Coping in an HIV/AIDS-dominated context : teachers promoting resilience in schools

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.