School-based peer groups have been identified as a popular and effective method of providing health education and psychosocial support in schools. Children in developing countries as well as some of the poorest children in developing countries like South Africa face daily risks related to poverty, street crime and violence, poor health, lack or low-quality housing, inadequate and ineffective schools. These children and their families live in crisis which render them vulnerable. Thus, this study noted that there is an increase in social and emotional challenges and several risk factors for vulnerable learners globally and South Africa is not an exception. The incidence of child vulnerability and psychosocial support services have not been studied thoroughly in South Africa yet it is recognized widely that there is an increase in child stress and depression. Much of the psychosocial support services are provided by children themselves in terms of peer education groups. However, much of the research that is currently available on children relies on the reports of teachers and parents. This study learnt from literature that adults consistently underreport the effectiveness of these peer led groups in schools. Following this, the study took a qualitative approach using multiple case studies of 4 secondary schools with children as part of the participants. Pre-coded research instruments were administered to 4 teacher coordinators, 4 peer leaders, 1 district official and 1 learner support agent supervisor. Documents were also analyzed in the form of minutes of the meetings held, learner support agents report and registers. The study found that shortage of resources such as, counselling rooms, transport, attitudes of teachers and parents towards peer led programs, lack of training and cooperation of parents still hampered the progress of peer led programs. The study therefore concluded that there were still a lot of challenges faced by vulnerable children in schools because they were not accessed by their peers due to lack of resources, training, shortage of time and negative attitudes from adults towards children’s lives attitudes from adults towards children’s lives. The study recommends that peer led groups be part of the large school curriculum with a specific budget to sustain the needs of the peer led groups. The study indicated that there were no networking opportunities amongst peer-led groups due to lack of time, yet this is very important to all successful organizations of a peer group nature. The participants also revealed that peers are better placed if they had counselling rooms, time tabled services, positive attitudes from parents and long-term training on peer counselling.
The main aim of this paper was to investigate the factors affecting the effectiveness of peer leadership training offered to peer leaders to enhance the provision of psychosocial support to vulnerable learners in schools in Amathole West Education District, South Africa. The previous research in other countries have shown that many of these training programmes lacks institutional frameworks that makes it necessary for effective peer leadership training. This Training in peer leadership programmes in schools is noteworthy. A qualitative approach and a case study research design was used to investigate the effectiveness of the orientation training given to peer leaders in schools. Semi-structured interviews were used as the main data collection tools. Four secondary schools were purposively selected. A sample size of 26 participants comprising of 4 LO teachers, 4 School Principals, 16 peer leaders, 1 District Official and 1 Learner Support Agent was used. Data was analysed using a thematic approach. The major findings revealed that the training programme for peer leaders was flawed and inadequate to cover the psychosocial support curriculum. The study concluded that the current training for peer leaders was weak and did not produce competent peer leaders. The study recommended that peer leaders should continuously be given training in different aspects of psychosocial support provision throughout the year and LSAs and LO teachers should be offered separate training as coordinators of school programmes. Lastly, peer leadership training curriculum should be reviewed to match the ongoing social transformation in schools and the programme should be allocated with a functional budget.
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