AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #43 - A qualitative evaluation of REds: an adapted programme for social workers in the field of HIV and AIDS
Authors: Presenting Author: Prof Strydom Herman - North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus
Additional Authors: Dr. Hanelie Malan,
Aim: To qualitatively evaluate the REds programme adapted for social workers.
Method / Issue: Intervention research was used for this study and this part of the study focused on a qualitative evaluation of the programme and was mainly explorative and explanatory. The data was gathered by way of a self-formulated schedule in order to determine how the pandemic affected them emotionally, spiritually, physically, socially and professionally and how they cope as social workers. Participants had to express their views on the issues being investigated before and after the implementation of the empowerment programme. The responses were delineated according to common themes that were identified to give meaning and structure to an enormous amount of information.
Results / Comments: A shift was noticed from a negative to a more positive attitude towards the effect of the pandemic on the participants’ spiritual, physical and social levels of functioning. Post-test results indicated that they still felt emotionally negative because they were realistic about the devastating effect of the pandemic. However, they felt more hopeful that they could mobilize more support to make a difference with the knowledge gained.
Discussion: Educators are increasingly distressed by the large number of learners made vulnerable by HIV and Aids and Aids orphans in their classes. Teachers are often overwhelmed by the professional and personal impacts of living and teaching in a HIV-altered milieu. Many are engulfed by emotional and spiritual distress and progressively floundering professional morale and performance. The pandemic affects not only individuals, but it attacks systems, and it is attacking the educational system in this country. REds (Resilient Educators) has the express aim of empowering affected educators to cope resiliently with the challenges of the pandemic by supporting educators to respond adaptively to a teaching context that demands responses more typical of medical personnel trained to prevent HIV, counselors and social workers. This group work programme was already presented and evaluated in four provinces of South Africa with groups of teachers being affected by HIV and Aids. The content of REds includes the biomedical facts, guidelines on HIV prevention, guidelines on nursing people with Aids-related illnesses, tips on using social networks and non-governmental structures to give and gain psychosocial and socioeconomic support, grief-counseling skills, guidelines for coping with and minimizing HIV-related discrimination, information on HIV-related education policy, stress management skills and resilience training. These contents are grouped into nine modules.
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