Articulation Possibilities for Community Development Workers
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2015 CENTRE FOR INTEGRATED POST SCHOOL EDUCATION AND TRAINING Ivor Baatjes and Sheri Hamilton, with Lucky Maluleke, Anthony Sibiya & Sonya Leurquain-Steyn Articulation Possibilities for Community Development Workers [A final report prepared for the South African Qualifications Authority.] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................... 4 Part One: Introduction and background .................................................................................................... 6 Part 2: Research design ........................................................................................................................ 8 2.1 Desktop review ........................................................................................................................8 2.2 Case study ................................................................................................................................8 2.3 Focus groups ............................................................................................................................8 2.4 Interviews ................................................................................................................................9 2.5 Limitations and constraints .......................................................................................................9 Part 3 - Literature review and data ......................................................................................................... 10 3.1 The meaning of ‘community’ and ‘development’ .................................................................... 10 3.2 The meaning of ‘Community Development’ ........................................................................... 12 3.3 History of community development in Africa and South Africa .............................................. 14 3.4 Community development in the current South African context ................................................ 16 3.5 Unemployment and community development ......................................................................... 17 3.6 Community development qualifications and programmes ....................................................... 21 3.7 Articulation possibilities for pathways in community development ......................................... 29 3.8 Articulation, help and hindrances ............................................................................................ 37 3.9 Recognition of Prior Learning ................................................................................................ 41 3.10 Professionalisation of Community Development Work ........................................................... 43 3.11 Recognising a Professional Body ............................................................................................ 47 Part 4: Career Paths for Community Development Workers: A Case Study ........................................ 49 Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 62 Part 5: Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 63 Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 65 Appendix A: Biographical Details of CLO/CDWs ............................................................................. 70 Appendix B: Names of Informants...................................................................................................... 71 Appendix C: Interview Schedule ......................................................................................................... 72 Articulation possibilities for Community Development Workers Page 2 Appendix D: Qualifications Analysis .................................................................................................. 74 Appendix E: Comparing Qualifications: Outcomes ......................................................................... 121 Appendix F: Comparing Qualifications: Entry requirements, focus, content and modules ........... 139 Appendix G: Engagement Entities at NMMU .................................................................................. 230 Appendix H: Offerings at NMMU .................................................................................................... 235 Articulation possibilities for Community Development Workers Page 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This research report provides a discussion about articulation possibilities between the Bachelor of Community Development (BComDev) and other related qualifications offered by higher education institutions in South Africa. The need to explore articulation possibilities is significant because it forms part of broader debates related to the professionalization of Community Development (CD); the development of appropriate Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy (inclusive of career advice services); understanding articulation models and barriers to articulation and the development of a qualification matrix which indicates articulation routes. Community development is a broad and multidisciplinary field of practice that covers different theoretical/philosophical positions and practices which are rooted in the everyday realities and lived experiences of people. Together with community education and community action, it now includes many practices such as social work, youth work, local economic development, community psychology, childcare, health education, adult education and many more. In the South African context, these practices play important roles in responding to the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment. Given these challenges, the role of community development workers/practitioners in developing knowledge and reflective practices are regarded as an important vehicle to social transformation. The provision of a variety of formal and non-formal programmes for community development workers has been a focus of government policy, programmes and strategies and these, collectively, contribute to support a relatively new and under-resourced field of practice. To date, through joint partnerships between the state, civil society and the private sector, thousands of community development workers have been trained, but formal employment for most remains precarious. Despite this, community development as a profession remains an important part of the process of deepening and widening knowledge for building CD. This research project contributes to the importance of expanding CD as a practice and suggests the need for the development of academic programmes that strengthen and enhance this multidisciplinary field. CD is regarded as imperative to an intellectual project and praxis concerned with the empowerment and active participation of communities in addressing the prevailing socio-economic problems. In exploring articulation routes1 for community development practitioners, this research report commences with an examination of how scholars have conceptualized CD as a multidisciplinary field. This is important because it draws attention to different understandings, philosophies and traditions of CD, which in turn, influence the thinking of curriculum developers, quality assurance authorities and policy makers about the delineation of this field/profession, as well as the conceptualization of academic programmes, qualifications and articulation routes. Moreover, these differences impact on the possibilities and potential 1Articulation according to SAQA, 2000 ‘provide[s] for learners, on successful completion of accredited prerequisites, to move between components of the delivery system’. It is ‘the systematic coordination of course and/or program content within and between educational institutions to facilitate the continuous and efficient progress of students from grade to grade, school to school, and from school to the working world’(www.education.com). Articulation possibilities for Community Development Workers Page 4 epistemological barriers which manifest themselves during the articulation process. Scholarship in this area demonstrates the complexity of CD and its implications for building qualification progression systems. This report includes the variety of CD programmes that currently exist at a number of public higher education institutions in South Africa. The data shows that there are a number of distinct programme offerings with specific reference to, and focus on, CD. These qualification programmes range from diploma programmes to post-graduate programmes and reflect the diversity of CD. They include programmes related to Early Childhood Development, Health Studies, Agriculture, Community Psychology, Community Economics, Social Work, Community Safety and Law and Adult and Community Education. Furthermore, a number of other academic programmes not directly related to CD are available which offer potential articulation and progression routes. As this report will show, some of the diploma and first degree programmes could potentially articulate with those currently offered at the Further Education and Training (FET) level. However, more detailed curriculum analysis would be required to confirm whether articulation is possible. Given these broad offerings, the report uses a case study of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University