Penderis, Kirsten (2014-04)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Considering the growing poverty and unemployment in South Africa, there is clearly an urgent need for development, particularly among the historically disadvantaged communities where the level of inequality is the highest. Sport has been viewed by a number of scholars as a possible vehicle for developing communities. In this regard, involvement in sport and exercise has been linked to psychological wellbeing, capacity building and skills development among adolescents, which leads to the empowerment of individuals. This study investigates the functioning of a Sport Development Academy, which uses canoeing as a mechanism to improve the quality of lives of people living in a rural community in The Valley of a Thousand Hills in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This qualitative investigation targeted a group of seven young men, between the ages of nineteen and twenty-nine years old, who were interviewed in order to examine their lived experiences as a result of participating in the Academy and the extent to which the Academy impacted positively on their lives. The Positive Youth Development Paradigm, Bronfenbrenner’s Eco-Systems Theory and the Athlete-Coach relationship view, was used as a lens through which the research findings were examined. The Athletes in the Academy learnt a number of values and skills such as hard work, determination and respect. They became involved in pro-social behaviors as opposed to anti-social behaviors due to their participation in the sport development programme. This participation resulted in the gaining of social capital which can lead to upward social mobility. The capacity of these athletes has also been improved. These above factors improve the psychological wellbeing of the individuals and equip them with essential values and skills that make them more employable. The research findings suggest that the involvement of the seven young men in the Academy produced a number of positive impacts. Therefore, the results of the research indicate that sport can be used, to a certain extent, as a vehicle through which development can occur.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Groeiende armoede en werkloosheid in Suid-Afrika dui dat daar duidelik 'n dringende behoefte vir ontwikkeling, veral onder die voorheen-benadeelde gemeenskappe is waar die vlak van ongelykheid die hoogste is. Sommige navorsers sien sport as 'n moontlike voertuig vir die ontwikkeling van hierdie gemeenskappe. In hierdie verband word betrokkenheid in sport en oefening gekoppel aan sielkundige welstand, kapasiteitsbou en die ontwikkeling van vaardighede onder tieners wat lei tot die bemagtiging van individue. Hierdie studie ondersoek die funksionering van 'n sportakademie wat gebruik maak van die sport kanovaart as 'n meganisme om die gehalte van die lewens van mense te verbeter wat woon in die landelike gemeenskap van die Vallei van 'n Duisend Heuwels in Kwa -Zulu Natal. Hierdie kwalitatiewe ondersoek van 'n groep van sewe jong mans, tussen die ouderdomme van negentien en nege-en-twintig jaar oud, het bestaan uit onderhoude wat gevoer is om hul ondervindinge te ondersoek as 'n gevolg van hul deelname aan die Akademie en die mate waarin dit ‘n positiewe impak op hul lewens gehad het. Die Positiewe Jeugontwikkeling Paradigma, Bronfenbrenner se Ekosisteemtoerie en die atleet - afrigter verhouding is gebruik as 'n lens waardeur die bevindinge ondersoek is. Die atlete in die Akademie het 'n aantal waardes en vaardighede aangeleer soos harde werk, deursettingsvermoë en respek. Hulle het betrokke geraak in pro-sosiale gedrag in teenstelling met anti-sosiale gedrag as gevolg van hul deelname in die ontwikkelingsprogram. Dit het gelei tot die toename van hul sosiale kapitaal wat gelei het tot groter sosiale mobiliteit. Die kapasiteit van hierdie atlete is ook verbeter. Die bogenoemde faktore het gelei tot die verbetering van hul sielkundige welstand en om hulle toe te rus met noodsaaklike waardes en vaardighede om hulle meer geskik te maak vir toekomstige loopbane. Die navorsing dui verder daarop dat die betrokkenheid van die sewe jong mans in die Akademie 'n aantal positiewe invloede tot gevolg het. Die resultate van die navorsing dui dus daarop dat sport tot ‘n sekere mate gebruik kan word as 'n middel waardeur ontwikkeling kan plaasvind.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/86622
Masters Degrees (Psychology)385