Training of PEs

Participants unanimously indicated a need for training of PEs so that they could effectively fulfil their role, which was expressed in the following quotes:

If they can take us back to training, like start afresh, tell us how to do things, if we struggle then show us how to deal with matters. (D1, L248-249)

We need some learning on how to become a peer educator. (C1, 574-575) Camp [training for PEs] should not be for one week. We learned less information in one week. It should be for two weeks so that we can learn and understand more things because one week is not enough to understand everything. (E1, L215-217)

Two participants from different schools shared the same sentiment that more training was needed, stating, “more training, constant training not just once or twice” (C1, L592 & D2, L178-179).

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Other participants focused on the content of the training which they felt had to be included in the training. A participant pointed out:

I think they can focus on training us on how to manage people who refuse to get help … help us to handle those who are negative towards us. (D2, 174-176)

Another participant suggested that “the first thing that maybe we must do is to learn the skills of convincing people” (C1, L426).

A participant felt that besides training, peer educators required motivation. The participant remarked, “I think they must do it for all the schools and in the camps, they

must bring motivational speakers who can motivate us not to give up” (B2, L532).

It is evident that PEs need to receive sufficient and relevant training in order to be effective. Adbi and Sumbari (2013:1201) accentuate that PEs should be effectively trained in order to empower them to comprehend the purpose of the programme. In support, Ebreo et al. (2002:240) propose that it is imperative to ensure that PEs are appropriately trained in their involvement and are conversant about the content.

4.3 Summary

This chapter focused on the findings and interpretation of the data collected by means of semi-structured interviews with peer educators. Various themes and sub-themes were discussed to ascertain what could be deduced from this investigation of the actual role enacted by peer educators within the GDE’s PEP. Literature from the literature review conducted in Chapter Two was used to buttress the analysis and interpretation. The supporting literature provided credibility and context to the given interpretations.

The first theme, ‘the role of peer educators’, illuminated that PEs understood their role in the GDEs’ PEP. It was evident that in schools that provided an enabling environment for PEs to carry out their activities, PEs became effective. ‘Successes in the execution of the PE role’, the second theme discussed, highlighted how PEs were effective in influencing behaviour change amongst their peers, as there was a decrease in teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, sexual harassment and bullying after PEs’

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intervention. It also showed how PEs themselves benefited. The third theme exposed the ‘challenges faced by PEs’, where it was established that peers did not trust PEs and peers appeared to be resistant to the PEs’ intervention. Poor interpersonal relationships were evident between PEs and their peers. The last theme concerned ‘strengthening of the PEs’ role’. PEs were vocal about the need for support from all stakeholders, GDE officials’ visibility to monitor the programme and adequate training.

I set out to investigate if PEs are leaders and whether the leadership, they enact is transformational or not. Data collected from the participants confirmed that PEs enact a leadership role and they adopt a transformational leadership approach.

Data revealed that PEs’ as leaders achieved success in terms of changing the high- risk behaviours such as substance abuse and teenage pregnancy. They were able to influence their peers to change negative behaviour. This shows that they managed to adopt the transformational leadership tenet of ‘inspirational motivation’. PEs were also successful in leading change with regards to their ‘support’ and ‘advocacy’ role; they managed to fight for the human rights of their peers, by ensuring that peers had basic needs like food and clothes and were treated fairly. This act of kindness brought up the ‘Spirit of Ubuntu’ which is associated with Ubuntu leadership. In their endeavour to bring about change, PEs followed Ubuntu leadership and transformational leadership; they enacted the ‘individualised consideration’ by caring for the needs and well-being of their peers. This data differs from literature in terms of advocacy and support. It appeared that participants managed to achieve more for the peers and for themselves compared to what was found in literature.

When a leader shows empathy and compassion for followers, he/she will easily earn their respect, as they will see that the leader cares for them, hence they will follow him/her with no reservation. The successes that PEs achieved were similar to PEs’ achievements that have been reported by literature, namely improved leadership skills, decision-making and communication skills. PEs’ achievements showed that there was empowerment of peers and transformation was achieved. The PEs’ achievements can be strengthened and sustained through social support from all stakeholders in terms of human resource and physical resources, and adequate leadership training. If the PEs’ achievements are strengthened, it is likely to take us closer to transformation and to realising the GDE’s vision about peer education.

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The challenges that PEs experience such as gender inequality, lack of recognition, lack of youth participation and lack of training are an indication that PEs are operating outside the transformational leadership framework, and this makes it difficult to realise the DBE’s vision of using peer education as a strategy to bring change to learners’ behaviour.

Lack of recognition for PEs is evident in utterances such as, “learners here at school say you are their peer, they can’t give you respect. It is better if you are an adult” (E1, L97-98). The situation confirms what Baker (2011:23) asserted when he said the significant challenge in peer leadership is that both the leader and the follower have equal status, hence the challenge of not being respected.

In order to address these issues, we need to use the transformational framework. Data unearthed something that is not usually documented: ‘the safety of PEs’. There is evidence that showed that in many instances, PEs did not feel safe as they were threatened verbally or physically and emotionally, as evidenced in a statement by one peer educator: “Tjo (exclaims) we are also scared of the learners of our school, it’s like

you will start to talk to them, they will make noise and become violent” (D1, L81-83).

The other main revelation was lack of an environment conducive to change; the school environments are not ready to deal with change, as shown in an utterance such as, “Here at school, as PEs, they do not give us the platform” (A1, L42), hence we need to consider ways of changing our school environments and make them more open to change.

This can be linked to what Campbell and MacPhail (2002:29) cited before, that ‘there is a need to develop a school context that enables learners to practice ‘real leadership’”. The theoretical framework will be useful to move PEs from a position of non-influential leaders to a position of influential leaders. This situation leads to the need for further research to address the challenges that PEs face in their leadership role and to find out what can be done to enhance the PEs’ role. Finally, it can be acknowledged that PEs enact leadership and they follow a transformational leadership route, even though they need support to be more effective in changing behaviour. The study seems to have achieved the set objectives, and it is convincing that transformational leadership is the ideal framework for behaviour change in schools.

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The next and final chapter concludes this study. Important findings in relation to the research question and sub-questions are summarised, and recommendations are made.

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Introduction

South African Youth are threatened by social ills such as substance abuse, HIV and AIDS infections and teenage pregnancy which has a negative effect on the education system. In an effort to reduce these social ills that are prevalent amongst learners, the DBE introduced PEPs in both primary and secondary schools. PEPs utilise peer educators who are equipped with adequate skills, knowledge and attitudes so that they are able to facilitate positive behaviour change in their peers (Mason-Jones et al., 2010:563). Thus, peer educators play a leadership role as they lead their peers in bringing about behaviour change. This study sought to investigate how the PEs’ enact their leadership role within the GDE’s PEP.

This final chapter will harmonise the important features of the study commencing with a summary of the study. Thereafter, the research findings based on the research question and sub-questions will be discussed. The chapter will conclude with recommendations and considerations for future studies.