An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorWard, Catherine
dc.contributor.advisorTiti, Neziswa
dc.contributor.authorNaidoo, Sashen
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-30T11:39:55Z
dc.date.available2025-10-30T11:39:55Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2025-10-30T11:35:49Z
dc.description.abstractThis study explored the experiences of student support officers (SSOs) who offer counselling services to students at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in the Western Cape province, South Africa. Methodologically, the study employs a phenomenological approach as its focus is on experience-generated knowledge. It is thus located within the qualitative paradigm to give voice and the perspectives of the SSOs. Previous literature demonstrates that students historically sought counselling primarily for academic and career purposes. However, over time, the nature and type of counselling students required became increasingly complex with greater expectations of counsellors at higher education institutions. Therefore, further research is necessary to better understand this consequential phenomenon from the perspective of the SSOs through their meaning-making. This study found that SSOs experienced their role to be ill-defined, fluid and riddled with challenges of language and culture thus affecting the quality of meaningful counselling. This study offers recommendations emanating from interviews with SSOs. This study is germane to governance in TVET colleges in the Western Cape but may offer insights to other institutions of higher learning.
dc.identifier.apacitationNaidoo, S. (2025). <i>An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42064en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationNaidoo, Sashen. <i>"An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42064en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNaidoo, S. 2025. An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42064en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Naidoo, Sashen AB - This study explored the experiences of student support officers (SSOs) who offer counselling services to students at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in the Western Cape province, South Africa. Methodologically, the study employs a phenomenological approach as its focus is on experience-generated knowledge. It is thus located within the qualitative paradigm to give voice and the perspectives of the SSOs. Previous literature demonstrates that students historically sought counselling primarily for academic and career purposes. However, over time, the nature and type of counselling students required became increasingly complex with greater expectations of counsellors at higher education institutions. Therefore, further research is necessary to better understand this consequential phenomenon from the perspective of the SSOs through their meaning-making. This study found that SSOs experienced their role to be ill-defined, fluid and riddled with challenges of language and culture thus affecting the quality of meaningful counselling. This study offers recommendations emanating from interviews with SSOs. This study is germane to governance in TVET colleges in the Western Cape but may offer insights to other institutions of higher learning. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - ulture KW - governance KW - higher education KW - language KW - lived experiences KW - mental health KW - student counselling centres KW - student support officers KW - voice LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape TI - An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42064 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/42064
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationNaidoo S. An exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Department of Psychology, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/42064en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanities
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectulture
dc.subjectgovernance
dc.subjecthigher education
dc.subjectlanguage
dc.subjectlived experiences
dc.subjectmental health
dc.subjectstudent counselling centres
dc.subjectstudent support officers
dc.subjectvoice
dc.titleAn exploratory study of the experiences of student support officers offering counselling services to students at TVET Colleges in the Western Cape
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
thesis_hum_2025_naidoo sashen.pdf
Size:
8.14 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.72 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters