Die ondersteunende rol van die maatskaplike werker aan die jeugwerker wat met die adolessent in kerkverband werk (Afrikaans)

Abstract

Afrikaans: Tydens elke ontwikkelingsfase ervaar die mens unieke uitdagings waarvan adolessensie 'n besonder uitdagende fase van die mens se lewe is. In hierdie fase ervaar adolessente onder andere veranderinge wat in hulle eie liggame plaasvind, wat hulle uiteindelik moet aanvaar en inkorporeer as deel van hulle selfkonsep. Hulle moet by die verwisseling van laerskool na hoërskool aanpas, die verandering van die verhouding tussen adolessent en ouer waartydens die adolessent streef na onafhanklikheid akkommodeer en verskeie kognitiewe vaardighede bemeester. Die grootste ontwikkelingskrisis waardeur die adolessent moet beweeg, is egter die soeke na 'n eie identiteit. Die adolessent moet 'n sintese vind tussen die pole van identiteit en identiteitsverwarring. Die ideale sintese is betroubaarheid. Adolessente se soeke na 'n eie identiteit bring mee dat hulle in hierdie fase van hulle lewens eerder vir ondersteuning op hulle vriende sal staatmaak en ongelukkig dikwels aan dwelms, alkohol, vroeë seksuele aktiwiteite en die okkulte blootgestel word. Faktore wat hiermee saamgaan, is tienerswangerskappe, prostitusie, seksueeloordraagbare siektes, skoolverlating en haweloosheid. Die adolessent vertrou dikwels die jeugwerker met sy/haar behoeftes aangesien die jeugwerker gereeld saam met die adolessent belewenisse meemaak en jonk van gees is. Sekere jeugwerkers voel soms onseker en onkundig om die adolessent se probleme in totaliteit aan te spreek. Die onkundige gevoel en gebrek aan selfvertroue kan onder andere toegeskryf word aan ontoereikende vakkundige opleiding in berading. Aangesien die maatskaplike werker aansienlik meer in diepte vakkundige opleiding in berading ontvang, meestal vir vier (4) jaar, is die maatskaplike werker geïdentifiseer as 'n moontlike ondersteuningsisteem vir jeugwerkers wat met adolessente werk. Daar is 'n verkennende studie met die doel om 'n ondersteuningsisteem vir jeugwerkers in hulle werk met adolessente binne kerkverband te ontwikkel, geloods. Tydens hierdie studie is daar semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met elf (11) respondente gevoer. Vier areas waarin die maatskaplike werker moontlik die jeugwerker kan ondersteun is geïdentifiseer, naamlik konsultasie met die jeugwerker oor adolessente, verwysing van adolessente na 'n maatskaplike werker, deurlopende opleiding deur 'n maatskaplike werker aan jeugwerkers en konsultasie vir jeugwerkers in terme van persoonlike en professionele groei. Hierdie vier areas is in die onderhoudskedule geïnkorporeer en resultate van die onderhoude is verwerk. Die ondersteuningsisteem wat die maatskaplike werker aan die jeugwerker kan bied is beskryf aan die hand van Carl Rogers se persoongesentreerde benadering. Daar is ook aandag geskenk aan die jeugwerker en die historiese ontwikkeling van jeugwerk in Suid Afrika sowel as in die buiteland. Jeugwerk as professie behels ongereelde en ongewone werksure, dikwels ontoereikende salarisse, onduidelike vereistes rondom take van die jeugwerker en emosionele betrokkenheid en inspanning. Daar is bevind dat die maatskaplike werker 'n belangrike rol in die ondersteuning van jeugwerkers kan vervul ten einde meer effektiewe hulpverlening aan die adolessent te bied. English: A human being will experience challenges in every one of life's development phases. Of these developmental phases adolescence is an incredible challenging phase. As part of this phase adolescents experience changes to their bodies and have to except it and make it part of their self concept. The adolescent also has to deal with moving between primary and secondary school, learn to handle parent-child relationships while striving towards independence, and still master an amount of cognitive skills. The search for identity is however the greatest crisis to handle during this development phase. Here the adolescent must find a synthesis between the two opposites: identity and identity confusion. The ideal synthesis between these opposites is fidelity. It is exactly this search for their identity that urges the adolescent to seek support and advise from their peergroup. Unfortunately this advise often leads to the misuse of drugs and alcohol, as well as early sexual activity, and occultic practices. The above mentioned could lead to teenage pregnancies, prostitution, sexualy transmitted diseases, homelessness and leaving school early. Because the youth worker is young and youthful and also experiences events with the adolescent, adolescents will often trust the youth worker with their needs and problems. Some youth workers is unsure and lacks enough knowledge to deal with the adolescent's problems in totality. This lack of selfassurance could be a reflexion on the amount and dept of training received on guidance or counselling. The social worker receives sufficient training in councelling, mostly for four years, and are therefore identified as a possible support system for the youth worker working with adolescents. An exploratory research design was used with the main purpose of the study to develop a support system for youth workers working with adolescents in church. During this study eleven (11) participants were interviewed using an unstructured interview with a schedule. The four areas of support that were identified, were: consultation with the social worker about adolescent needs and problems, reference of adolescents to the social worker, continious training opportunities for the youth worker presented by the social worker, and the debriefing of youth workers to gain personal and professional growth. These four areas were included in the interview schedule and the results were analysed and interpreted. The above mentioned support system for youth workers is described by using the person-centred approach of Carl Rogers. Attention was also given to the historical development of youth work as a profession. Unusual and irregular working hours, inadequate salaries, unclear job descriptions, and emotional involvement and effort is often part of being a youth worker. It was concluded that the social worker can play an important role in the support system of youth workers to enable them to help adolescents in all their social needs and problems.