SOWP302: Social Work Practice Macro practice

Assessment 4: Comprehensive report

Group Members Names and Student Number:

1. Hobyani Abigail – 225043661

2. Tshabalala Khensani - 225135582
3. Ndleleni Axola—225133466
4. Mhlaba Inga- 225073196
5. Mdleleni Emihle- 224520997
6. Butshingi Zozibini- 224726218
7. Mgwenya Maxwell- 225099381
8. Mbombi Vanesa- 225152142

Purpose: to provide a detailed overview of the phases that were implemented and
illustrate competency in the application of macro-level social work theory and skills
Section 1
1.1 Provide a short overview of the placement and the nature of the work that
students engaged in.
The students were placed at the Hope Revolution Student Chapter, a newly
founded organization that partnered with the university. The organization focuses
on promoting the safe or responsible use of substances and the prevention of
substance abuse among students. The students were provided an office at
Claude Qavane Residence where they worked throughout the 10 weeks of
placement.

The students were required to continue where the last group of students left off
by doing a pilot project in the university residences. The pilot project’s goal was
to enhance student engagements, social consciousness and civic support to
student community. The students engaged in the planning of the project that they
were required to pilot, during the planning, students collaborated with the
Engagement Office, and The Students Hubs of Convergence as the major
stakeholders of the project. Students decided to do an educational event. For the
event to be successful, students brainstormed ideas of what the event would look
like including the kind of activities they would have in the event and what they
would need for the event to take place. The students compiled and presented the
proposal to the stakeholders. The proposal consisted of ideas (location of the
event, funding, roles, logistics, etc). The students went to the Claude Qavane
residence and conducted interviews and making students aware of the upcoming
event, thereby fostering participation and ownership from the residence students.

1.2 Include a table where the week-by-week work of the group is illustrated. An
example of a table:
Week 1: 31/7/24 Phase Day’s activities Notes
(each week’s date) (identify the phase the group (a summary of the main (any information that you
is working in that week, i.e. activities of the day, this deem relevant and had an
discovery, dream, design, may be copied from the impact on your work, i.e. if a
etc.) logbook) group member was absent)
05 August 2024 Discovery Phase -Introduction to
organization and
the field
supervisor.
-Meeting with the
group, the field
supervisor and
prof Goliath.
12 August 2024 Discovery phase -We had a meeting
with field
supervisor in
which he
enlightened us on
the way forward.
We discussed
ideas that we must
pertaining our
project.
-We drafted our
proposal for the
pilot program.
-We scheduled a
meeting with other
stakeholders of
revolution where
we were going to
present our pilot
program proposal.
19 August 2024 Dream phase We had a team's
meeting with the
field supervisor,
prof Goliath and
Mr Jackosn from
engagement office
and colleagues
from SHOCS and
presented the
proposal.
26 August 2024 Dream phase -We had -The power outage
scheduled a delayed our
meeting with our presentation to the
targeted residence residence
manager; manager.
however, the
meeting was
cancelled due to
power outage in
 Summerstrand.
02 September Dream phase -We had a team's
2024 meeting with Mr.
Jackson
(stakeholder), from
the engagement
office and the
residence
manager of
Claude Qavane;
the purpose of the
meeting was to
introduce the
resident manager
to HR student
chapter, our
reason for
approaching his
residence and
what we aim to
achieve.
-After the meeting
we brainstormed
questions to
strengthen our
research about
substance use
16 September Dream Phase -We met with
2024 liquor Board and
emthonjeni, we
decided to collab
for the event.
-We assigned
roles for the event
amongst
ourselves.
25 September Design phase -we met as a
2024 group; we did a
marketing video
for the event.
We had interviews
with community
members
-Emtonjeni group
withdrew from
collaborating with
us.
02 October 2024 Design Phase -We created a
program for the
event.
 -We had a meeting
with Mr Jackson to
give feedback and
clarity about the
event planning.
09 October 2024 Design phase -we had a meeting -The group was
with our discouraged and
supervisor, and it demotivated about
was announced the event being
that the event had delayed.
been postponed.
-We discussed
about challenges
we had with
executing the
event on the
proposed date
which was 12
October.
-We sent emails
communicating
changes about the
date of the event.
16 October 2024 Delivery phase -We finalized the -The event was a
logistics for the success; it went
community event better than we
since it was moved could have
to 18 October imagined. people
-We made called attended the event
to the necessary and engaged
individuals that during the
were helping us presentation by
with the event. our guest speaker,
-We printed out Mr Jackson.
posters to raise -The group worked
awareness about well together,
the event. everyone showed
up.
23 October 2024 Termination phase We reflected on
the community
program and our
community work
as a whole.
-We wrote our
comprehensive
report and wrote a
report about the
event and the time
we spent on Hope
Revolution student
 Chapter

Section 2

Discovery Phase
The students began by understanding the context and needs of the Claude Qavane
Residence community. They reviewed previous reports and data from the last group
of students. They conducted interviews with residence students to gather insights on
their awareness and attitudes towards substance use and abuse and to also add on
the data that was already collected by the previous group.

Skills Applied:
 The students made use of surveys and interviews to gather more
information.
 The students also made use of communication skills, they engaged
effectively with students to build rapport and encourage honest feedback.
Evaluation:
 A strength that we would highlight is that we successfully gathered
comprehensive data and information, which provided a solid foundation for
planning.
 The challenges that we encountered were that some students were initially
reluctant to participate in interviews, which required the group to employ more
engaging and persuasive communication techniques.
Examples from Practice:
 During interviews, students shared personal stories about substance use, and
how it has directly affected or indirectly affected their lives which highlighted
the need for targeted educational interventions.

Dreaming Phase
The students brainstormed potential activities and events that could address the
identified needs. They envisioned an educational event that would be both
informative and engaging. We collaborated with the Engagement Office and The
Students Hubs of Convergence to refine the ideas and ensure alignment with
broader university goals and those of the organization.

Skills Applied:
 One skill that students used was critical thinking skill where students
generated innovative and creative ideas for the event.
 The students closely with stakeholders to ensure their ideas were feasible and
supported which demonstrated their ability to collaborate
Evaluation:
 The strength that could be highlighted is that the group was able to come up
with a variety of creative ideas that were well-received by stakeholders.
 The challenge was balancing different stakeholders’ expectations and
incorporating their feedback into the project's final plan.
Examples from Practice:
 One idea that emerged was a “Substance Abuse Reduction and Safe Use”
which included jumping castle, guest speakers, and games, quizzes for prizes
and group discussions.

Design Phase
The students developed a detailed proposal for the educational event, including
logistics, roles, and responsibilities. They also created a budget and identified
potential sources of funding. Students also created posters to market the event and
also made a promotional video for marketing the event to the broader community

Skills Applied:
 The students used project planning tools to outline tasks and timelines.
 The students applied financial planning skills to create a realistic budget.

Evaluation:
  The proposal was thorough and well-organized, which impressed the
stakeholders and that can be identified as one of the strengths.
 The challenge students had was securing funding and that required
persistent efforts and constant follow-up, one stakeholder who promised
funding pulled out last minute
Examples from Practice:
 The students successfully secured funding from the university’s Engagement
Office, which covered the costs of refreshments for the event.

Delivery Phase
The students executed the educational event, ensuring that most of planned
activities were carried out smoothly. They monitored participation and gathered
feedback from attendees.
Skills Applied:
 The students demonstrated event coordination skills as they managed
logistics and coordinated the event successfully.
 The students made use of surveys and informal conversations to gather
attendee feedback.

Evaluation:
 The strength that could be highlighted is that the event was well-attended
and received positive feedback for its engaging and informative content.
 Challenges: Managing last-minute changes and ensuring all activities ran on
time required quick thinking and adaptability such as having one guest
speaker instead of two as we planned.

Examples from Practice:

 A highlight of the event was a panel discussion featuring students who shared
their personal experiences with substance use and their opinions about
substance abuse, which resonated deeply with the audience.

Departure Phase
The students compiled a final report summarizing the event’s outcomes and lessons
learned. They also provided recommendations for future groups to build on their
work.

Skills Applied:
 Skills such as report writing were used as students documented the project’s
impact and insights gained.
 The students also engaged in reflective practice to evaluate their own
performance and growth.
Evaluation:
 The final report was comprehensive and provided valuable insights for future
initiatives.
 Reflecting on areas for improvement was a bit difficult, but ultimately
beneficial for personal and professional growth.

Examples from Practice:

 The students recommended establishing a regular schedule for similar events
to maintain momentum and continue raising awareness about substance use.
This structured approach not only helped the students achieve their project
goals but also provided them with valuable hands-on experience in
community development and project management.

Section 3
3.1 Identify and describe the most important learnings of the group regarding
community development.

As a group, we learned the importance of having a learning mind and always looking
forward to working as a group and being able to share ideas. Another thing that the
group learned about community development is that it needs one to be able to adapt
and have an open mind because, throughout the process, there might be challenges
that you encounter unexpectedly and unplanned however you must be able to adjust
and be able to compromise. The group also learned that community development
also requires flexibility and willingness to work with what you have because it is not a
linear but a complex process in other words theory is totally different from the reality
of the nature of community development. We also learned the importance of
including everyone in the group and respecting everyone’s perspectives. The group
also leant the importance of building rapport and trust with the community that you
work with as that enables them to be open to cooperation and honest engagement.
As a group, we learnt that it is not always easy to make decisions as a group
because there are many points of view but what is important is knowing how to find
common ground in the middle of those tough decisions.

3.2 Identify and describe the most important learnings of the group about how
they worked together as students.
As a group, we were patient with each other, and we respected each other's
opinions. We also made sure that we listened to each other and communicated
effectively, if ever someone did not like something or was offended, they could voice
that out and the group or whoever was at fault apologized for their mistake. We also
learned conflict resolution, if there was conflict or disagreement, we tried to address
it constructively as a collective and tried to find common ground. As a group, we also
worked together in everything, no one was left out, and everyone had a role to play
throughout the event's planning and on the event itself and no one was slacking in
their respective role. We also learned that we could be good event organizers as we
were able to plan the event successfully, and it turned out very well.

3.3 If the next group of students had to be placed at the same organization,
please provide recommendations for the group to enable meaningful
participatory development.

A suggestion for the next group, it would be appreciated if they could be provided a
proper office that is conducive enough for them to work at as that was a challenge
for us because we were placed at Claude Qavane Residence and there were lot
of destructions. Another suggestion is that it would be good to not depend on one
source of funding but try to get various sources of funding around the university.
Another suggestion is for the management to be more involved in the planning of the
event or in the project as a whole.
Referencing:
- Hope Revolution (n.d.) Hope Revolution: Promoting Safe Substance Use.
Available at: https://www.hoperevolution.org (Accessed: 23 October 2024).
- Nelson Mandela University (n.d.) House of Convergence. Available at:
https://www.mandela.ac.za/House-of-Convergence
- Nelson Mandela University (n.d.) Engagement Office. Available at:
https://www.mandela.ac.za/Engagement (Accessed: 23 October 2024).

Marking grid for comprehensive report

Criteria Not Included, Meets Exceeds

included but not minimum minimum
meeting criteria criteria
criteria
1.1 Overview indicates (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
comprehensive understanding of
the organization and its
expectations
1.2 The table is completed in (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
detail.

2.1 Descriptions of phase-specific (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)

actions show understanding of the
theory.
2.2 Descriptions of phase-specific (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
actions show the ability to
undertake appropriate
interventions.
2.3 Descriptions of the applied (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
tools/skills are accurate and
appropriate to the phase.
2.4 Descriptions of actions and (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
tools indicate the ability to form
relationships with people.
2.5 Evaluation of group’s work (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
indicates critical reflection abilities.

2.6 Evaluation of group’s work is (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)

complemented by appropriate
practice examples.
 3.1 Learnings regarding (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
community development indicate
understanding of macro level
social work.
3.2 Learnings of group indicate (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
awareness of teamwork and
collaboration.
4.1 Two drafts were submitted (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
throughout the course of the
semester.
4.2 The drafts provided in-depth (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
information and integration of
theory.
5. The Harvard referencing style (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
were utilized accurately and
consistently.
6. The report is presented in a neat (0) (1-2) (2.5-3.5) (4-5)
and professional manner, with
accurate spelling and language
use.
TOTAL /70

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