The management and development of multi-cultural social work practice in the South African National Defence Force

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Multi-cultural social work practice necessitates that the social worker possessesspecific knowledge and practice skills in order to render a competent service to adiverse client system. To date, the SANDF does not possess any definite guidelinesregarding multi-cultural social work practice. Consequently social work practitionersare ill-equipped to render a needs-based, multi-cultural competent service to theculturally different client system.The purpose of this study, was to develop theoretical and practical guidelines formulti-cultural social work practice within the SANDF. An attempt is made to ensurethat the social service delivery system is attentive to cultural diversity among clients,whilst providing social work interventions to the client system. The objectives of thestudy were: firstly, to present a profile of the current consumers of social workservices within the SANDF; secondly, to reflect on the nature and function of militarysocial work within the SANDF, and to investigate the need to incorporatemulti-cultural social work practice into the military setting; thirdly, to determine howthe existing social work programmes in the SANDF are meeting the needs of theclient system of diverse origin and culture; fourthly, to investigate the extent to whichthe social worker gives attention to the different cultural backgrounds of the clientsystem; and fifthly, to explore the knowledge and practice skills needed by the socialwork practitioner to render multi-cultural social work services in the military setting.The study was confined to a purposive sample of 557 clients to assess their need formulti-cultural social work services. They were representative of the unique diversityin ethnic and cultural heritage, gender, and religious affiliations. The results wereanalysed qualitatively as well as quantitatively. Structured interviews wereconducted with 16 key figures in social work management in order to assess howexisting social work programmes have been designed and are managed to meet therequirements of multi-cultural social work. The results were also analysedqualitatively and quantitatively. Furthermore, group interviews with a randomlyselected sample of 45 social work officers [production workersl, were conducted todetermine their knowledge and perceptions of and attitudes towards multi-culturalsocial work and to investigate the extent to which they were attentive to the culturalbackgrounds of clients when rendering social work services. These results wereagain analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively.The empirical study enabled the researcher to draw certain conclusions. From theclient system's responses it was obvious that social workers should be aware of theclient system's cultural, ethnic and/or religious background. Social work managerson the other hand must be skilled in the management of a multi-cultural social workpersonnel system. The processes used during strategic planning, which shouldalways be preceded by an environmental study, would have an effect on servicerendering within multi-cultural social work practice. Most social work programmeshave been adapted to suit the needs of a diverse client system. The researchresults pointed out that the DSW's business plan should focus more ondevelopmental issues like HIV/AIDS. The majority of the social work managersregarded their service rendering as being culturally competent. Although certainmisconceptions were evident, social work practitioners do understand the meaningof a multi-cultural competent service rendering. Social work practitioners are notclear whether their cultural, ethnic and/or language background has an influence ontheir service rending. Concerning communication it was pointed out thatcommunication in a person's mother tongue is most effective during social workintervention. Although all social work approaches are utilised by the practitioners,their overall theoretical knowledge and skills application of these approaches arequestionable. In the light of these aspects confusion exists amongst therespondents as to whether social work programmes are meeting the needs of amulti-cultural client system.A number of recommendations flow from the findings and conclusions. The DSW'sbusiness plan should focus more on developmental social work aspects, and shouldcontinuously stress the importance of having a diverse knowledge and skills base ofthe most significant models and approaches. The social work delivery systemrequires more theoretical knowledge and skills in the management andimplementation of a multi-culturally competent social work service, and should beskilled in how to convert social work programmes into culturally competentprogrammes. The workers should further be competent at addressing problemsexperienced within their own cultural/ethnic background, before engaging in anysocial work intervention with a diverse client system. Social workers should furtherbe empowered regarding the role, function and implementation of socialdevelopment strategies within the daily service rendering and thus be guided to workin a multi-cultural social work environment. In the broader sense, staff in each socialwork office and/or section should identify the stumbling blocks that communicationhas on their service delivery. Training programmes should be developed forpreparing or ongoing education of the social service delivery system regardingcultural competence. Further research should be undertaken concerning factorssuch as: decreasing stress experienced by social workers towards a diverse clientsystem; the effectiveness of social work programmes in reaching culturalcompetence; and lastly, the effect of social work management on culturallycompetent practice.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University