Browsing by Author "Ngcobo, Nolwazi Pearl."

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Child and youth care workers’ perceptions of inappropriate sexual behaviours among boy children in child and youth care centres.
(2016) Varaden, Hannah Annie.; Ngcobo, Nolwazi Pearl.
Childhood sex and sexuality is a sensitive topic, and one that people are often reluctant to discuss. The denial of childhood sexuality is still pervasive, and many cultures want to believe that children are non-sexual. However, inappropriate sexual behaviours (ISBs) among children are a reality, and, not only do adults sexually abuse children, but child-on-child sexual abuse is an increasing phenomenon both in South Africa and in countries around the world. A review of literature on the experiences and perceptions of child care workers in South Africa regarding the sexualized behaviours of male children in their care revealed that research in this area is limited. Understanding this phenomenon is essential if we want to effectively care for children, and to develop appropriate prevention and intervention strategies. The quotation by Frederick Douglass (1855) that “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” is very apt. This study is unique because it focuses on the role and experiences of the child and youth care workers in South Africa; who are often neglected in the child care profession, in spite of the fact that they spend a substantial amount of time with the children. This study aims to explore and describe how child care workers perceived inappropriate sexual behaviours among boy children in two CYCCs in South Africa. Furthermore, it also explores the methods and approaches used by CCWs to manage the boy children. This includes their challenges and needs for training, supervision and support. Guided by a social constructionism framework, the study adopts a qualitative approach; and twelve child care workers from two centres in KZN were interviewed to gather rich, in-depth data. The sample was a non-probability, purposive sample. The findings reveal many complex issues that child and youth care workers experience whilst caring for boy children with ISB’s and clearly shows that child care workers play a fundamental role in the lives of children, by virtue of the amount of time they spend together in the residential home; and demonstrates the potential impact and influence they could have on children’s development and healing. This research shows that we need to develop a South X African response that is relevant to the realities of our country. All the issues identified in this study represent gaps in our South African context, as well as a dire need for training and support of professionals who care for vulnerable children such as child and youth care workers. It is through a study like this that these gaps become visible; greater research needs to be conducted and policies changed and created, and programs developed to create a safer and more supportive environment for both children and professionals caring for children. Finally, the study makes recommendations for practice and further research. It is recommended that further research is needed to explore the level of compassion fatigue in CCWs and their response to consistent debriefing; as well as the impact of relevant and consistent training and supervision on their management of challenging children in CYCCs. Furthermore, it is recommended to research how CCWs could practically spend more time with their own families, and the impact this has on their child care work. Further research is also needed to explore how to ensure the safety of children in CYCCs, as well as the development and evaluation of training, supervision and debriefing programs for CCWs; and therapeutic and safety programs for children with inappropriate sexual behaviours.
Exploring the narratives of women with HIV/AIDS in a designated health setting.
(2011) Ngcobo, Nolwazi Pearl.; Kasiram, Madhubala Ishver.
This research study explored the experiences of HIV positive women with particular reference to their challenges, coping and survival strategies after an HIV positive diagnosis. A review of literature revealed that research on the lived experiences of South African women with HIV/AIDS is limited. The aim of this study was to explore the narratives of women with HIV/AIDS in a designated health-care setting in KZN. Social constructionism and ecosystems approaches were adopted as guiding frameworks for the study. Fifteen HIV positive women were sampled using, purposive and availability sampling. Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The pertinent themes were identified and analyzed accordingly. Some HIV positive women experienced challenges in dealing with their HIV diagnosis which ranged from being stigmatized, rejected, or socially isolated, while some received support and acceptance from their environment. The life prolonging effect of ART has allowed HIV infected women to implement coping and survival strategies in order to reduce HIV/AIDS fatigue. Immersion in spirituality and 'reaching out' were some of the survival strategies adopted by HIV infected women in this study. Micro, Mezzo, and Macro recommendations were made with regard to provision of appropriate services for HIV positive women. The study may be of value to service providers as it may enlighten them on the various experiences (whether challenging, positive, or adaptive) of women with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, HIV positive women may benefit from knowing that they are not alone in this fight against the dreaded disease.
Sweetening the pot: negotiation of agency and (re)construction of self for young, Black African UKZN female students in sugar daddy relationships.
(2022) Ngcobo, Nolwazi Pearl.; Sewpaul, Vishanthie.
Informed by feminist post-structuralism and sexual script theory, in this study I investigated how young African women negotiate agency in sugar daddy (SD) relationships and their construction and (re)construction of self. The nineteen female students interviewed for this study drew on various religious, cultural, racial and class sexual scripts in their SD relationship experiences. Exploration of their formative sexual scripts or discourses brought to light how they understand, experience, and make choices about sexuality in their everyday lives as young African women who are students, in a post-apartheid context. From home (ekhaya) to university (evava), participants’ narratives suggested continuities and discontinuities. A discourse and content analysis of narratives revealed how these offer opportunities and constraints for young women in their attempt to exercise agency. Although in SD relationships, participants challenge the traditional scripts of love, intimacy and desire, the coercive effects of dominant ideologies of femininity are ever-present. Hegemonic masculinities in particular, function to regulate subject positions, and participants make choices within such regulations, thus highlighting the complementarity of emphasised femininity and hegemonic masculinity. It then appears that alongside choices and ability to challenge hegemonic masculinities in SD relationships, young African women’s discourses and practices also act to reaffirm them. The analysis of the narratives further revealed that young women are aware of the risks that SD relationships pose whether to their health, and or the ‘self’, and strategies to circumvent these risks within a neoliberal context are critically analysed. While these strategies position young women not as powerless victims, they simultaneously expose the broader societal conditions that constrain young women’s choices. Drawing on the results of the study and the literature, I make recommendations for social work education, practice and research.
University of KwaZulu-Natal third-year male Social Work students’ experiences of group work practice with school children.
(2020) Thobela, Zakhele Charles.; Ngcobo, Nolwazi Pearl.
The Social Work profession in South Africa has been generally dominated by females. However, various studies have evidently revealed that over the recent years men have been slowly occupying this female dominated female field of work. This has influenced the gender expectations of the profession and the roles of men in it, especially when men enter this field. Societal perceptions of males place in society and the type of jobs that are appropriate for men may influence the experiences and service of men involved. When looking at the number of social work students, males are a minority in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programmes, a reality that warrants exploration as the academy strives for greater diversity within preservice social work. Male social work students are studying in what may be considered a female-dominated profession, and indirectly experience fear of feminization and stigmatization. This study focused on the experiences and challenges of UKZN male social work students during their group work practice with school children. This study explored the experiences of third-year male social work students’ involvement in group work practice in their practicum at Nsimbini, Wiggins, and Mayville primary schools. These primary schools are situated in Durban, (Mayville, Chesterville and Cato Manor) respectively. As one of the three methods employed in social work, the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal’s social work department established a program which intends to equip and familiarise students about group work practice. A qualitative approach was used, with purposive and snowball sampling used as methods of sample selection whilst interviews were utilized for data collection. Findings suggest that gender played a factor that shaped and influenced the experiences of male social work students in children’s group work sessions. Culture also played a significant role on how children perceived and interacted with male social work students. The study revealed some underlying socially constructed perceptions on gendered cultural norms where children continue to treat male figures with great respect. The research also highlighted some gender stereotypes, stigmas and gendered perceptions which formed an important finding that related to the study. Male social work students’ gender did influence how children responded to and participated in group work session. This study has demonstrated a need for further research which will focus on the gender stereotypes, stigmas and gender perceptions of the social work profession as experienced by male social work students.