An evaluation of the influence of an HIV/AIDS peer education programme at a higher education institution in the Western Cape

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is now in its eighteenth year of democracy. However, a major problem that we arefacing is the scourge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic throughout Africa, with the most seriouslyaffected areas being in Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite a National Strategic Plan (NSP) forHIV/AIDS, government authorities have been unable to stem the tide of daily HIV infectionsamongst all people.Education seems to be one of the most powerful weapons to fight this pandemic; hence it isexpected of HEIs to respond to this problem in a meaningful manner in order to stem the tide ofthe HIV/AIDS pandemic on all university campuses. HEAIDS took the initiative to bring allrole players in HEIs together to devise plans for how to deal with the pandemic at HEIs.Despite the fact that 22 out of the 23 higher education institutions surveyed by HEAIDS in 2008were engaged in peer education training programmes, none of them monitored or evaluatedthese programmes. The aim of this study is to evaluate and establish the influence of a peereducation programme amongst students at a selected HEI in the Western Cape. An evaluationresearch design was employed, using a mixed methods approach to collect data. A Logic Modelwas developed which assisted me with the evaluation design. I used Bandura's social cognitivetheory (SCT) to assist me with the analysis and interpretation of the data. The study attempted tounderstand the key issues involved in the peer education programme, challenges faced by staffin the implementation of these programmes, how peer educators experienced the trainingprogrammes, as well as the experiences of other students who interacted with the peer educators.The quantitative data revealed that more work needs to be done with regard to behaviour changeamongst peer educators. However, in this study, the qualitative data showed that peer educatorsneed to develop more skills to empower themselves to facilitate workshops and to enhance theircommunication skills.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University