Browsing by Author "Chapman, Sarah"

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    A needs assessment for a “gender and disability in practice” programme in Lesotho
    (2022) Mychalewicz, Edith; Chapman, Sarah
    Background: This study focuses on a Gender and Disability programme. It is being implemented in Lesotho by an Austrian NGO, Diakonie ACT Austria, and the Basotho umbrella organisation of Disabled People's Organisations (DPO). All four DPOs in Lesotho are members of the umbrella body Lesotho National Federation of Organisations of the Disabled (LNFOD) and are supported through capacity building interventions by LNFOD and the Austrian NGO. Objectives: This evaluation explores the capacity building needs of LNFOD and its member DPOs. Moreover, this needs assessments sheds light on the extent to which the Gender and Disability programme is addressing the capacity building needs of LNFOD and the DPOs and the plausibility of the programme theory. Method: A generic qualitative inquiry approach was used as methodological framework. Different qualitative evaluative approaches influenced the research design such as the success case method and the fishbone root cause analysis to identify the performance needs of beneficiaries. Data collection approaches were a stakeholder workshop conducted with staff of Diakonie and LNFOD, and ten semi-structured interviews with staff of all four DPOs and LNFOD. Results: A root cause analysis of the performance needs of DPOs revealed the marginalisation of persons with disabilities (PwD) and DPOs in Lesotho. This was found to lead to a lack of tertiary education of staff and weak governance structures of DPOs. The performance needs of DPOs are “responsiveness to needs of PwD” and “to run their DPOs independently”. Conclusion: The low rate of tertiary education among PwD in Lesotho is an obstacle to establishing strong DPOs that can implement effective programmes independently. It is crucial to strengthen the leadership and M&E capacities of DPOs to assist them to grow and implement effective Gender and Disability programmes. I recommend strengthening the capacities of promising leaders at DPOs, employ a M&E Officer at LNFOD and consider a diverse team of PwD and persons without disabilities at the DPOs and at Diakonie.
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    A needs assessment for an intervention on supporting breastfeeding at work in a Cape Town clothing factory
    (2021) Heyns, Hilde; Chapman, Sarah
    The University of Cape Town (UCT), in collaboration with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and Middlesex University, London, has been requested by the SACTWU Worker Health Programme to design, implement and evaluate an intervention on workplace breastfeeding support for the clothing and textile industry. This study will form part of the bigger project and the results will be utilised in the planning and designing of an intervention on workplace breastfeeding support. Returning to formal employment has been identified as one of the leading barriers to exclusive and continued breastfeeding, especially among women working in low-income jobs. Women working in low-income, low skilled jobs are often easily replaceable and have little bargaining power to request their breastfeeding rights. South Africa's clothing industry employs mostly black women, who hold low-income positions. Clothing factories tend to have rigid working conditions, which could make it difficult for mothers to continue with breastfeeding once they return to work. Few studies have been conducted of breastfeeding support in the workplace in South Africa and no studies were found of breastfeeding support in clothing factories in South Africa. There is a need for more studies to be conducted in workplaces in South Africa, especially in the clothing industry. International studies have found that workplace breastfeeding support interventions can contribute to increased breastfeeding prevalence rates in factories. To increase the rates of breastfeeding in clothing factories, a workplace breastfeeding support programme would need to be developed and implemented. Before designing an intervention, it is important to first conduct a needs assessment to determine whether there is a need for an intervention on workplace support for breastfeeding in the clothing and textile industry. The purpose of the needs assessment in this study was to determine whether there was a need for an intervention on workplace support for breastfeeding in the clothing and textile industry, and if so, what the nature and extent of the need was and the programme activities that were most suitable to address the need. A convergent parallel research design was adopted, which is also known as a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data was collected through a semi-structured survey that was administered to the employees at the factory. In addition, qualitative data was collected through interviews conducted with employees (mothers) and supervisors at the factory. There were various barriers in the factory that made it difficult for women to express breast milk at work, including a lack of time to express, a lack of proper breastfeeding facilities, a lack of information about mothers' breastfeeding and a lack of support from factory management, supervisors and co-workers. There was also a lack of awareness of the law regarding breastfeeding and there was no breastfeeding policy in place. The study found that there was a need for increased support to breastfeeding mothers in the factory, including the support from factory management, supervisors and co-workers, the provision of adequate breastfeeding facilities and breaks and the provision of information about mothers' breastfeeding to all employees. It is also important to develop a breastfeeding policy in the factory which provides clear guidelines on how to support breastfeeding women. According to the findings of the needs assessment, there is a need to design and implement an intervention on workplace support for breastfeeding, to enable women working in a clothing factory to continue breastfeeding when they return to work. The last chapter will include recommendations for the SACTWU Worker Health Programme to design and implement an intervention on workplace breastfeeding support for the clothing and textile industry. Although this study focused only on a single large factory, the basic principles can still be applied and adapted to other clothing factories.
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    A programme design, theory and implementation evaluation of the Khanyisa Programme
    (2019) Guattari-Stafford, Thomas; Chapman, Sarah
    This study is a formative evaluation of a youth development programme which places volunteers as 'reading buddies’ in grade 2 classes in schools in the Western Cape. The study assesses the implementation of the school placement component of the programme - comparing the actual and intended implementation, as well as describing the volunteers’ experience thereof. The evaluation uses a mixed methods approach, combining surveys with volunteers and teachers with an electronic volunteer diary and volunteer focus group. Additionally, the evaluation establishes a common understanding of the programme logic (through a comparison of four stakeholder perspectives) and assesses the plausibility of the programme achieving its intended impact considering the available literature. The study includes surveys programme volunteers (n = 23) and school teachers (n = 30), interviews with programme staff (n = 4) and focus groups with programme staff and volunteers (n = 16). Ethical clearance for the study was obtained through the University of Cape Town’s Commerce Faculty Ethics in Research Committee. The evaluation findings indicate that the school component is being implemented as intended. However, volunteers raised concerns of unproductive time spent at schools, a perceived lack of respect from learners and tensions with school staff - especially after incidents where corporal punishment was reported. These findings suggest the need for an improved monitoring system to facilitate real-time responses to challenges experienced by the volunteers, as well as a form of mediation between volunteers and school staff when tensions occur. Regarding the plausibility of the programme logic, the evaluation finds a lack of evidence to suggest the programme’s intended impact is likely to be achieved. As such, revisions to the programme design are suggested.
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    An Assessment of Parents' Book-sharing Quality, Children's Level of Engagement, and the Effects on Children's Verbal Exchanges
    (2023) Kaleebu, Nasiib; Chapman, Sarah
    A process evaluation study was conducted for the Book-sharing for Families Programme, implemented by Living Hope in South Africa. Living Hope is a faith-based organisation that was established in the year 2000 with a vision of reaching people for Christ, bringing hope, and breaking the despair of poverty and disease. The Book-sharing for Families Programme aimsto strengthen capacity of parents and caregivers to foster positive relationships and provide enriching environment for their children that enable them grow and develop pre-literacy skills (including language development, concentration development, and book handling skills) that are needed for children to be ready to acquire reading when they go to school. The programme targets parents of low socioeconomic status and children aged 30 to 60 months, and it is implemented using a seven-week curriculum. The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the extent to which the programme achieved its short-term outcomes (effect on children's verbal exchange) and to gain a deeper understanding of how well the programme was implemented. Children's verbal exchange was assessed before and after the end of the programme using the Naturalistic Assessment of Verbal Exchanges tool, and the children's level of orientation to book-sharing was assessed using the Children Orientation to Booksharing (COB) rating scale. This was supplemented by data collected through interviews with the programme participants. Whereas the findings of the evaluation revealed that the programme did not have a statistically significant affect on children's verbal exchange, the programme had positive effects on the participants. The book-sharing interactions deepened children's orientation to shared reading, which according to the literature reviewed impacts on other child's development domains, including language and vocabulary acquisition. This study developed a logic model to guide the development and evaluation of similar programmes. The study introduced COB as a new tool which Living Hope had not previously used to supplement the existing tools and assist in examining the level of children's interest, engagement, and attention to book-sharing activities
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    An Evaluation of the Effect of the Fynbos for the Future Programme on Learners Environmental Attitudes at Three Schools in the Western Cape
    (2021) Burgmer, Nicole; Chapman, Sarah
    This paper explores the influence of Greenpop's “Fynbos for the Future” Environmental Education (EE) programme on learner's knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards the environment. Although there is vast research on environmental importance and EE programmes specifically, there is very little within the context of South African learners from lower socio-economic areas. Therefore, programme characteristics associated with the most beneficial personal and environmental outcomes are investigated. This study utilised mixed methods and various measures to explore the effect of EE on learners between the ages of 9 and 13, from three schools in the Western Cape. The primary conclusions of the study were that environmental education programmes within this context elicit promising results, such as increased positive attitudes towards and greater awareness of the importance of the environment. However, to facilitate this result, various factors needed to be considered, including consistency, contexts and traditional knowledge systems. This paper further examined the complexity of EE and how various organisations can help play a role in shaping environmental futures - in South Africa and globally. Various recommendations are discussed, some of which include ensuring a greater emphasis on understanding environmental literacy and understandings within specific contexts, as well as putting a greater emphasis on the importance of the influence of teachers on the outcomes. Ultimately, EE programmes play an invaluable role in shaping the future of environmental sustainability and human well-being.
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    An evaluation of the Qhubeka! Youth Development programme: Using a generic qualitative approach
    (2022) Majola, Sibahle; Chapman, Sarah
    The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme is the first programme launched by the NonProfit Company (NPC), Just Grace, in 2012. The organisation is implementing five community programmes: (1) School strengthening; (2) Community development; (3) Business support; Community projects; and (5) Youth development programme in the Langa township, Cape Town, South Africa. The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme is not a typical Positive Youth Development programme (PYD). It offers academic support that is not typical of PYD's. They tend to focus on cultivating proficiencies and other life skills and therefore can be fitted in with After-School Programmes (ASP), which focuses on cultivating learning outcomes. The overall goal of the youth development programme is to enable under-resourced youth to escape the cycle of poverty and equip them to become meaningfully involved in society through further education and employment. The programme aims to develop technical and soft skills in high school learners by focusing on study assistance and psychosocial support. The Qhubeka! Programme provides comprehensive material and guidance over four years. Activities of the programme include (1) academic support; (2) computer training; (3) coding and programming; (4) book club; (5) life skills; (6) career guidance; (7) holiday programme; and (8) psychosocial support. The objective of the evaluation was to assess the performance of the programme in reaching its short-term outcomes and the quality of service delivery. I used primary and secondary data to conduct the evaluation. I collected primary data through semi structured one-on-one interviews with the Qhubeka! Programme learners and programme facilitators. Secondary data, I obtained through the review of the programme documents. I used a thematic inductive content analysis to analyse data. The findings on the evaluation of short term outcomes indicate that the programme achieved its desired short-term outcomes and that the programme was implemented with quality. This was the first evaluation of the Qhubeka! programme and provides programme staff with feedback on how well the programme is reaching its intended outcomes and being implemented with quality, which could guide them in making counteractive changes to improve delivery and impact. This study further contributes to the body of knowledge and evaluations of PYD programmes that incorporate academic support in the South African context of PYD programme.
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    An Impact Evaluation of the Chrysalis Academy Programme focusing on the contribution of its Outdoor Component
    (2019) Mkandawire, Sandra; Chapman, Sarah
    This evaluation is an impact evaluation of the Chrysalis Academy (CA) Programme. The CA programme is geared to help youth in the Western Cape develop the skills and resilience needed to transcend the prevailing poverty, inequality, unemployment and crime in their communities. Chrysalis offers a 3-month residential and 5 year After-Care programme for NEET youth aged 18-25 that includes life and vocational skills training as well as counselling and community service. The programme also includes a 2-week outdoor/wilderness component that is deemed crucial to the success of the programme. The evaluation sought to respond to two overarching groups of questions. The first group of questions assessed the long-term impact of the programme with regards to education, employment, crime, drugs as well as family and community relationships. Considering that the outdoor component is regarded as the most crucial component of the programme, the second group of evaluation questions was geared to understand the causal mechanism of the CA outdoor component to assess whether it is consistent with the logic model of successful outdoor programmes and to understand the outcomes that can be expected from this phase. A quasi-experimental impact evaluation design was used to respond to the impact evaluation questions. A database of 14,614 past applicants from the Western Cape formed the basis of a sampling frame from which a random sample of 300 past applicants who received the programme and those not selected into the programme between 2014 and 2016 was drawn. Face-to-face interviews were scheduled with 35 contacted programme recipients and 35 contacted non-selected applicants and interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire. A final sample of 32 programme applicants and 33 non-selected applicants was analyzed. Differences in the average outcome attainment between past participants versus non-participants were then assessed after Propensity Score Weighting was used to balance the treatment and control group on key variables related to the probability of being selected into the programme. To assess the causal mechanism of the outdoor component, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with some success and non-success case graduates of the CA programme to assess their experience of the outdoor component and the outcomes that presented as a result. The findings of the evaluation show that the CA programme does not have long-term impact as those who did not receive the programme also attained similar positive outcomes. However, there is a possibility of short-term outcomes attainment from the outdoor component as its causal mechanism is similar to that of successful outdoor programmes. Moreover, participants, regardless of their long-term outcomes, are able to achieve the short-term outcomes expected from the outdoor component. Based on the results, CA should assess how the effect of the outdoor component and possibly other phases of the programme, can be sustained for long periods, possibly by intensifying the After-Care programme. CA should also assess the assumptions around outcomes attainment such as labor market favorability and financial sufficiency and assess how these can be addressed within the scope of the programme.
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    An implementation and outcome evaluation of the Parent Centre's Teen Parenting Programme
    (2024) Masvosvere, Tulile; Chapman, Sarah
    Teenage pregnancy and the impact of the HIV epidemic are significant factors leading to adolescents assuming parental responsibilities for children, siblings, or relatives. South African society exhibits diverse family structures and caregiver relationships, extending beyond biological parents to include non-biological caregivers. This study evaluated the Parent Centre's Teen Parenting Programme, a parenting and life skills initiative facilitated by a dedicated team in Nyanga, Gugulethu, and Khayelitsha schools and communities. The programme caters to teenagers with parental responsibilities, encompassing both biological parents and caregivers for younger siblings. Participants voluntarily attended 23 weekly group sessions. The study assessed the programme's implementation, with participants expressing satisfaction with the facilitators' teaching methods and the nurturing atmosphere they fostered. Participants reported positive changes in parenting practices, self-esteem, confidence, and competence, leading to improved parent-child relationships and more effective communication. The study employed a Qualitative Exploratory-Descriptive (QED) research design, guided by a generic qualitative inquiry (GQI) framework to examine practical outcomes and programme implementation. Limitations in causal inference and potential bias due to purposive sampling were acknowledged. Nonetheless, the evaluation provided valuable insights into the strengths of the programme and areas for improvement, contributing to the understanding of teen parenting support programmes.
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    An implementation evaluation of light for the world´s inclusive education programme in Ethiopia
    (2021) Muellegger, Birgit; Chapman, Sarah
    Inclusive education programmes aim to include children with disabilities in mainstream schools by providing quality education in a barrier-free environment. These programmes are especially necessary in developing countries, where about one-third of all children have some sort of disability. Sustainable Development Goal 4 of education for all cannot be reached when these children are left out from schooling. The following dissertation presents the findings of an implementation evaluation of an inclusive education programme in Ethiopia. The programme, One Class for All (OCFA), is financed by Light for the World, an international non-government organization (NGO), and implemented by 14 Ethiopian partner organisations. A descriptive evaluation design combining qualitative and quantitative elements was used to examine typical Light for the World programmes as delivered by partners and as they appear on the ground. The data collection mainly involved interviews of partners and participants at selected schools in Ethiopia and a survey of all implementing partners. The evaluation indicated that the composition of implementing partners and their capacity in terms of content knowledge and collaborations are working well. We nevertheless highlight some high-level opportunities to improve the inclusive education programme of Light for the World. More structured development plans for each school are required, and a better connection between Light for the World`s community-based-rehabilitation (CBR) programmes and its inclusive education programmes is necessary to support entry to school for persons with disabilities. Under these overall findings, a more structured teacher training programme, better selection of teachers, and better local networking and targeted awareness raising programmes are also needed. This evaluation contributes to the limited literature on successful inclusive education programmes in developing countries.
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    An outcome evaluation of the Home-School partnership programme
    (2018) Muzire, Mufudzi; Chapman, Sarah; Boodhoo, Adiilah
    This is an outcomes evaluation of the Home-School Partnership (HSP) programme, implemented by Wordworks, an organisation based in the Western Cape Province. The programme aims to improve language and literacy for the children between four and eight years of age. To achieve this, the programme seeks to integrate parents in the process of child learning at home. The programme sensitise parents and make them realise their important role in child development. South Africa’s averages of numeracy and literacy test scores range from 30% to 35% as presented in Annual National Assessments (2011) for Grade one to six. The low language and literacy performance in South Africa is one problem that calls for action from different stakeholders. The implementing organisation train teachers to become facilitators. The facilitators will then cascade the training to parents with children aged four to eight years. This evaluation focused on addressing three evaluation questions: 1. How do teachers (facilitators) perceive the programme to have impacted on students’ literacy learning and achievement in and out of school, in terms of participation, confidence and self-esteem? 2. To what extent has the Home-School Partnership programme managed to change parents’ attitude towards child learning and improved their involvement in child learning at home? 3. What early indications are there to suggest that the Home-School Partnership programme will be sustainable after Wordworks has fully withdrawn its support? In this evaluation, a descriptive design was used. The design employed a quantitative approach to address question one as secondary data from 90 feedback reports by teachers were analysed using Microsoft excel. The data to answer the second evaluation question was gathered through interviews with six teachers and six school management members. Data from three focus group discussions with parents was used to address evaluation question three. In analysing the data, thematic analysis was used which involved the processes of open coding in generation of themes. The results of the study revealed a positive improvement of learners’ performance on various indicators that are related to child language and literacy development. Ninety percent of the 90 sampled learners showed a positive change in at least one of the several academic assessment areas. That is, 46% of learners showed some notable improvements in writing, 32% in drawing, 31% in reading and about 30% showed some improvement in vocabulary. However, these results should be interpreted with some degree of caution as the analysis was based on subjective teachers’ perceptions. Regardless of the drawbacks of the design and data collection methods, there is a growing amount of evidence from other studies to validate the findings of this study. There were some positive changes noted in parents particularly their attitude towards child learning. Parents are now more involved in child learning and have gained some important skills to support child development. However, the results need to be taken with caution as they are based on subjective perceptions of parents. There was always an increase in the number of parents who enrolled for the programme each year and more interestingly, men started enrolling for the programme in the last two years. In 2016, a total of 42 men were trained and in 2017, a total of 86 men were trained under HSP. This provides some evidence of the ability of the HSP programme to change parents’ attitude towards child learning. The HSP programme shows some signs of sustainability particularly around environmental support and organisational domains. In this regard, results of the study revealed that the HSP programme has managed to garner support from its operational environment. The programme is particularly applauded by teachers, school leadership and parents, and their appreciation is one of the indicators of sustainability. Under organisational support, the study revealed that the teachers and parents are satisfied with the timely support they are receiving from Wordworks. However, there are some gaps around programme evaluation and funding stability domains. All the schools are still fully receiving financial support from Wordworks to facilitate the HSP programme. Based on the study findings it is prudent that Wordworks prepares schools for continuity in the event that their support is withdrawn and a more robust monitoring and evaluation system needs to be put in place. It is recommended that the programme documents more success stories to showcase its relevance.
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    A comparative study of an NGO-sponsored CHW programme versus a ministry of health sponsored CHW programme in rural Kenya: a process evaluation
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2014) Aridi, Jackline; Chapman, Sarah; Wagah, Margaret; Negin, Joel
    The varied performance of Community Health Worker (CHW) programmes in different contexts has highlighted the need for implementation of research that focuses on programme delivery issues. This paper presents the results of process evaluations conducted on two different models of CHW programme delivery in adjacent rural communities in in Gem District of Western Kenya. One model was implemented by the Millennium Villages Project (MVP), and the other model was implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH) as part of Kenya's National CHW programme.
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    Evaluating the legal protection system for survivors of intimate partner violence using the Normalisation Process Theory: A Case study of MOSAIC
    (2023) Symonds, Jade; Chapman, Sarah
    Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most prevalent form of violence against women, both worldwide and in South Africa. Many studies have positioned South Africa as having one of the highest rates of both IPV prevalence and femicide. Correspondingly, intimate partners are responsible for most femicides in South Africa. Despite being recognised globally as a criminal act, violence against women continues to threaten women's lives and violate their human rights. The South African Domestic Violence Act 1998 (DVA) protects against future acts of violence through the process of Protection Order (PO) application in Domestic Violence courts. Yet, The United Nations Women's Rights Committee (UN, 2021) found that frequent failures by the police to serve and enforce POs and low levels of prosecution and conviction in IPV cases in South Africa expose survivors to repeated abuses and results in the violation of South African women's fundamental rights. Although South African laws and policies on violence against women are considered comprehensive and comparative to international standards, increasingly high levels of IPV, reveal a wide rift between lived experiences of women in South Africa and the legislation in place. Despite this, there appear to be no recent studies that address barriers within programmatic implementation from the perspectives of IPV survivors. To add to this, it is widely acknowledged that IPV is multifaceted by nature and deeply entrenched in social norms. Thus, programmatic reponses must be pragmatic, dynamic and holistic to increase the chance of improvements at both individual and systemic levels. This dissertation, therefore, presents a process evaluation of the MOSAIC Access to Justice programme, a legal programme targeted at survivors of domestic violence. The focus is on the implementation of the legal processes in PO application for survivors of IPV and the key players and contextual factors applicable to this process. Accordingly, the focus is also placed on the possible barriers and facilitators to the PO process. MOSAIC is an NGO that operates across South Africa and seeks to provide holistic care to IPV survivors. The Access to Justice programme is one of several programmes implemented by MOSAIC. For the purposes of this dissertation, the evaluation will focus on the legal processes in the Wynberg and Khayelitsha courts. These are both located in low-income areas surrounding Cape Town
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    An evaluation of a high school preparatory programme
    (2016) Du Plessis, Heléne; Chapman, Sarah
    This dissertation reports a process and outcome evaluation of an anonymised organisation's preparatory programme. The preparatory programme is an out-of-school time (OST) programme that aims to prepare the students that are selected for the scholarship programme, for high school. The programme has been implemented since 2008 and this dissertation will focus on the cohorts which received the programme in 2014 and 2015. The preparatory programme was investigated in terms of its plausibility and a theory of change was developed in consultation with the programme co-ordinator. Three questions related to the programme's process were posed. These questions related to whether the programme had been implemented as intended, whether the CAT instrument that the programme was using was a useful tool for informing selection, and which aspects of the programme the participants found most and least helpful. Five questions regarding outcomes were posed that enquired whether students who had received the programme improved their mathematics and English performance, their cognitive reasoning ability, and their self-efficacy; and whether students in each of the teaching streams had benefitted equally from the intervention. The evaluation used secondary data collected throughout 2015 and included student' term 2 and term 4 report cards, their performance on internal programme assessments, CAT scores, SEQ-C results, a focus group with the teachers who taught on the 2014 iteration of the programme, and interviews with the programme co-coordinator and students that had received the programme. Data analysis methods included the use of descriptive statistics, as well as parametric and non-parametric statistical tests for quantitative data. IBM Statistics 22 was used for the analysis of quantitative data and QSR NV ivo 10 was used for qualitative data. The results revealed that several minor changes were made to the planned structure of the programme in order to maintain the quality of the intervention. Students found the mathematics and English components of the programme useful, although how well they retained and applied the content from the programme varied. Students did not find the creative writing workshops or the study skills workshop particularly useful. The CAT instrument could potentially be a useful tool for informing selection, although it is not currently being used to its full potential. Students' mathematics aggregate s improved significantly, while English aggregates did not. There was no significant change in internal assessment scores for both mathematics and English. Students in the mid-stream appeared to benefit most from the preparatory programme. There was a significant improvement in student CAT scores, as well as on each of the CAT subscales (quantitative, verbal, and non-verbal). There was a significant increase in social self-efficacy scores and a significant decrease in academic self-efficacy scores. Total self-efficacy scores and emotional self-efficacy scores did not change significantly between the pre-and post-test. However, none of these observed effects could be attributed directly to participation in the preparatory programme due to the lack of a comparison group. It is possible that changes between repeated measures on participants were due to maturation effects, regression to the mean, or another historical event which influenced the outcomes of the programme participants.
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    A formative and outcome evaluation of a community based antiretroviral therapy adherence programme : the case of Sizophila, Cape Town, South Africa
    (2015) Mubekapi, Constance; Chapman, Sarah; Bekker, Linda-Gail
    This dissertation is informed by a formative and outcome evaluation of the Sizophila programme, a community based antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme. The programme is administered by the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, a non-profit organization. The aim of the programme is to enhance ART health outcomes and promote individual wellbeing among people accessing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) related services in the Hannan-Crusaid Centre. The goal of the evaluation was to assess the Sizophila programme implementation and to determine the impact of the home visit intervention on the medium-term outcomes of HIV viral load suppression and loss to follow-up. The evaluation was primarily for the programme staff. An implicit Sizophila programme theory was explicated from the programme staff and the evaluator reviewed relevant programme documentation to formulate an explicit programme theory. To assess the plausibility of this theory, social science perspectives based on reviews of empirical evidence of previous research were solicited. The initial Sizophila programme theory was simplistic in assuming a simple cause-effect relationship. The final programme theory recognised that programme interventions function through certain moderators and mediators that can either strengthen or weaken the intervention-outcome effect.
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    Formative evaluation of Helderberg Association for persons with disabilities
    (2018) Bothma, Zani; Chapman, Sarah; Boodhoo, Adiilah
    Purpose The peer support programme as run by Helderberg Association for Persons with Disabilities (HAPD) uses people who have disabilities to support people with disabilities in their own community. The purpose of this formative evaluation is to explore the roles and responsibilities of peer supporters and the needs in the community. This evaluation would help HAPD explore which areas of the peer support programme could be improved. The evaluation explored the relationship between addressable and non-addressable needs, the types of disabilities and the needs identified of the people with disabilities. Exploring these relationships would allow HAPD to understand which needs they are more likely to address and which areas they could improve their support in. Problem In South Africa, community-based rehabilitation has been evaluated but there are no evaluations that focus on the roles and responsibilities of peer supporters and the relationship between the needs that are addressed. HAPD employs and assists in the training of local people with disabilities to support people within their own community, drawing from the resources already in the community. If the peer supporters’ roles and responsibilities are not well-defined to address the needs of the community, the programme would fail. The needs of the community need to be identified to understand the community and possibly addressed the needs by providing emotional support, information, and referring cases to other service providers in the community. The evaluation explores the types of disabilities identified, the needs of the people with disabilities in the community, as well as the number of needs addressed. This information would allow HAPD to have a better understanding of the variety of home visitations the peer supporter could face and would need to provide support in. Methods The evaluation used a descriptive research design, which mainly used quantitative methods to evaluate the programme. The evaluator used some qualitative methods to enhance the understanding of the programme, these methods include a focus group with peer supporters, collecting and analysing programme documents, and interviewing the chief operating officer. The evaluator explored the relationships between the types of disabilities and the needs that were identified in home visitations. The disability categories were: physical, sensory, intellectual, and psychiatric disabilities. The needs categories as grouped by HAPD were: Health & Wellness and Education & Employment and Transport & Housing and Family & Social needs. Results There were 608 usable entries for home visitations; 43% had more than one home visitation, 79% had a physical disability and 39% of the needs were related to Health & Wellness, and 73% of the needs were addressable. There was a significant relationship between having an addressable need and the type of need category identified but no relationship between disability categories. Education & Employment needs and Health & Wellness needs were more likely to be addressed than any other need. Needs related to Transport & Housing and Social & Family issues were not as likely to be addressed. Conclusion The formative evaluation of HAPD has found that the roles and responsibilities are well-defined if implemented with the WCAPD. There is a need to increase the training in counselling topics and to provide counselling to the peer supporters. The importance of creating of referral network based from an asset-based community development perspective was also recommended as it provides tangible and valuable information on the capacities, skills and services available in the community. The evaluation also highlighted some areas of improvement regarding the record keeping of training material, improvement of data collection, follow-up of home visitations, and clearer categorising of needs and disabilities. HAPD can consider evaluating the mechanism of support the peer supporters provide to the community and how the associate organisations form part of this process.
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    Formative evaluation of the James House Life Centre programme for young people
    (2014) Mugo, Hazel; Chapman, Sarah
    This dissertation is an evaluation of a youth development initiative focused on young people from the ImiZamo Yethu community in Hout Bay. The programme is delivered through the Life Centre of James House, a non-governmental organisation based in Hout Bay, Cape Town. The evaluation is intended to be formative in nature and aims to provide information on the programmes implementation processes and outcome information on the extent to which the programme has been able to meet its short-term and medium-term goals. In order to guide the evaluation, an articulated programme theory underlying the operations of the Life Centre was required. This theory was not available. The evaluation therefore began by assessing what the programme"s theory was. The theory was determined through personal communication with programme staff and programme managers the plausibility of which was then assessed through a review of literature pertaining to similar programmes. The programme‟s theory revealed the components assumed important to the achievement of its outcomes and highlighted those elements of programme implementation that required evaluating. In addition, the assessment of the Life Centres theory showed that it falls in the category of programmes that aim to promote Positive Youth Development (PYD).
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    A formative evaluation of the James House programme for orphans and vulnerable children
    (2014) Mutenheri, Hellen; Chapman, Sarah
    The increasing burden of care and support of orphaned children or those made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS remains a critical and challenging issue particularly in the South African context. A number of community based interventions have been put in place to provide both material and psychosocial support. This dissertation is a theory-driven process evaluation of a programme offering care and support to orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). The programme is run by James House, a non-governmental organization whose main objective is to meet the basic needs of children in their service area; to protect them from abuse and exploitation, and to ensure there is no family breakdown that would lead to institutionalisation of the children. James House implements a nationally accredited model of care for OVCs called Isibindi. The James House approach involves direct support to OVCs and indirect support through referrals to complementary services. This dissertation presents the results of a formative evaluation of the James House Isibindi programme which provides some insight into the implementation and improvement of the programme.
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    A formative evaluation of the Ndinogona 'I can' stimulation programme
    (2016) Bradley, Hollie; Chapman, Sarah; Louw-Potgieter, Joha
    This dissertation reports an outcome and process evaluation of the Ndinogona ''I Can'' Stimulation Programme. The programme caters for children with disabilities by targeting Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres attended by children with disabilities. The programme facilitators provide training to the caregivers within these centres in terms of the importance of play and how to handle and position children with disabilities correctly. The centres are also provided with stimulation kits including a variety of toys and activities aimed at children with all types of disabilities. The programme aims to encourage stimulation and inclusion of children with disabilities as well as to improve child developmental outcomes. The programme has been implemented in several centres since it began in 2011. This dissertation focused on 18 centres within the Western Cape which received the programme during 2015. The Ndinogona ''I Can'' Stimulation programme theory was investigated for its plausibility in the form of a literature review. The evaluation focused on evaluating programme outcomes to determine the programme's effectiveness as the programme requires an independent evaluation for a funder. This evaluation therefore primarily addressed two outcome evaluation questions and one process evaluation question. The outcome evaluation used secondary data which was set to be collected by the programme's facilitators using data collection forms developed by the evaluator in collaboration with the programme staff. This outcome evaluation could not be realised due to a lack of empirical data stemming from inadequate data collection tools and procedures. The available data was analysed using the SPSS statistical programme. The descriptive statistics and the initial exploration of the data are presented. The results for the outcome evaluation questions are limited due to the lack of empirical data. Preliminary findings for child assessments showed a positive trend however more data is needed to confirm this. As a result of the lack of data the evaluator engaged with additional process questions in the discussion chapter and presents a revised monitoring and evaluation framework for the programme to facilitate an in-depth outcome evaluation in the future. This includes a clear and simple set of data collection tools which cater for all the organisation's information needs whilst taking into account their monitoring capacity.
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    Improving emotional intelligence and developing servant leadership skills : an outcome evaluation of Life Choices' Leaders' Quest programme
    (2016) Mulder, Anja; Chapman, Sarah
    This dissertation presents an outcome evaluation of the Salesians Life Choices' Leaders' Quest programme. The programme targets youth from economically disadvantaged schools in the Cape Flats, and engages with learners during their final two years of high school as well as providing support for an eased transition from school to university, college or employment. Students are exposed to various activities that have been developed to help each individual achieve the programme's goals and objectives. These include developing students' emotional intelligence (EI), improving academic grades, and establishing leadership qualities; helping learners enrol in tertiary education or to obtain employment; and to assume meaningful leadership positions. The organization has been implementing the programme since 2013 and makes continuous attempts to improve elements of the intervention to better serve participants. This evaluation assesses causal mechanisms and assumptions of the intervention against the evidence presented in social science research, and investigates three outcomes based on data collected for the pilot cohort and a control group between 2013 and 2015. The method of analysis includes primary and secondary data collected on measures of an EI tool and a servant leadership survey, as well as information obtained via questionnaires. Quantitative research methods were employed and data were explored using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses.