Bemagtiging van kliënte in die maatskaplike werk binne die konteks van armoede

Abstract

Die probleem van armoede is aangespreek deur middel van die groepwerkproses, waardeur mense sodanig bemagtig is dat die kringloop van armoede verbreek kon word. 'n Kwasi-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp is gebruik met die groepwerkprogram as onafhanklike veranderlike en die algemene tevredenheid en graad van bemagtiging van die groeplede as die afhanklike veranderlikes. Slegs die voorondersoekgroep en twee eksperimentele groepe is aan die program onderwerp, maar nie die kontrolegroepe nie. n Voor- en natoets is deur aldie groeplede voltooi, om kwantitatiewe data te versamel. K walitatiewe data is versamel deur deelnemende waarneming en doelgeribte gesprekvoering. Die belangrikste verskil tussen die resultate van die eksperimentele groepe en die kontrolegroepe, was dat eersgenoemde tot aksie oorgegaan het terwyllaasgenoemde passief gebly het. Die gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat die groepwerkprogram wei tot die bemagtiging van die groeplede gelei het wat aan die program onderwerp was. Sleutelterme: Armoede, werkloosheid, haweloosheid, kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsing, eksperimentele ontwerp, beskikbaarheidsteekproef, groepwerk, bemagtiging.

The problem of poverty was addressed through the group work process, in order to empower people so that the cycle of poverty could be broken. A quasi-experimental design was used with the group work programme as the independent variable and the general contentment and degree of empowerment of the group members as the dependent variables. Only the pilot study group and the two experimental groups were exposed to the programme, while the two control groups were not. Pre- and posttests were taken of all the group members to gather quantitative data. Qualitative data was gathered by means of participant observation and purposeful conversation. The most important difference between the different groups was that action was taken by the groups subjected to the programme, whereas the control groups remained passive. It can thus be concluded that the group work programme was instrumental in empowering those group members exposed to the programme.