Browsing by Author "Van der Westhuizen, Marichen"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Are we hearing the voices? : Africanisation as part of community development
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2017) Van der Westhuizen, Marichen; Greuel, Thomas; Beukes, Jacques
    The aim of the article is to report on research findings that could contribute to the development of decolonised academic material. Africanisation of curricula implies that education and training as well as praxis be informed by the reality of the South African context, the viewpoints of the people of South Africa and their descriptions of what is needed to build a just society. This is relevant to a variety of service professions. This article was presented from a trans-disciplinary framework, and the term ‘professional carers’, including the social service and theology professions, was used. The discussion explored how academia can approach the development of curricula that will inform praxis and which is relevant to the African context. The terms ‘Africanisation’, ‘decolonisation’ and ‘contextualisation’ were linked, whereafter a developmental approach to the development of the content and presentation of academic material was proposed. The article is concluded with recommended strategic options for the development of Africanised curricula.
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    Autoethnographic view of South African social work educators during the Covid-19 pandemic : highlighting social (in)justice
    (Department of Social Work, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, 2021-10) Perumal, Nevashnee; Pillay, Roshini; Zimba, Zibonele France; Sithole, Mbongeni; Van der Westhuizen, Marichen; Khosa, Priscalia; Nomngcoyiya, Thanduxolo; Mokone, Malebo; September, Uwarren
    COVID-19 has exposed the inequalities and polarisation of South African communities and institutions of higher learning on the continuum of privilege. As nine social work educators, we share our reflections on how we traversed the higher education space during the beginning of the pandemic, using an autoethnography lens, with the pedagogy of discomfort and critical social work theory as the threads in the complex tapestry of our stories. We describe our orientations as social work educators, the successes, challenges, and recommendations on reimagining and reframing learning and teaching in relation to student-institutional relationships, boundaries and support.
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    Exploring the social function of congregations : a community development approach to develop ‘hub-and-spill’ early childhood development centres
    (AOSIS, 2019-02-20) Van der Westhuizen, Marichen; Smith, Rina; Beukes, Jacques
    This article reflects on the findings of a research study that investigated a community development project by CARITAS, a welfare organisation of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). The said organisation, together with local DRC congregations, and in a quest to address societal issues such as poverty and child neglect in the Northern Cape, developed early childhood development (ECD) centres in rural towns. The aim was to provide young children with quality care and to provide congregations with a platform to become active participants in community development projects. The study was conducted 5 years after the start of the project to explore the nature and value thereof. The outcomes of the study provide valuable insights regarding how such centres served as a tool to work towards ECD and a sense of community in these towns, while also addressing socio-economic issues. This article is aimed at presenting the findings as an example to be explored in other contexts.
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    Exploring the voices of children and youth : a plea for renewal in Church structures for child and youth ministries
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2016) Beukes, Jacques; Van der Westhuizen, Marichen
    Various trends in Children and youth ministries indicate that the church is struggling to engage with and to serve children and youth effectively. This then impacts negatively on efforts to succeed in this strategic ministry. Considering the decreasing figures of church attendances amongst children and youth, it is proposed that the voices of these children and youth should be heard in an effort to find innovative ways to develop effective Children and youth ministry strategies that will address their unique needs. This article explores the experiences and perceptions of children and youth in the Presbytery of Wellington (URCSA) in an effort to think about new paradigms and new ways of doing in terms of serving children and youth.
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    Moving from faith-based concerns to demarginalising youths through the Circle of Courage
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2017) Beukes, Jacques; Van der Westhuizen, Marichen
    Although the demarginalisation of youths is an international concern, South African youths are viewed by various scholars and policy documents as a particularly vulnerable and marginalised group. It becomes essential to understand what characterises their marginalisation in order to find innovative ways to work towards their demarginalisation. In this article we reflect on current faith-based concerns and compare this with the specific characteristics of the marginalisation of young people. In an effort to contribute to the development of a strategy towards demarginalisation, we will explore the key features of the Circle of Courage in terms of the principles of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. We will further propose the inclusion of Ubuntu principles in the practical application of the Circle of Courage for churches and faith-based organisations in demarginalising youth in the South African context.
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    Operationalising cluster foster care schemes as an alternative form of care
    (Stellenbosch University, Department of Social Work, 2016) Du Toit, Willem; Van der Westhuizen, Marichen; Alpaslan, Nicky
    Although South African policy and legislation make provision for cluster foster care schemes (CFCSs) as a form of alternative care that provides children with care within a family context, clear guidelines regarding their operationalisation are lacking. This study explores the elements necessary to operationalise CFCSs. The discussion is based on a qualitative research study among managers of existing CFCSs. Findings provide an insight into the nature of CFCSs, management practices, the utilisation of different network structures in the community and support to and from the community.
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    The struggle against poverty, unemployment and social injustice in present-day South Africa : exploring the involvement of the Dutch Reformed Church at congregational level
    (Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust, 2015) Van der Westhuizen, Marichen; Swart, Ignatius
    This article is based on an exploration of the involvement of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) at congregational level in the struggle against poverty, unemployment and social injustice in present-day South Africa. The exploration arises from the thesis that South African citizens continue to regard poverty, unemployment and social injustice as the key challenges to be met in order to build a healthy nation. Historically, the DRC acted as a prominent partner of the government to address the basic needs of the poor and the sick, especially among the country’s white population. But the structural and social changes that followed the transformation to the new democratic South Africa impacted significantly on this partnership. This in turn required that the role of the DRC in addressing social issues in the country be revisited. The essential purpose of this article is, firstly, to provide better insight into the nature and extent of the current social services rendered by congregations of the DRC in addressing the challenges of poverty, unemployment and social injustice; and secondly, from this vantage point, to present some recommendations in conclusion on how the DRC could, in terms of its own striving towards even deeper and more effective social engagement, further enhance its contribution to address the identified challenges at congregational level.