adolescent Males on their Involvement in Teenage Pregnancy Prevention in Kliptown(2016) Phawe, KelebogileThe rates of teenage pregnancy in South Africa remain high. Teenage pregnancy is a risk factor for disruption of education, future unemployment, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, preterm birth and poor mental health for teenagers. The aim of the research was to explore adolescent male partner’s knowledge attitudes and practices regarding contraception and their role in teenage pregnancy prevention. A qualitative research approach was used to understand the perception of adolescent males on their involvement in teenage pregnancy prevention in Kliptown. The population for the study included male teenagers at the Kliptown Youth Programme. A sample of 10 male teenagers aged 18 to 19 years was drawn from this population. The research study will be will qualitative research approach employing the phenomenological research design. A semi-structured interview schedule was employed as a research tool, with face-to-face interviews as the method of data collection. Data was analysed thematically by carefully identifying and expanding significant themes that emerged from the interviews. Teenage pregnancy was viewed as having negative consequences to teenagers’ present and future circumstances. Participants demonstrated level of awareness regarding pregnancy prevention methods due to information they receive from different sources. Participants communicated a desire to be involved in the decisions about pregnancy prevention including use of contraception and also acknowledged the role they can play. The results of this study indicate a dire need for young men involvement in pregnancy prevention programs. Services should be structured in such a way that they are both youth and male friendly. Key terms: Adolescent, Teenager, Contraception, Teenage pregnancy.Item A report on a study project presented to understanding of paternal involvement of African working class in their children’s lives(2016) Langa, Morongwa KaylaResearch and literature on fatherhood in Sothern Africa tends to focus more on the absence of fathers than the significant role and the involvement of fathers in the families and children’s lives. There is also a view in public discourse that African fathers are less likely to be involved in the lives of their children; usually this view does not take into account the historical factors that contributed to the removal of fathers from their families. There is evidence that there are fathers that are involved in their children’s lives despite the public discourse and historical factors. This study aims to understand the paternal involvement of African working class fathers in the lives of the children. This will be done by conducting one on one interview with the use of a semi-structured interview schedule as a research tool. The study will adopt a qualitative approach. The research design that will be used in the study will be the exploratory design; this is explore, understand and describe the topic of research. The participants to be interviewed are African fathers from working class background in Randfontein, Gauteng from the ages of 25-55. Furthermore content analysis will be used to analyse the data; this is finding patterns, themes and at the end understanding the involvement of the men (African working class men) in their children’s lives. The finding of the study is hoped to serve as an encouragement for men that are not in the lives of their children. As it may assist in the policy of child support grants for fathers that are not involved and serves as welfare relieve. Keyword: Working Class, paternal involvement, fathersItem Exploring the views of University of Witwatersrand university students on racial classification in application forms in the new South Africa(2016) Marumo, BenitaIn apartheid South Africa, racial classification was infused by the idealism. It was hierarchal, having white people at the topic and people of other races at the bottom of the hierarchy. Today racial classification is used in various polices and mainly for statistical purpose. This study took into account the information regarding the fact that racial classification was created and was used in the apartheid era as a way of dividing people in this country. The primary aim of this research study was to be able to look at why racial classification still exists as it is clearly a legacy of apartheid and to put its existence into question taking into account that this is the new era. The problem however with racial classification is that it tends to divide people into categorises based of which racial group they belong to rather than bringing them together. The research study adopted a qualitative research method. The study was exploratory as it looked at the proposed question in detail and the researcher searched for information from the participants. The people who took part in this study were the students of the Witwatersrand University and the reason for selecting them was due to the fact that they were raised when South Africa was independent. Due to this the opinions that they will offered were expected to be less subjective but more objective. A sample size of ten people was used for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. The interviews allowed for the use of open ended questions and here the respondents answered each of them in whichever way they wished to. The research tool that was used is interview schedules. Interviews were conducted face to face. This way the gathered information was organised and was easy to read. The research study will help with knowledge advancement in the field of Social Work about the proposed topic. This is significant because the Social Work profession puts people first and knowing their perceptions about a certain issues like this one that involves the social history of South Africa is relevant. Key words: Race, Apartheid, Racial classification, Racial categorisation and Classifying criterionItem Experiences of young women in managerial positions at an Insurance Company based in Johanesburg Central Buisness District(2016) Dikgole, SeshegeleIn South Africa, studies has shown that women are still discriminated when it comes to fulfilling their leadership roles, even though the country has developed laws and policies promoting equal rights for all. Thus the study seeks to understand the experiences that young women are facing in managerial positions. The purpose of this research study is to explore the experiences of young women between the ages of 25-45years in managerial positions at a well-known Insurance Company based in Johannesburg Central Business District. Based on a comprehensive research literature review, it is proven that women still face many challenges when taking on leadership roles in the corporate world. Women in South Africa have an important role to play in enhancing socio-economic growth so it is important to explore the challenges and opportunities they experience in the leadership positions. The research study has taken the qualitative research approach, namely a case study. Data was gathered by conducting personal, in-depth interviews with five women in managerial positions. The study has adopted the feminist theoretical framework, which argues that men and women should be given equal chances in all forms of life. The findings indicated that women are still underrepresented in managerial positions in which there are few numbers of women that hold the managerial positions. Furthermore with this few numbers, they face challenges engaging in the fields dominated by men. The young women’s leadership authority is undermined as they often not have the same share of voice with their male colleagues within boardrooms as they often look down at them. They also experience racist and sexist within their working environments in the form of stereotyping. Balancing work and home life was seen as a challenge for women in managerial positions. Keywords: Women’s experiences, Leadership, Feminism, Employment Equity ActItem Exploring the socio-emotional experiences of adults with cerebral palsy in a residential care facility in Johannesburg, South Africa(2017) Tsiane, DimphoThere has been much written on the biomedical concerns of cerebral palsy, yet there has been very little researched or reported on the socio-emotional aspects of cerebral palsy in a residential care facility. This study aimed to explore the socio-emotional experiences of adults with cerebral palsy in a residential care facility. The study made use of an exploratory qualitative design and employed semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 10 cerebral palsied adults. Some important findings that emerged from a thematic qualitative analysis of the data included being overwhelmed by the new environment; feelings of freedom, happiness and independence; support from various role players; age and communication challenges; and residents accepting circumstances and remaining positive. The main conclusion drawn from the study was that despite the challenges the residents faced, they were resilient enough to employ coping methods that assisted them through the process. Key words: cerebral palsy, socio-emotional, transitioning, residential care facilityItem The experiences of teenage mothers living in Katlehong, Mofokeng section : a retrospective study(2016) Malwa, KhutsoMost people consider teenage pregnancy as a disaster (Mpanza&Nzima, 2010). However this research study aims to question the above assumption through exploring the experiences of teenage mothers that live in Katlehong, in an area called Mofokeng Section. This study was able to retrospectively view teenage pregnancy from the perspective of those who were teenage mothers, and to explore their future aspirations. The research adopted a qualitative approach and an exploratory research design. Nine participants were selected by using purposive sampling. The individual semi- structured interviews were tape- recorded with the participant’s permission for the collection of data and to analyse the data. The tape recorded interviews were transcribed and emerging themes from the written material were identified. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study will contribute to the already existing research and knowledge on teenage pregnancy in the discipline but the difference is that the contexts will differ. Six out of the nine teenage mothers expressed having moments of regrets and having financial challenges after the child was born. All nine of the teenage mothers have expressed that they did not get any form of support from the community that they were part of instead they felt judged and unwanted. The majority of the teenage mothers have also expressed that family and friends have played a significant role pre and post pregnancy. It was also found that the mothers of the teenage mothers are the ones that helped them cope as teenage mothers therefore illustrating the importance of the teenage mothers’ mothers during and after their pregnancy. The themes that emerged from the study include teenage mothers’ experiences relating to the pregnancy; social support networks of teenage mothers; and future aspirations of teenage mothers. This study overall showed the strength and resilience of these teenage mothers as they continue to achieve their goals and provide for their children. Keywords: teenage mothers, experiences, teenage pregnancy