Abstract:
This paper explains how teachers in schools function as resources to buoy resilience in the
face of HIV&AIDS-compounded adversities. We draw on participatory reflection and action
data from a longitudinal study with teachers (n=57, 5 male, 52 female) from six schools in
three South African provinces. The study tracks teachers’ psychosocial support following
their participation in STAR (Supportive Teachers, Assets and Resilience). Verbatim interview
transcriptions were thematically analysed. Following thematic analysis three themes (as well
as sub-themes and categories) emerged: firstly teachers use resources to promote resilience in
schools (teacher use: (a) systems to identify and refer vulnerable cases, and (b)
neighbourhood health and social development services), secondly teachers form partnerships
to promote resilience in schools (teacher-partnerships include: (a) children and families, (b)
community volunteers, and (c) community organisations, businesses and government), and
lastly vulnerable individuals using offered school-based support (using (a) vegetable gardens,
(b) emotional and health support, and (c) capacity development opportunities). We found that
teachers in the various schools followed similar post-intervention modus operandi to provide
psychosocial support; teachers identified and used existing community resources to
systemically buffer multiple risks; teachers provided support to various vulnerable groups
across a range of vulnerabilities; teachers’ psychosocial support occurred through networks;
teachers used relationships in networks; and networks assisted teachers to function in their
primary role as facilitators of teaching and learning. We conclude that teachers can promote
resilience in schools by establishing networks with service providers that function across
systems to support vulnerable groups. We theorise that the core of systemic networks are
relationships, that relationship-driven support networks mediate the effects of cumulative risk,
and school-based networks can enable schools to function as resilience-promoting resources.
