Maatskaplike werkers se funksionering as bestuurders van geloofsgebaseerde organisasies

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the earliest times the church or faith communities had been involved in charity work and as a result of the increasing social problems, demands and challenges that the church was confronted with, faith-based organisations such as the Diaconal Services within the context of the URCSA (Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa) and Religious Social Services within the context of the DRC (Dutch Reformed Church) came into existence. These organisations serve as the compassionate components of the faith-based communities and they emerged as a result of the belief that it is important for the church to address the needs of the communities in which it is based. Faith-based organisations are confronted with many challenges and it is important that these organisations are managed effectively to cope with the current challenges.Faith-based organisations as welfare organisations form part of the so called third sector organisations or non profit organisations and various authors (Lewis, 2007; Goel and Kumar, 2004; Keys and Ginsberg, 1988) also confirm the importance of the management element in respect of these organisations. Weinbach (2008:3) also emphasises that the emergence of recent changes regarding service delivery to people, suggests that there is a need for greater focus on the issue of management within welfare organisations as well as for the study of relevant theory.Social workers can play an effective management role within any organisation, including a faith-based organisation. Managers need to have a variety of skills in order to perform management functions or tasks effectively. A social worker as part of the management team of a faith-based organisation needs to have the necessary management skills to ensure effective management.The aim of the study is to develop an understanding of the management skills that social workers need to have as managers of faith-based organisations. A qualitative as well as a quantitative approach was used in this study. Elements of a qualitative approach were employed to develop a better understanding of a strange or complex situation and therefore the study is also explorative in nature (Leedy and Ormond, 2005:94-95; Struwig and Stead, 2002:12, 19; Mouton and Marais, 1990:45). Furthermore the study was also descriptive in nature. Mouton en Marais (1990:47) are of the opinion that the most important consideration with regard to descriptive studies is the gathering of accurate information or data.After completion of the literature study, empirical research was undertaken with the aim to develop a better understanding of the functioning of the social worker as manager within a faith-based organisation. The statistical population of this study is the social work managers who operate within faith-based organisations and especially within the Religious Social Services and Dutch Reformed Welfare in the Northern Cape and Dutch Reformed Welfare in North-West and Gauteng. Deliberate selection classified as non-probability test sampling was used (Struwig and Stead, 2001:124; Blaxter Hughes and Tight, 2001:163; Huysamen, 1993:46). According to Singleton et al (1988) in De Vos (1988:198-199), a purposeful test sample depend totally on the judgement of the researcher. The researcher was able to select participants who complied with the criteria of inclusion.A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of open and closed questions was compiled after the completion of the literature study and the self-administrated questionnaires were distributed to the respondents to complete. Twenty respondents participated in the empirical study.The results of the empirical research were used as a basis for the conclusions and the recommendations that were made. The results of the study show that faith-based organisations as non profit organisations register and adhere to the regulations and requirements of the Nonprofit Organizations Act, 71 of 1997. The latter ensures that faith-based organisations have an equal change with other non profit organisations for funding from government as well as other national and international donors. It is evident from the research that social work managers need to have a variety of management skills and have to perform certain management functions in order to ensure effective management of faith-based organisations. It is also evident that social work managers are not formally trained as managers.The outcome of the study can be used by management boards of faith-based, as well as non governmental organisations to appoint social work managers as well as for performance appraisals of social work managers. It can also be used by current social work managers with regard to the management skills that social workers as managers of faith-based organisations need for effective functioning as managers.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University