Journal of Social Development in Africa (2000), 15,1,27-48 
Imbali Guidance Project: Facilitating 
Development among Guidance Educators 
in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa 
SONJA GOEDEKE* 
ABSTRACT 
A project to assist guidance educators in developing their skills, resources and 
confidence in providing a mental health service to the learners in their schools, 
was set up as part of a wider school-based reform initiative. The project was 
structured according to the principles of community psychology: community 
collaboration and participation, empowerment, a needs-based approach, cultural 
sensitivity, a preventative/health promotion emphasis, and an awareness of the 
context in which individuals live and the macro system issues that may influence 
their everyday lives. Teachers reported feeling empowered both personally and 
professionally by the project, and that the service delivery to learners had 
improved. The experiences in this project affirmed the role of psychology in 
serving under-resourced and disadvantaged communities, and the value of a 
community psychology orientation in S outh Africa. Although the project enjoyed 
success in the short-term and adhered to many of the practices espoused by 
community psychology, the failure of the project to more fully address the socioeconomic 
and political context creates uncertainty whether the positive benefit of 
the project can be sustained. Long-term follow-up will be needed to adequately 
assess this. 
Background: The South African Context 
The 1990s have been a period of enormous change for South Africa, with the 
country's first democratic elections being held in 1994. Since 1994, the government 
has embarked on a process of transformation seeking to redress the injustices 
of the past, and to address pressing social and economic needs. From the outset, 
education has constituted one of the government's key development strategies 
(Ndhlovu, Wedekind & Goedekc 1997). Under the apartheid government, the 
•Lecturer at the Department of Educational Psychology, c/o Ms Jaqui Akhurst, University 
of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa.
28 Sonja Goedeke 
education system was characterised by division, discrimination and disorganisation. 
Educational planning and management was vested in seventeen education 
departments, separated from one another on racial or so-called ethnic or cultural 
lines (Christie 1991). The status quo was one that Kriegler and Farman (1994) 
describe as "special education" for whites, implying that resources and services 
were abundant in the traditionally white schools and virtually non-existent for 
pupils of other races, particularly black learners. 
Since 1991, however, education has begun the slow process of reconstruction 
and transformation. Racially segregated schools have been removed, efforts are 
in place to eliminate prejudice and discrimination, and there have been major 
developments at the level of policy on curriculum and governance. These attempts 
have, however, been seriously impeded by the lack of resources needed to address 
the phenomenal backlog in basic infrastructure. Thus while teachers and schools 
have been expected to change discipline strategies (corporal punishment was 
abolished in 1996), management styles, assessment techniques, and begin implementing 
the new pedagogic styles associated with Outcomes Base Education 
(OBE), there has been no significant change in their basic working conditions. In 
fact, teachers have been expected to function without textbooks (as these haven't 
been printed yet). There has been extensive redeployment, as well as early 
etirements, meaning that job security itself has now become an issue. So to 
summarise, while the 1990s have seen extraordinary social and political change in 
outh Africa, this has generally translated into increased levels of stress for the 
teachers and school managers on the ground (Ndhlovu, Wcdekind and Goedeke 
997). 
This stress has been compounded by the range of emotional, behavioural and 
social problems that learners may present within the classroom. Although it is 
difficult, for a number of reasons, to specify the incidence and prevalence of child 
psychopathology in South Africa, the conditions of poverty, violence and insti- 
:utionalised racism that existed in this country, place children at high risk for the 
levclopment of psychological disorder (Robertson & Berger, in Dawes & Donald 
994). There is a lack of resources and staff to provide professional assistance to 
Lhesc children, and in most instances, teachers simply have to manage as best they 
;an. 
he School-Based Reform Initiative 
an attempt to positively engage with the challenges inherent in the above 
ccnano.the School-Based Reform Initiative was setup as a joint venture between 
i ve township schools in KwaZulu Natal, the provincial education authorities the
Imbali Guidance Project 29 
local university's education department, the teacher training college, the local 
business community and various non-governmental organisations. Instead of 
attempting to intervene and bring about change in a pre-specified direction, the 
School-Based Reform Initiative (SBRI) emphasised processes which enable 
schools to begin to manage their own change. The project included aspects of 
school development such as: school governance and management, development 
planning, capacity-building for the school development committees, curriculum 
development, and community involvement (Ndhlovu, Wedckind & Goedeke 
1997). The aim was to bring about whole school development. 
A group of five secondary township schools within a specific geographic area 
formed the site of the SBRI project. Due to their geographic proximity, all the 
schools deal largely with the same socio-economic conditions, face similar 
problems with regard to community relations and make use of the same basic 
infrastructure (Ndhlovu, Wedckind & Goedeke 1997). 
Background to Guidance Project 
As the SBRI project unfolded, teachers responsible for guidance and counselling 
in the five schools approached the university's education department. These 
teachers were concerned about the perceived large numbers of learners in need of 
psychological assistance. They described problems ranging from substance 
abuse, violence, relationship difficulties, physical and sexual abuse to learning 
problems. Most of the teachers felt that they were unable to cope with these 
problems, and needed to refer to professional expertise. One teacher expressed the 
belief that 20% of the learners in her school had a "problem" that she felt unable 
to address. In response to these concerns, the education department approached 
the university's department of educational psychology and child and family 
centre towards the end of 1996. 
Initial meetings between the university's representative and the teachers 
revealed the need for intervention of a more systemic nature. The university's 
resources would have been insufficient to deal with the large numbers of learners 
that the teachers perceived to be in need of psychological assistance. Teachers and 
university representatives together identified the reasons for the perceived need 
for assistance. Reasons identified included a perceived lack of skills and training, 
a lack of confidence, and a lack of access to resources. It was decided to attempt 
to address these needs by developing the Imbali Guidance Teacher Support 
Programme. The programme aimed to develop resources, skills, training and 
educational practices in the field of guidance. Unlike previous programmes that 
had been attempted in schools, the programme was developed and directed by the
50 Sonja Goedeke 
teachers themselves. Teachers identified needs and together with a university 
Facilitator identified possible solutions. In such a way, the guidance team (later 
renamed the pastoral care team) was formed. 
Reason for the University of Natal Involvement: A Community 
'sychology Orientation 
?or the university's psychology staff, this project provided a unique opportunity 
a "take psychology out of the consulting room and into the community" (Orford 
992) and to address some of the criticism levelled at the profession, practice and 
hcory of psychology in recent years. 
Frustration has been expressed, for example, about the traditional form of 
icrvice delivery, which has tended to be highly individualistic. Psychology, it is 
;laimed, has focused on "blaming" the individual and seeking to change the 
ndi vidual in some or other way, with little awareness of the client's context and 
he impact of social influences upon the client (Foster & Louw-Potgieter 1991). 
^urthcrmore, it has been based largely on the medical model and has thus 
rcquently been pathology orientated, retroactive and curative in nature, rather 
nan proactive and health-promoting. (Daniels 1994). 
Questions have been asked about the relevance, and appropriateness of 
)sychological interventions. This is particularly true of psychology in South 
\frica, where, especially in recent years (1980s and 1990s), psychology has been 
iescribed as in a state of crisis, and as "probably the most useless endeavour in 
raciety today" (Holdstock 1981:123). In South Africa, traditional service delivery 
las been largely elitist in terms of its client base. Existing mental health services 
lave been geared predominantly towards a small, white, middle class client base 
vho can afford psychologists' fees (Bassa & Schlebusch 1984, Dawes 1985, 
rfanganyi & Louw 1986, Swartz, Dowdall & Swartz 1986, Lazarus 1988). 
'urthermore, the past tendency has been to select students mainly from the white 
niddle class. Trainees have not received training that prepares them to deal with 
vork in the community, and, owing to the small number of psychologists relative 
o the population, have little hope of reaching all those in need of services. Daniels 
1994) sees problems concerning who has been trained, in the numbers that have 
>een trained, and the client base for whom students have been trained. 
Psychology has emphasised Euro-American theories. There have been insuficient 
multicultural emphases in theory and practice, and insufficient undertanding 
of the issues facing communities and the relationship between mental 
eallh and environmental stressors. (Bergcr & Lazarus 1987). Traditional psyhology 
has failed to adequately acknowledge that many South Africans, albeit
hnbali Guidance Project 31 
in an unsophisticated inarticulate form, sec their mental health as inextricably 
linked to the political reality with which they have been forced to live (Daniels 
1994). Thousands of South Africans have been victims of violence, oppression, 
prejudice, abuse and neglect, but these issues have remained largely unaddrcssed. 
In the past, psychology tended to remain silent about the evils of apartheid (Foster 
& Louw-Potgieter 1991). For a field of practice and research that claims to be 
concerned with mental health, this past (and some would argue, current) failure 
to acknowledge the influence of macro systems on the psychological health of the 
vast majority of the population has been quite ironic. Lazarus (1988) argues that 
psychology is not, as many would like to believe, value free. Daniels (1994) 
argues that we need a theory and practice that overtly takes into account the 
influence of our past and present sociopolitical context. South African health and 
social services need to be transformed into a non-racial, equitable, cost-effective 
system which emphasises primary health care and community needs, and is 
relevant to the people it hopes to serve. 
University staff felt that this project would provide a unique opportunity to try 
to develop a mode of psychological service delivery that catered for more than just 
an individual, considered the context of the clients, strove towards wellncss and 
health promotion, served the majority rather than theminority, and helped address 
the social and emotional problems resulting from South Africa's chequered past. 
University staff hoped to assess to what extent the model adopted would be an 
appropriate community intervention model. The model constituted a shift in the 
service delivery of educational psychology: away from individualised work to 
systemic intervention and consultative roles. Finally, the project also aimed to 
provide training opportunities for teachers in training, masters students and 
interns, and staff members; in what was hoped to be alternative approaches to 
psychological service delivery. 
The model adopted by university staff for this project was one based on 
community psychology principles. Community psychology has been seen by 
many as providing a form of practice and theory from which to address the 
problems outlined above (Lazarus 1988,Pcrkcl 1988). Community psychology is 
overtly value-based or partisan (Rappaport 1977). Community psychology emphasises 
an understanding of the individual as part of a context; prevention and 
health promotion rather than treatment or remediation; competency, empowerment 
and social action, rather than pathology; citizen participation and consultation 
rather than unequal power relationships. Community psychologists generally 
work in the community, together with the community. Thus the assumptions 
about the causes of problems are different, and the levels of analysis arc broader. 
In contrast to customary models of service delivery, the approach to planning 
services is more proactive and the attitude towards "sharing" psychology and
32 Sortja Goedeke 
working with non-professionals is positive (Orford 1992). Locating the practice 
as close as possible to people's everyday context is attempted. Thus community 
psychology has not just tried to take psychology out of the consulting room and 
into the community, but it has sought alternative forms of practice, rooted in 
Utcrnativc theories of understanding human behaviour (Orford 1992). As yet, this 
s an emerging discipline, but one which several see as providing some of the 
;olutions to the perceived crisis in psychological theory and practice. 
Community psychology is thus characterised by: 
• An ecological perspective. The emphasis is on understanding the individual 
as part of his/her context. "Blame" is not laid upon the individual, 
rather his or her "problem" is seen as as being interdependent upon the 
environment the individual finds him/herself in. 
• A preventative (or health-promoting) stance. 
• An empowerment orientation. In community psychology, there is a shift 
from a pathology framework to a competency framework. Current resources 
and skills are identified and accessed. 
• An openness to professional client collaboration or citizen participation. 
Community psychology strongly encourages self-help and working with 
non-professionals. Facilitation and collaboration are key elements. 
• A commitment to oppressed, socially devalued, disadvantaged, 
. marginalised groups. 
• A social action orientation. Community psychologists attempt to facilitate 
disadvantaged groups to organise themselves. 
• A commitment to addressing social policy issues, i.e., moving beyond 
work with the individual to addressing issues at the macro level that 
influence the psychological well-being of the individual. 
• An action research approach. This approach locates much of the evaluation 
process and reflection on the intervention in the community itself. 
• Self-reflection and critique. 
• An approach acknowledging diversity, i.e., diversity in people, in 
aetiology, in solutions. 
• Cultural relativity: community psychologists acknowledge that western 
frameworks of conceptualising and addressing psychological problems do 
not necessarily apply in contexts other than those in which they were
Imbali Guidance Project 33 
developed. 
• A sense of community, i.e., "A feeling that members have of belonging, 
a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, a shared faith 
that members' needs will be met through their commitment to be together" 
(MacMillan & Chavis, cited in Lazarus 1988:346). Community psychologists 
differ quite considerably here from traditional individually orientated 
psychotherapists in that the boundaries between clicntand professional are 
less clear. Frequently the focus of interventions is the community and 
community processes, rather than individual issues. 
To summarise, community psychology deals with issues of empowerment, 
consultation, social action, a needs-based approach, and accessibility (summarised 
from Daniels 1994, Rappaport 1977, Orford 1992). The community psychologist's 
role, together with the community, is to problcmatise, to raise 
consciousness aboutneeds and thcresourccs to address them. His/her role is to deideologise 
(eg., change views such as "We do not have the skills...we cannot do 
anything about it") and thus to assist the com munity in identi fying and implementing 
solutions to perceived problems. 
In this project, the aim was to assist teachers in identifying the needs in their 
schools, and developing appropriate solutions through interventions, such as 
skills and resource development. The aim was not to work with the learners 
themselves, but rather to empower the teachers (community) to cope with the 
situation they were faced with. This can be seen to constitute a form of mental 
health consultation, where the psychologist docs not meet with the client directly. 
Rather, an attempt is made to influence the intermediaries (teachers) who have 
direct contact with the "clients". Teachers have an ongoing relationship with 
"persons-at-risk", but the work is not exclusively of a mental health nature. Unlike 
direct treatment strategies, mental health counselling provides a basis for modifying 
the socio-psycological environment represented by those in caregiver 
positions. "Mental health counselling with carcgivcrs whose clients are children, 
such as teachers...has the promise of promoting primary prevention to the extent 
that the social environment of children is improved, sources of stress are reduced 
and enhanced coping skills result from the process" (Orford 1992). 
The project also aimed to go beyond mental health counselling to empower the 
teachers by helping them to identify and develop their own resources. A community 
psychology approach was adopted, and it was hoped that the project would 
be characterised by the features and principles outlined above.
34 Sonja Goedeke 
Description of the Programme 
The first few meetings were spent trying to identify needs, establish whatatlempts 
had been made to address these needs and what explanations were given for the 
lack of success. Attempts to uncover available resources were also made. Initially, 
teachers had hoped that they would be able to address their difficulties by referring 
"problem" cases to the university slaff. Discussions led to the realisation that the 
referral system would again take time, that therapists were frequently not fluent 
in the main language of the learners, and that the problem would continue to exist 
as new learners moved into the school. Teachers had a sense that they needed to 
do something, but expressed a lack of confidence in their ability and training. 
Discussions became more focussed and specific areas of need were detailed, 
leading to the development of a training and support programme. It was agreed to 
keep the programme flexible to allow for changes as needs modified or other 
needs were uncovered. 
The initial programme was set up to include: 
• Monthly meetings: serving as opportunities to structure, evaluate and 
revise the programme; provide support for each olhcr, and discuss more 
"difficult" cases. 
• Networking and visits: the team identified various non-governmental 
organisations and educational institutions that could assist or link up with 
the project in some way. These included the University's Child and Family 
Centre, Student Counselling, the council for substance abuse, the local 
branch of Pregnancy Crisis, and individual psychologists. 
• Workshops: The facilitator made enquiries as to what training was 
available on a variety of psycho-social issues by various organisations and 
the local university. Teachers then selected those they felt related to their 
areas of need. A seven session basic counselling skills course was followed 
by shorter workshops in asscrtivencss training, conflict resolution, leadership 
skills, stress management, study skills, coping with exams, problemsolving, 
decision-making, and interviewing skills. 
The initial programme was altered and added to as the teachers became aware of 
more specific areas of need. 
• For example, on completion of the basic counselling skills course, 
teachers identified specific areas that they felt needed to be addressed to 
a greater extent. In response to these needs, the teachers signed up for a 
un.vcrs.ty course in Problems of Childhood and Adolescence, covering
Imbali Guidance Project 35 
areas such as: child abuse, disruptive behaviours, HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, 
violence and post-traumatic stress. 
• As teachers became more confident that they could work with children 
presenting with such problems, they also began to question how they could 
help prevent some of these problems. This lead to workshops in which 
teachers developed resources to use in psycho education lessons with their 
learners. Teachers also linked up with other agencies and the university's 
teachers in training, to build on their resources. The emphasis in the project 
thus started moving away from developing their own skills and resources, 
to how these could be shared with the learners. The emphasis moved away 
, from a pathology orientation, to a desire to cover topics of a health 
promotion nature. 
• In their planning and development of the above, teachers came to realise 
that much time and effort would be saved if they coordinated their teaching 
timetables and shared their resources. From this, a syllabus for the 
following year was drawn up. 
• As teachers tried to clarify for themselves what their roles in the schools 
were, it emerged that teachers felt that their role was frequently misunderstood 
or undermined by other staff members. This lead to the development 
of a pamphlet outlining the role of the guidance teacher-educator and the 
principles according to which they work. It was posted on staff notice 
boards, individual class notice boards, and in some cases, formed part of 
school newsletters. 
• Teachers began collectively organising workshops for their learners 
around areas of concern. Local agencies presented workshops on teenage 
pregnancy and abortion, HIV and AIDS, substance abuse, to name but a 
few. 
• In the project's second year of existence, teachers began to focus more 
and more on the learners. A winter school was set up, allowing learners to 
attend classes in subject areas in which they experienced difficulty. A 
Careers' Day was planned, offering information about various careers and 
routes of entry. A project assisting learners who struggled academically 
was planned: this was to involve the educating of learners in practical skills 
such as plumbing, carpentry and so on. This was one project which did not 
materialise and will be discussed later. 
• In its second year, teachers began to think about sharing what they had 
learned with other staff. Discussions were held about the possibility of the
36 Sonja Goedeke 
team working with management and staff to develop leadership and 
communication skills and create an awareness of a range of psychosocial 
issues. This aspect of the project has not yet been fully developed. 
Evaluation of the Programme 
Data collection 
Data was collected from anumber of sources: extensive field notes and reflections 
on the process, diaries kept by the teachers themselves about the project, notes of 
comments and observations made by outsiders or workshop presenters on their 
impressions of the project, and interviews conducted by an independent interviewer 
with each of the participants. 
Initially the intention was to use action research as one of the primary means 
of collecting data. It was envisaged that teachers would reflect on the project and 
their experiences by keeping detailed diaries throughout the project. This method 
appeared to fit well with the principles adopted in the project; specifically, the 
principle of making teachers full participants in the whole process of the project, 
from the planning and implementation, as well as the evaluation of the project. 
Although some use was made of this method, it was not as successful a method 
of collecting data as envisaged. English was a second language for all of the 
participants, and it was perhaps unrealistic to expect them to be totally at ease with 
writing in English. 
In fact, one teacher mentioned that she was embarrassed to hand in her diary, 
because then people will see all my mistakes". Several teachers expressed that 
they felt more comfortable talking to someone about the project, rather than trying 
to put their words down on paper. In the analysis of the data, the interviews 
revealed richer, more detailed information and reflections. Interviews were 
relatively open-ended, and conducted by an independent researcher, who had 
little knowledge of the project and had not met the teachers before. Teachers were 
isked what their experience had been of the project, giving reasons and examples, 
rhey were also asked to reflect on the future. 
Data analysis and results 
rhe data from transcribed interviews, diaries, and field notes were content 
malysed for meaning units, which were then categorised into broad theme areas, 
rhese are discussed below.
Imbali Guidance Project 37 
Value judgments about the project as a whole 
The teachers were unanimous in expressing the belief that the project had been 
successful and worthwhile, and that they had bencfittcd from the project, both 
personally and professionally. This is reflected in comments such as: "It's good 
to be part of a winning team. It's a project that has taken off." 
Things that made the project work 
In response to the above, teachers were asked to explain what they thought had 
made the project a success. Comments highlighted their appreciation of the style 
of facilitation that was adopted. They described the facilitator as open, as treating 
them with respect and not dictating to them. Teachers seemed to place a great deal 
of value on being "allowed" to express their own views. This is nicely indicated 
in comments such as: 
"I had the opportunity to add and even object to some of the issues discussed". 
"For the first time we were asked what were our needs, where do we fall short 
of rendering effective service, from Lhcrc the university pointed out where it can 
help". 
"You know, coming from a legacy of apartheid, coming from a legacy where 
we arc normally wailing for somebody to take control and to receive instructions 
and follow those instructions... when the project came it said to us, we'll do what 
you think is right. For the first time the project provided us with an opportunity 
for us to say what we think. It's our need. We had people who were willing to listen 
to our needs. People who were willing to say OK, these are the needs, what is the 
way forward. We will help you along. For the first time. Nothing like that has ever 
happened to us." 
The facilitator had hoped to avoid casting herself in the role of the expert, but 
to communicate to the teachers that they themselves had the resources to address 
the problems they were faced with. This appears to have been well received: "She 
has a belief that the people she is working with can do it. In many ways she portrays 
this feeling to us, that we can do it, and because of that feeling we are prepared to 
try harder." 
The facilitator also tried to be sensitive to cultural differences. This was picked 
up by the teachers: "I do not think many, especially 'while guys' could have 
understood, could have a willingness to know about us and our culture...". 
"Working with our coordinator, it was the first time to work with a white 
person. Previously I thought white people, ughh. But she is a good listener and 
takes each and everybody's point of view seriously. And you could feel in the 
discussion that your point had been taken and acknowledged, even if you talked 
nonsense. She doesn't say this, she acknowledges it and makes you feel that
58 Sonja Goedeke 
whatever you say it's OK because it's what you thought It's OK even if you are 
wrong... and if it's wrong then accept it". 
The feeling of being supported, of having others to share with, was described 
as an important factor in explaining the project's success. The teachers valued the 
atmosphere of mutual respect that developed, the opportunity to collectively plan 
and make decisions about issues affecting them. A gap appeared to have been 
filled for the teachers. Most of the teachers had operated on their own as guidance 
teachers in their respective schools, in spite of being situated close to one another. 
Previously there were few opportunities to consult with other colleagues to 
discuss ideas and give support. Several of the teachers felt that their work was 
misunderstood by other teachers and management in the school. This project 
afforded them with the opportunity to work with others, sharing common needs 
and goals. "You get a feeling that it's OK to say what you think and other members 
will listen and a decision will be collectively taken". 
"You feel part of the team in every respect". 
"It's working with people that's number one. People who arc also inclined, who 
share the same ideas and also other people's skills". 
"We've had meetings together and decisions were taken together. That's really 
the thing, everyone's idea was discussed and put to the test and we'd all 
understand what was happening". 
"We are able to share things happening, share our problems and success 
together." 
A sense of cohesiveness developed in the group as the project unfolded and 
teachers got to know each other. Personal relationships were formed, and teachers 
began phoning and visiting each other independently of the project. Birthdays, 
important occasions were noted and remembered. Social get-togethers were 
organised to mark important milestones in the project. "We have times of 
happiness...we share experiences for the benefit of all." This group process 
appears to have been a key aspect to the project's continuing success. One teacher 
described the group's unity as being: "the chord that keeps us together". 
Teachers also expressed satisfaction that the project had been developed by 
them, based on what their perceptions of their needs were. There was a sense of 
ownership of the project. This is reflected in comments such as: 
"Many organisations, they come to us and say: let's work in partnership. And 
we think, eh nc.They come here and they tell us what to do and what we need... 
but this was different. Here we said, we're working in this SBRI as Guidance 
Teachers, we want help... and they came here and said, here we are. What can we 
help with, how can we help? We've decided the direction of this whole project 
ourselves. It's the first time that I have been part of a project that is not driving me 
to the left and to the right; it's worked out by us. We've decided what goes into
Imbali Guidance Project 39 
it and what we need. You guys have just been filling in the gaps... and that's why 
I am here." 
The fact that the facilitator tried to help the teachers uncover their own existing 
resources was appreciated and worked successfully. "We were able to work with 
the skills and tools that we already have." Interestingly enough, little mention was 
made of the value of the actual content, for example, of workshops in accounting 
for the project's perceived success. Clearly the process was more important than 
the content itself. 
Teachers' comments on the effects of the project were divided into three areas: 
personal effects, professional effects and the effects on the school as a whole. 
Personal 
Teachers described feelings of empowerment as a result of the project. They 
referred to gains in self-confidence, the ability to assert themselves, the ability to 
put ideas into action, feeling more motivated. Two of the five teachers commented 
that through their experience on the project they had felt able to stand for their 
school's management team, and been successful. They reported feelings of being 
able to make a difference and effect changes. Feelings of helplessness and burnout 
appear to have dissipated. "The project gave us the initiative power. We all have 
goals up in our minds, but the biggest problem is where to start and how to go 
about"; "... sometimes you sec all these things and then you just sit back and do 
nothing... you burnout in a way... and you see, this has changed now"; "The project 
was like... it opened us and said to us the sky is the limit. It opened avenues that 
we never thought you know, I as a neglected child, can actually do such a thing." 
Professional 
These personal effects appear to have spil led over into the professional lives of the 
teachers. All teachers commented that they felt that their experiences on the 
project had helped them in their dealings with the learners in their classes. They 
felt more easily able to understand and assist them, reported increased attendance 
figures at their lessons and in their consultation times, and more respect from the 
learners. Several teachers expressed excitement at seeing the effects of the skills 
and practices they had learned. "For me it was like YES!... Do you know what it 
feels to see learners doing the 'right' things and knowing that you have contributed 
towards their success? There is nothing as fulfilling as that... It was this kind of 
joy that actually pulled me to the whole Imbali Guidance Project." This type of 
feedback contributed to teachers' continued involvement and commitment to the 
project. Teachers fell that they had learned something: "We always come out 
having learned something. Otherwise we wouldn't have attended because we
40 Sonja Goedeke 
don't get paid for this... but this is a self-development thing." 
Teachers used their newly developed skills not only in the context of guidance, 
but also in the school as a whole, with colleagues, management, as well as at home 
and in their personal relationships. Again, the positive feedback they received 
motivated them further. "You know and this is something I now am just trying 
with my class...we had this thing of, no, wrong answer, bad. Now you say, OK, 
what are others thinking of this? We don't damage each other's confidence 
anymore. So it helped with good techniques with working with others. Even in 
meetings in our school and even with my child." 
School 
The Guidance Support Project formed part of a wider reform initiative implemented 
in the five schools: The School-Based Reform Initiative. At the time that 
the guidance project was set up, several other projects had already been initiated, 
but appeared to be making slow progress. The guidance team organised themselves 
quickly, and involved themselves in several visible projects. Guidance 
projects, aiming to benefit the psychological and social health of the learners, by 
their very definition involved and had to be made known to all in the school. 
Collaboration, cooperation and agreement had to be sought, and so the team 
became visible. Some of the team members experienced this positively, and 
received feedback from colleagues and management that motivated them to work 
even harder. Others reported feeling that there was a level of resistance and 
resentment towards the team, "for moving too fast and showing them up." One 
teacher commented: "Sometimes I think we scare other people." Several teachers 
expressed disappointment that the project had not as yet been extended to other 
staff in their schools. 
Future 
Team members expressed positive views of the future of ihe project. The 
facilitator resigned from her post at the university, and thus had to start gradually 
withdrawing herself from the project. This meant that ultimately, the team would 
be "on their own", with the university facilitator not being available. Team 
members responded with sadness at the facilitator's departure, but were also 
positive about their ability to take the project further. "Well it will survive but it 
will be different." 
"It helps to know that we will survive because we're accomplished now. I think 
it will survive"; "We ha»-; learnt skills of organising and planning and I feel 
confident that the group can move forward." 
"She is not a selfish person. She knew she would not always be with us. She let
Imbali Guidance Project 41 
us do things on our own and she went through them slowly. And right now we are 
moving forward without her and still we are moving forward. Yes there is a gap 
without her but we are still doing... Now I can see she's no longer with us and it's 
not that painful. Maybe it would have been worse if she'd just stopped suddenly 
but she did it slowly and I am kind of getting used to not seeing her and having her 
around for decision-making." 
Some team members commented that continuous support was not essential, but 
that it would be reassuring to have some 'backup'. "We can do things by ourselves 
but it would be nice to have someone to consult wilh." 
Also positive to note was that team members had several ideas about projects 
they wanted to implement in the future. They also expressed the belief that they 
had the ability to achieve these. "Now we look forward and say, what else can we 
do to improve the quality of learning and teaching?" 
Discussion 
It is clear from the above that the teachers on the project felt that they and their 
learners had benefitted from the project. Furthermore, it appears that some of the 
reasons for the project's perceived success were related to the community 
psychology model adopted. 
For example, it is obvious from the above comments made by teachers that the 
collaborative approach, emphasising a belief in the teachers' abilities and resources, 
was well-received. The facilitator resisted casting herself in the role of 
the expert, but undertook to facilitate the process rather than dictate it. Initially, 
teachers relied quite heavily upon the facilitator for guidance. The approach taken 
was to reflect constantly upon what the areas of perceived need were and to 
question what solutions could be tried out. The facilitator resisted taking all the 
responsibility and offered tentative suggestions only. This proved to be a timeconsuming, 
and at Limes, frustrating process. Solutions often appeared obvious to 
the facilitator, who found herself holding back to allow the process to unfold. The 
facilitator was careful to ensure that every member had an opportunity to express 
ideas and concerns. This required sensitive monitoring of the process, and asking 
each member for his/her opinion through questions such as: "What do you think, 
how do you feel about... how do you see the situation...?" It is interesting that the 
facilitator's field notes from a meeting early on in the second year, recorded an 
observation/reflection that team members were using the same questions and 
phrases in the discussions with each other. This may in part be due to modelling, 
and in part to the match between this approach and cultural values. 
The project also followed community psychology principles because of its
42 Sonja Goedeke 
emphasis on the community's needs as a starting point. The project was developed, 
based on the expressed needs of the community and by the community. 
Previous programmes offered in these schools had apparently come in with 
prepackaged workshops, notions, and ways of operating. 
It appears that this approach was culturally appropriate for a community that 
believes in cooperation and consultation, as well as careful deliberation before 
making decisions (rapid decision-making seen as being careless and disrespectful). 
Cultural sensitivity also came into play in the initial stages of the project. 
Early on, teachers were quite shy to express views. In Zulu culture, it is 
inappropriate to express your views to someone you regard as being in a position 
of authority. As teachers came to regard the facilitator as part of the team and not 
as the expert, more openness developed. Zulu culture also emphasises the 
importance of the group rather than the individual. This is nicely expressed in a 
Zulu saying which reads: "I am who I am because of others". Along the lines of 
community psychology practice, the project attempted to foster a sense of 
community. Teachers clearly identified and valued this. 
The group consisted of six members: five teachers and one facilitator. Perhaps 
if the group had been larger, the same sense of community, of caring, would not 
have been possible. It is interesting to note that the sense of cohesion remained in 
spite of occasional changes in membership. The first occurred when one teacher 
went on maternity leave (she returned once her maternity leave was complete and 
even attended some of the scheduled workshops whilst on maternity leave), and 
the second when one teacher was called upon to act as deputy principal of her 
school. In the latter, a colleague of the teacher attended instead, and kept the 
"original" teacher informed of what was going on. Other group members also kept 
in touch with these teachers. The group appeared to take on a life of its own, and 
it became more and more common to hear teachers referring to their group as the 
"team". The group clearly functioned not only as a programme development unit, 
but as a support group. One teacher who had come to two meetings early on in the 
project, withdrew. Attempts were made to include her and minutes of meetings 
were regularly sent to her. Other team members explained her lack of interest as 
a lack of commitment, but it would be interesting and informative to discover 
what the reasons for the lack of participation were. It is perhaps noteworthy that 
this particular teacher was not one who had expressed a need for assistance from 
the university; rather, she had been "roped in" by virtue of her position as a 
guidance teacher in one of the five schools falling under the umbrella of the SBRI. 
This highlights the importance of community interventions being based on needs. 
The facilitator tried to guide discussions from the identification of needs, to 
talking about possible solutions, to assisting in breaking the solutions down into 
smaller, manageable tasks. Team members were then each encouraged to take on
Imbali Guidance Project 43 
a few of the tasks. Initially, the facilitator took on quite a few of the more 
demanding tasks, and was concerned that this was not really following community 
psychology principles. As the project progressed however, the team members 
assumed more responsibility. By the second year, team members were initiating 
tasks and assuming all the responsibility, whilst the facilitator became more of an 
observer and commentator on the process. At one stage, the facilitator went on an 
extended holiday. It is noteworthy that during this time, the team continued with 
their work, and even drew up and presented a new policy document outlining the 
role of the guidance team (now renamed the pastoral care team). As the project 
unfolded, it became apparent that the team members were becoming empowered 
to act on their own initiative, independent of the facilitator. This can be seen as a 
very positive development. Empowerment must be seen as a developmental 
process. In the early stages of a project, a community may need more guidance and 
direction. As the project unfolds, this can be reduced. 
In the course of the second year the facilitator started to withdraw gradually 
from the project. Results indicate that team members feel confident in being able 
to sustain the project, even though the facilitator will no longer be a part of it. The 
teachers appear to have become empowered to continue the work on their own and 
even spoke of a plan to initiate and develop further projects, as well as extend their 
model of working into neighbouring schools. These developments are particularly 
encouraging in view of the feelings of burnout, inertia, and helplessness 
reported at the outset of the project. Community psychology interventions aim to 
become self-sustaining, and it appears that this project will be sustained. Longterm 
follow-up will be needed however, to assess this. 
The initial focus of the project was to assist teachers in someway in coping with 
the huge numbers of so-called "problem" cases in their schools. It is encouraging 
to note that the emphasis shifted in the course of the project, from a pathology 
orientated framework, to a more preventative/heallh-promoting framework. The 
emphasis shifted from teachers asking "what is wrong" with the learners to "what 
do we want to see", and to "what do we want" for our learners. This can be seen 
in the change of the nature of topic areas in the workshops teachers attended (a 
shift from basic counselling skills workshops, to workshops on various pathologies, 
to health-promoting topics like stress management and assertiveness). It can also 
be seen in the activities that teachers organised for the learners (from topics such 
as coping with teenage pregnancy, to focussing on relationships, to the planning 
of a careers' day). It is difficult, of course, to assess the long-term effects of such 
a change in emphasis. To assess the impact and value of such workshops and 
projects, long-term follow-up of the learners would be needed. Nonetheless, the 
change in emphasis falls in line with community psychology's emphases. 
The project's perceived success may in part be due to a sense, on the part of the
44 Sonja Goedeke 
teachers, of having learned something and of being actively involved in making 
a difference. Many teachers from the five schools had expressed frustration that 
there appeared to be a lot of talk, but little action, both in education at the national 
level, and also within their own schools. Becoming involved in a project with 
clearly set out tasks and the occasional high profile project, was valued by the 
teachers. Similarly, all teachers on the team commented on their satisfaction with 
having produced the "guidance pamphlet". In the face of uncertainty and inertia, 
being active and producing concrete evidence of work appeared to be beneficial 
to the teachers in terms of their self-image and anxieties. 
There was also a need to be sensitive to the conditions in the community. At the 
outset of the project, there were times when teachers arrived late for meetings, or 
not at all. The facilitator had to put aside her preconceived notions, for example, 
that not arriving or being late indicated a lack of interest. The facilitator had to 
learn to understand the behaviour in terms of the context within which teachers 
worked. Teachers were often faced with "crises" at schools, like strikes, riots, and 
boycotts. On one occasion, a teacher arrived late because there had been a stabbing 
incident at her school. Several of the teachers also worked under conditions of 
chaotic management and planning: a staff meeting could be called unexpectedly, 
or would not have been communicated to all staff. Furthermore, as teachers 
themselves acknowledged in the interviews, they were initially sceptical of the 
project. As the project progressed and teachers gained a sense of ownership of the 
project, it is interesting to note that attendance improved dramatically and there 
were very few occasions when attendance was not 100%. 
On reflection and on analysing the interviews of the teachers, however, it 
appears that insufficient cognizance was taken of the context within which 
teachers worked and lived, of the macro issues both influencing and being 
influenced by this project. The team always sought to gain the approval and 
comments from the coordinating committees of the various schools and the 
executive of the SBRI. At times though, feedback was requested and not obtained, 
and the team then simply went ahead with plans without further enquiry. The 
comments in the results section above, highlight that greater cognizance should 
have been taken of the influence of these broader issues upon the project. 
Although it did not appear to impede the development of the project, it is possible 
that with more widespread support from colleagues and the SBRI, the guidance 
team could have shared to a greater extent in its successes. 
Various members of the team expressed such a desire to share what they had 
learned with fellow colleagues. At one stage, a letter was sent out to principals 
explaining what the team had been doing, and what they felt they could offer to 
the schools and staff. This was not responded to, and the team did not follow up 
on these ideas. The plans for 1998, in which the Guidance Team became the
Imbali Guidance Project 45 
Pastoral Care team, indicating its broader function and change from being "just 
one of the projects" to one of five key areas of the S BRI, workshopping with other 
teachers was emphasised. Again, this has not materialised. The relationship 
between the team and the school, the wider SBRI project and its structures, was 
not sufficiently explored. This is an area of weakness in the design and operation 
of the project. 
Likewise, insufficient attention was paid to the social and political context in 
which this project was embedded. As outlined in the introduction, the state of 
education in South Africa, especially in Kwa Zulu Natal, is undergoing tremendous 
change. In the past few months, teachers there have been faced with 
tremendous uncertainty as retrenchments and possible redeployment have become 
more of a reality. Guidance teachers felt particularly at risk, since they felt 
the department regarded their role as peripheral, and not central to the functioning 
of the school. These issues were discussed at length within the group, and team 
members offered support and reassurance to each other. Little was done to address 
the issue on a broader level however, by seeking contact, for example, with 
provincial education authorities. One meeting that was set up (to discuss one of 
the projects) was not attended by the provincial representative. 
• The extent to which the project was then able to shape practices and policies 
on a broader level can thus be disputed. Little was achieved in changing the 
structures within which guidance teachers work, little was achieved in terms of 
changing policy and practices at a wider level. Practices and policies may have 
changed within the school, but this means little when such changes are not 
necessarily supported by the educational authorities under whose jurisdiction the 
guidance teachers fall. This project will have achieved little if after all the effort 
that team members put into it, guidance teachers end up being retrenched as part 
of the provincial education department's rationalisation process. 
The project needed perhaps, to have been more proactive and more efforts 
could have been made to liaise with provincial education authorities. Similarly, 
although teachers may through this project, be successful in assisting learners 
with thcirproblems, in teaching them skills that promote psychological health; the 
structural risk factors contributing to the development of problems such as 
poverty, oppression, violence, were not in themselves addressed. If these social 
conditions continue to prevail, the successes that could stem from the teachers' 
efforts may be limited. For example, the project that teachers had hoped to 
introduce for learners struggling academically in their schools, failed to materialise 
because of a lack of funding, and because of a lack of response from the nongovernmental 
organisation responsible. In terms of social action, in promoting 
true empowerment, it is debatable how much was achieved. Individuals and 
groups may feel empowered after affirmation of existing skills and learning new
46 Sonja Goedeke 
skills, but this does not change the socio-economic and political context. As 
Orford (1992) points out, interventions may be doomed to transitory or ineffective 
actions unless this is done. 
Community psychology emphasises the role of the community in participating 
in the research process. It was for this reason that the facilitator wanted to use an 
action research process as the primary means of data collection. As commented 
on above, this was not as successful as the facilitator had hoped. The facilitator 
then changed her approach and asked the teachers what method of research they 
thought would be appropriate. Following from this, the facilitator kept extensive 
notes on meetings and feedback and comments made, asked other people who 
became involved in the project to reflect on the process, and concluded with 
interviews by a researcher not involved in the project. 
Action research is frequently the research method of choice when the aim of 
the intervention is to encourage participants to reflect on their experiences, and in 
so doing, inform and feed back into their work, for example, as teachers. The 
failure of the action research process here docs not constitute a failure on behalf 
of the teachers to critically reflect on their experiences and use these observations 
to change their practice. Teachers reflected openly in meetings and discussions 
with each other. As mentioned before, the problem with the action research 
method appeared to lie more in its reliance on written expression. Nonetheless, 
although the facilitator was disappointed thai the action research process was not 
successful, the teachers still participated in the research process and evaluation of 
the project. The fact that team members were consul ted as to how the project could 
be evaluated, contributed to a sense of control and ownership over the project. 
Community psychology interventions and traditional individual psychotherapy 
share both similarities and essential differences. In individual therapy, the 
therapist and client work together towards resolving the client's issues. The 
therapist guides and reflects, but does not offer fixed solutions. The goal is for the 
client to become independent and take control of his or her life. The aim is that the 
client will be able to terminate therapy and cope independently. So too, it is this 
author's belief that community psychology interventions depend to a certain 
extent on the relationship between the facilitator and the community. Likewise, 
the aim is to allow the community to help itself, and for interventions to become 
self-sustaining. On the other hand, in traditional individual therapy, the focus is 
usually on the individual as the locus or change and problem behaviour. Little 
recognition is given to the systems of which the individual is a part. Community 
psychology emphasises the need to look beyond individuals and their behaviour 
to the context. Perhaps herein lies part of the problem with this specific project. 
The facilitator comes from a background of training in traditional clinical 
psychology. Although she subscribed to the ideals and principles of community
Imbali Guidance Project 47 
psychology, it may have been difficult to leave familiar practices and ways of 
conceptualising human behaviour. Although the project was held by its recipients 
to be a success then, the fact that the focus was still too individualistic will limit 
its long-term viability. 
Concluding Comments 
When one analyses the responses of teachers and participants in this project, it is 
clear that the project achieved a measure of success. On further analysis however, 
it is uncertain what the long-term effects will be. As an emerging discipline, 
community psychology still needs to identify explicit bases for the evaluation of 
elusive, but clearly valued effects. 
Nonetheless, the experience of this project affirmed the facilitator's belief in 
a role for psychology in serving under-resourced, disadvantaged communities. It 
affirmed the value of a community psychology orientation as a means of working 
in the South African community. The principles of community collaboration, a 
needs-based approach, empowerment, and thebroadeningof levels of analysis are 
all supported by this project. 
The experience of facilitating this project restored the facilitator's faith in the 
value of psychology in a developing country such as South Africa, and it appears 
that there is much truth in Perkcl's words: "It is not so much the clinical skills that 
need redirection, it is rather the ideological foundation that instructs to whom and 
how these skills are applied that requires attention" (Perkel 1988). 
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