Browsing by Author "Coetzee, Ilse-Marí"

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    The assessment of a rural community's needs and expectations regarding a community association
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005-04) Coetzee, Ilse-Marí; Van der Merwe, M. E.; Botha, M. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community associations and community centres have become a common phenomenon throughout South Africa. The aims of these associations and centres are closely linked to community development. Research has found that activities related to development programmes at such centres come to an end when facilitators hand the programmes over to the community. This was indeed the case at the Darling Focus Association and Centre in Darling. A possible reason for this was that the community's needs and expectations were not being met. The purpose of this study was to establish whether this Community Association and the services, activities and programmes presented at the Centre meet the needs and expectations of the rural community. A literature review was undertaken to present an in-depth look into the body of knowledge surrounding the study. Rural community development and the notion of rural community were discussed, since they create the context in which community associations and community centres function. Special attention was given to the revision of literature on the purposes and functions of community associations and centres. The concepts of community needs and community expectations were reviewed. The literature review concluded with a reference to the sustainability of activities following on training and development programmes based on community needs. The geographically demarcated area of the study was the rural town of Darling, as well as the Darling Focus Association and Centre. A context analysis was done and documents were analysed to gain knowledge of the functioning of the Association and the Centre. The activities, services and programmes offered by the Association at the Centre were established. A survey was undertaken among the Darling community, the members of the management committee of the Darling Focus Association and the participants in activities at the Darling Focus Centre. Samples were selected from these three groups, after which three different questionnaires were designed and tested and finally administered to the three groups. Statistical analysis was carried out on the data gathered during the community survey, and frequency tables and cross-tabulations were constructed. Data gathered from the management and participant surveys was analysed and described using frequency tables. The analysis showed that the community, the members of the management committee and the participants in activities at the Centre had different viewpoints on the functioning of the Association and the Centre. The community survey also revealed the needs of the community for certain activities, services and programmes, as well as their expectations of the Association. Comparisons were made between the needs of the community and the activities, services and programmes offered by the Association. The expectations and viewpoints of the community were also compared with the viewpoints of the management committee members and the participants. The conclusions of the study indicated that the activities, services and programmes offered by the Association at the Centre did not meet the needs of the community, and shortcomings were identified. The viewpoints of the management committee and the participants in activities did not comply with the expectations and viewpoints of the community. It is argued that this might be the reason for the low sustainability of activities, services and programmes of the Association. Recommendations are made to the Association to increase participation within the community and to address the community's needs in order to improve the sustainability of the activities, services and programmes of the Association.