Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers
Background: Research shows that social workers face numerous challenges because of the demanding nature of their profession, necessitating the development of resilience skills and techniques. Social workers assist marginalised populations and operate in challenging environments, requiring strong res...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2795 |
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| _version_ | 1850225054752702464 |
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| author | Lucy R. Mangolele Taetske M. Calitz |
| author_facet | Lucy R. Mangolele Taetske M. Calitz |
| author_sort | Lucy R. Mangolele |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Research shows that social workers face numerous challenges because of the demanding nature of their profession, necessitating the development of resilience skills and techniques. Social workers assist marginalised populations and operate in challenging environments, requiring strong resilience strategies.
Aim: This article examines the resilience skills and strategies of social workers.
Setting: The study setting comprised the Department of Social Development in Johannesburg Metro Region.
Methods: The study employs a qualitative approach, utilising purposive sampling to identify participants for semi-structured interviews. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with the social workers, and data were analysed using Creswell and Poth’s qualitative thematic analysis strategy. A total of 13 participants were interviewed.
Results: Three main themes emerged: Theme 1: Resilience skills and strategies employed by social workers to surmount challenges; theme 2: Effectiveness of resilience skills and strategies employed by social workers; and theme 3: Social workers’ suggestions on what the department can do to maintain their resilience.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that resilience skills and strategies are crucial for social workers, enabling them to cope effectively with work-related challenges and find meaning in their work.
Contribution: This study will assist social workers to understand the skills and strategies that underpin their resilience. It will also assist the Department of Social Development and other public sectors in developing support programmes to retain social workers for the profession. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a7141b01b5b4487954ef9b562dd20ee |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1025-9848 2071-9736 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a7141b01b5b4487954ef9b562dd20ee2025-08-20T02:05:28ZafrAOSISHealth SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences1025-98482071-97362025-05-01300e1e810.4102/hsag.v30i0.27951260Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workersLucy R. Mangolele0Taetske M. Calitz1Department of Social Work, School of Social Sciences, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, PretoriaDepartment of Social Work, School of Social Sciences, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, PretoriaBackground: Research shows that social workers face numerous challenges because of the demanding nature of their profession, necessitating the development of resilience skills and techniques. Social workers assist marginalised populations and operate in challenging environments, requiring strong resilience strategies. Aim: This article examines the resilience skills and strategies of social workers. Setting: The study setting comprised the Department of Social Development in Johannesburg Metro Region. Methods: The study employs a qualitative approach, utilising purposive sampling to identify participants for semi-structured interviews. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with the social workers, and data were analysed using Creswell and Poth’s qualitative thematic analysis strategy. A total of 13 participants were interviewed. Results: Three main themes emerged: Theme 1: Resilience skills and strategies employed by social workers to surmount challenges; theme 2: Effectiveness of resilience skills and strategies employed by social workers; and theme 3: Social workers’ suggestions on what the department can do to maintain their resilience. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that resilience skills and strategies are crucial for social workers, enabling them to cope effectively with work-related challenges and find meaning in their work. Contribution: This study will assist social workers to understand the skills and strategies that underpin their resilience. It will also assist the Department of Social Development and other public sectors in developing support programmes to retain social workers for the profession.https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2795burnoutexperiencessocial workerskillstrategiesstressqualitative researchresilience. |
| spellingShingle | Lucy R. Mangolele Taetske M. Calitz Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences burnout experiences social worker skill strategies stress qualitative research resilience. |
| title | Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers |
| title_full | Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers |
| title_short | Exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers |
| title_sort | exploring the resilience skills and strategies of social workers |
| topic | burnout experiences social worker skill strategies stress qualitative research resilience. |
| url | https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/2795 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lucyrmangolele exploringtheresilienceskillsandstrategiesofsocialworkers AT taetskemcalitz exploringtheresilienceskillsandstrategiesofsocialworkers |