Doctoral Degrees (Occupational Therapy)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Occupational Therapy) by Author "Engelbrecht, Madri Hendrina"

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    Occupational justice through paid work : a qualitative study of work transitionprogrammes for youth with disabilities
    (2020-03) Engelbrecht, Madri Hendrina; Van Niekerk, Lana; Shaw, Lynn; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences. Occupational Therapy.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT : Background and rationale: Unemployed South African youth with disabilities form part of a disturbingly high general unemployment rate (29%) in the country. Favourable legislative and policy environments have been created for the development of the youth in general, and for the employment of people with disabilities, but remain vague on the issue of youth with disabilities, and appear to have failed to culminate into better employment outcomes for this group. The employment endeavours of youth with disabilities as a global minority, vulnerable, and designated group are under-researched; a situation that contributes to our lack of knowledge and understanding about their needs in relation to work. While we hold insights about the relationship between work, health and well-being, it is irresponsible and unjust to continue to ignore the exclusion of youth with disabilities from the occupation of work. Aim: The aim of the study was to do an in-depth exploration into how a South African work transition programme for youth with disabilities promote occupational justice through work. Objectives: The research objectives were: - to explore the work transition programme’s understanding of disability, it’s goals, operations, and employment outcomes for youth with disabilities; - to analyse manifestations of occupational justice in the programme’s goals, operations, and employment outcomes; - to explore the experiences and perspectives of youth with disabilities in relation to work and occupational justice; - to make recommendations to other work transition programmes, practitioners and policy makers regarding programme design and implementation that could promote occupational justice. Methodology: A critical ethnographic methodology was used to explore the context and operations of a work transition programme for youth with intellectual disabilities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A critical occupational perspective was taken in the inductive analysis process to generate knowledge about taken-for-granted truths that could underlie the way that the occupation of work may be denied to youth with disabilities. Data collection comprised qualitative methods of interviewing, documents review, focus group interviews, observation and journalling. Eight individual interviews were completed with two programme directors, a job coach and an employer. Five focus group interviews were done with unemployed and employed youth, and all available documents were reviewed. All interviews were transcribed in English, checked, corrected and uploaded to Atlas.ti for analysis. Inductive analysis comprised three phases namely, coding and categorising the data, crystalising the categories and developing preliminary themes, and final theme development. Findings: Three overarching themes developed from the data. Theme I, Along the way towards occupational justice, was categorised by information about the readiness of youth with disabilities to enter into the work transition programme, their journey of development through the programme, and the role of learnerships as a tool in work transition of this group. Theme II, Working "outside", reflected meanings of working in the open labour market for youth with disabilities. A specific experience of occupational injustice highlighted the iterative nature of work transition, and the context of the open labour market and employers' role in relation to employment of youth with disabilities were described. Theme III, Supported Employment as a counter to occupational injustice, elaborated the essence of support as an element in work transition. Categories under this theme showed different sources of support (job coach, family, employer, other youth) as imperative to work transition of youth with disabilities. Conclusions: The work transition programme promoted occupational justice by, firstly, adhering to and practicing according to a human rights-based approach (HRBA). The HRBA further informed and was strengthened by the programme's use of supported employment as a strategy to enhance the achievement of occupational justice. The programme's harnessing of support by different role players (namely the job coach, family, employer and other youth) was particularly instrumental in counteracting occupational marginalisation. The programme also proffered approaches to a restrictive open labour market, which promoted occupational justice through work for youth with disabilities. These approaches were to pursue employment opportunities in a seemingly receptive and somewhat sensitised sector of employment, and to create supported demonstrations opportunities in open labour market environments. An important conclusion of the study was that the programme staff's creativity, dedication and commitment were imperative in promoting occupational justice through the various programme activities.