Browsing by Subject "Community development - South Africa"

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    Community development : a quest for social change or social submission : (towards a model of change for South Africa)
    (1988) Van Heerden, Debbie; Wentzel, Wilfred
    The thesis attempts to address the dubious statement of conventional community development that the approach is neutral. The central question asked was 'Is community development a value neutral approach established to meet the needs of communities or does it have another function?' Arguing that no approach that deals with people and which was specifically formulated by persons in a definite ideological context can be neutral, the author then sets about proving that the community development approach is closely aligned to the conservative structural functionalist perspective. An analysis was made of the central tenets of the structural functionalist position and central themes of community development examined as to the basis of their assumptions. It became obvious that a very close correlation exists between the community development approach and the structural functionalist position. Once this had been established the broader ramifications of working within this theoretical position were explored. A number of observations were made in this regard. It was argued that community development could never achieve its goals while working within this framework as it failed to address the real structural problems in society. In supporting the existing social order, the emphasis is shifted away from society as a cause of problems and emphasis, incorrectly, placed on individual communities. Persons are thus expected to find solutions to problems they had no part in causing. Thus, within a South African context, a status quo is supported which propagates inequality, injustice and social deprivation. It was then argued that an alternate approach should be sought which addresses the fundamental social problems. A starting point for this approach could be an acceptance on the part of the community development approach of its inherent political nature and clarification as to how this effects the approach. It was suggested that in the South African context exponents should take their lead from the oppressed communities and their expression of need. One such pointer was the Freedom Charter which was drawn up in 1955 by a democratic grouping of the population. In order to give substance to the theoretical argument the arguments were focussed on a rural South African community where research was conducted.
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    Maatskaplikewerk-dienste van die NG Sendingkerk in Suid-Afrika : 'n evaluatiewe studie oor die rol van maatskaplike werkers in diens van die kerk, met spesifieke verwysing na die gebruik van gemeenskapsontwikkeling in die bekamping van gemeenskapsarmoede in Wes-Kaap
    (1988) Pick, Samuel Gert; Helm, Brunhilde
    The study relates the work done by social workers in the employ of the NG Sendingkerk to the community development needs of those communities that the NG Sendingkerk serves. The social workers concerned are trained by the Kerk itself. The study seek answers to the following questions: 1. What modern models of community development would be applicable to communities such as those served by the NG Sendingkerk and its social workers? What world view do such models of community development represent? 2. What are the principal features of the communities served by die NG Sendingkerk that are relevant to community development? 3. Relating (1) and (2) above, what criteria for optimum community development can be laid down for the Communities served by the NG Sendingkerk? 4. How do social workers trained by the NG Sendingkerk perceive the communities in which they work? What world view influences their perception? How does (4) relate to (2) above? 5. What is the programme of training followed by the NG Sendingkerk for its social workers? (A distinction is to be made between the intention of the training programme and the results of the training programme as perceived by the trainees). 6. If appropriate models of community development were to be applied to the communities which the NG Sendingkerk serves, to what extent does the Kerk's social work training equip its social workers with both the knowledge and the tools that these models require? 7. What proposals can be made for (1) modifying models of community development appropriate to the communities served by the NG Sendingkerk, (2) additional or different tools for the Kerk's social workers, (3) alteration of the perceptions of the communities within their existing world view?