Exploring the experiences of after-school programme practitioners in the Western Cape in supporting their rural/peri-urban community during the COVID-19 pandemic

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dc.contributor.advisorDamons, Lynneen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorRock, Chrischaren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDees, Sandyen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-04T20:38:59Z
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-26T17:36:57Z
dc.date.available2024-03-04T20:38:59Z
dc.date.available2024-04-26T17:36:57Z
dc.date.issued2024-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aimed to examine the experiences of after-school practitioners operating in peri-urban and rural communities in the Western Cape, with a focus on their dynamic contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this research, we sought to appreciate the significant influence of these practitioners, who utilised their training, skills, expertise, and networks to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic in their communities and organisations. The research was conducted from a social constructivist perspective and utilised a community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) methodology that prioritised the involvement of the participants in the study. The participants, all of whom had undergone specialised training, collaborated with academic researchers to explore their community contexts and address emerging issues resulting from the pandemic. A multi-theoretical approach, including elements from Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model and cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), was used to analyse and interpret the data generated in this study. The triangulation of theories created an opportunity to explore the data from various vantage points and to produce new perspectives. The research process involved collecting data through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and World Café sessions with ASP practitioners participating in peri-urban/rural and urban CBPAR projects, as well as field journal entries. An iterative data collection process was followed by a detailed thematic analysis of the data. Thematic analysis revealed diverse experiences of after-school practitioners and the importance of further professional development, networking, building partnerships and collaborating with stakeholders in their community to sustain the after-school sector. This study sheds light on the diverse motivations of after-school practitioners, surpassing traditional limits to cater to the changing requirements of their communities. In the context of the pandemic, after-school practitioners’ responsibilities expanded beyond providing a safe space to encompass immediate needs, such as ensuring food security and offering psychosocial support to their communities. Notwithstanding the challenges presented by the digital divide and their diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, the practitioners utilised technology and cutting-edge approaches effectively to ensure continued support. They acknowledged the crucial role of professional development and training in maintaining exceptional after-school programmes and, in doing so, emphasised the need for increased funding and collaboration within the sector. The research study provides valuable insights into the ways in which the after-school sector adapted and flourished during the pandemic, underscoring the importance of further investigations in multiple settings. I hope that this study will contribute to the growing body of knowledge surrounding the factors that promote the sustainability of the after-school sector.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie was om die ervarings van naskoolprogrampraktisyns wat in buitestedelike en landelike gemeenskappe in die Weskaap werk, te ondersoek, met ’n fokus op hulle dinamiese bydraes tydens die COVID-19-pandemie. By wyse van hierdie navorsing wou ons waardering toon vir die beduidende invloed van hierdie praktisyns, wat hulle opleiding, vaardighede, kundigheid en netwerke gebruik het om die uitdagings wat die pandemie gestel het in hulle gemeenskappe en organisasies te navigeer. Die navorsing is vanuit ’n sosiaal-konstruktivistiese perspektief onderneem en het gebruik gemaak van ’n gemeenskapsgebaseerde deelnemende aksie-navorsingsmetodologie wat die betrokkenheid van die deelnemers geprioritiseer het. Die deelnemers het almal gespesialiseerde opleiding ontvang en het met die akademiese navorsers saamgewerk om hulle gemeenskapskontekste te verken en kwessies aan te spreek wat tydens die pandemie ontstaan het. ’n Veelvoudige teoretiese benadering, insluitend elemente van Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese model en die kultuurhistoriese aktiwiteitsteorie (cultural historical activity theory (CHAT)) is gebruik om die data wat gegenereer is, te analiseer en te interpreteer. Die triangulasie van teorieë het ’n geleentheid geskep om die data vanuit verskillende uitgangspunte te verken en nuwe perspektiewe te produseer. Die navorsingsproses het behels dat data versamel is by wyse van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, fokusgroepbesprekings en World Café-sessies van naskoolprogrampraktisyns wat deelneem aan buitestedelike/landelike en stedelike gemeenskapsgebaseerde deelnemende aksie-navorsing, asook veldjoernaalinskrywings. ’n Iteratiewe data-insamelingsproses is gevolg deur ’n gedetailleerde tematiese analise van die data. Hierdie analise het die diverse ervarings van die naskoolprogrampraktisyns geopenbaar, tesame met die belangrikheid van verdere professionele ontwikkeling, netwerkvorming, die bou van vennootskappe en saamwerk met belanghebbendes in hulle gemeenskappe om die naskoolsektor te onderhou. Hierdie studie werp lig op die diverse motiverings van naskoolprogrampraktisyns, wat tradisionele perke oorskry het om aan die veranderende vereistes van hulle gemeenskappe te voldoen. In die konteks van die pandemie het naskoolprogrampraktisyns se verantwoordelikhede uitgebrei om meer te behels as net ’n veilige ruimte te verskaf vir onmiddellike behoeftes soos voedselsekuriteit en om psigososiale ondersteuning aan hulle gemeenskappe te verskaf. Nieteenstaande die uitdagings op grond van die digitale kloof en diverse sosioëkonomiese agtergronde, het die praktisyns tegnologie en toonaangewende benaderings doeltreffend gebruik om voortgesette ondersteuning te verseker. Hulle het die belangrike rol van professionele ontwikkeling en opleiding in die onderhoud van uitsonderlike naskool-programme erken en sodoende die noodsaaklikheid van verhoogde befondsing en samewerking binne die sektor benadruk. Hierdie studie verskaf waardevolle insigte in die maniere waarop die naskoolsektor tydens die pandemie aangepas en gefloreer het, wat die belangrikheid onderstreep van verdere ondersoeke in veelvuldige liggings. Ek hoop hierdie studie sal ’n bydrae maak tot die groeiende kennis oor faktore wat die volhoubaarheid van die naskoolsektor sal bevorder.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentxvi, 169 pages : illustrations
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130438
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshAfter-school programs -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshAction research -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCommunity development -- Research -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshSocial sciences -- Researchen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCommunities -- Research -- South Africa -- Western Capeen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshAction research in education -- South Africa -- Western Cape en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCulturally relevant pedagogyen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshCOVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-en_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleExploring the experiences of after-school programme practitioners in the Western Cape in supporting their rural/peri-urban community during the COVID-19 pandemicen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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