PARTE I: LA NOVELA COMO MEDIO DE MEMORIA
4.2 Cartas y monólogos: una multitud de voces
Institutions of higher learning particularly TVET colleges, are faced with quite a number of challenges in their drive to render psychological support services. The challenges may include the context in which the services are being administered. The challenges may emanate from the legislation and policies in place, institutional structure and the role of key stakeholders. These obstacles to provision of psychological support services is backed by Roberts, Boldly and Dunsworth (2015) who conducted research conducted in Australia on the appropriateness of the psychological support services available. The researchers posit that students could be made more functional by provision of a more student-centred service structure and delivery. However the research results also indicate low levels of students’ satisfaction even when institutions provide a wide range of resources and support. They concluded that providing a range of services would not automatically improve student experiences. The students’ capacity to adapt and manage changes and the environment has a strong bearing on how they perform academically.
Barriers to successful utilization of the services include perceived level of assistance by the institutions, the underlying culture and context in which the psychological support services are offered. This indicates the need to have a support structure that addresses students’ unique needs.
31 The effective use of psychological support services requires concerted efforts from the institutions to make the services available timeously. Psychological support services offered by institutions should accommodate the entire student cohort enrolled. Young (2009) referring to research conducted at Rhodes University, pointed out that some of the challenges faced during the provision of psychological support, were that the majority of counselling practitioners were whites yet mental health issues were rife among the black students. The institutional set up with white practitioners as dominant staff obstructed the black students from seeking and utilizing the psychological support services as they were uncomfortable. This was also the case with their white counterparts. Young (2009) purports that some African students view seeking psychological help as a western practice that does not exist in their African culture. This calls for drastic transformation of counselling services by contextualising it to the students’ culture. As indicated in the research, South Africa students attending public institutions are in dire need of psychological support services.
Contrary to Tamuliene (2014), whose assertions that non-traditional age studens are in need of psychological support services as they pursue their studies, contemporary SSS, psychological support included, are more inclined to address the psychological needs of traditional age students despite the fact that the number of non-traditional age students is increasing. Research conducted by Darmody and Fleming (2009) indicates that part-time students received inadequate support services which emanates from such important services being offered during normal college hours.
Psychological counseling theories used in institutions should revolve around the students’ background and contex. The students’ context has to determine the psychological programmes to be used. Akhurst and Liebenberg (2010) explain that in the UK and USA, the trait factor and the decision making model have been employed when administering counselling services. The model views the individual seeking psychological help as an autonomous agent of their own change. These have been criticised for the wholesale application in the South African context which has been challenged many times. Mc Mahon and Watson (2010:450) point out that “South Africa has been against the continued over-reliance on the adoption of counselling models from abroad that do not suit the local context”.
There is need for radical transformation to come up with indigenised approaches that will suit South Africa’s context. Such practices cripple the provision psychological services application as they do not fit in with prevailing demands that are based on on-going transitions on issues such as the economy or, socio-political issues that determine an individual’s psychological needs. Constructivist models of self and experience are regarded as more relevant and more helpful for the South African context. (Akhurst
32 and Liebenberg 2010:575) recommends “the use of the constructivism model which recognises the socially negotiated nature of the narrations and discourses that influence the individual. The model views the individual as an open system that is constantly interacting with the environment, seeking stability through on-going change and they describe the person’s social-symbolic relatedness and the quest to take cognisance of the individual’s life-time development”.
Partnerships with relevant key stakeholders are crucial in establisihing and administering psychological support services. The practititoners responsible for administering psychological support services should have the necessary knowledge and expertise. Means to measure the effectiveness of psychological support services on learners should be established. Burkard,
Gillem and Martinez (2012:137) declare
that “it is difficult to have sufficient information on the level at which institutions implement the psychological services.” Also of concern is that there is no clarity in the training required by these psychological support services practititoners on how to implement comprehensive support services for the diversified student population. Burkard et al. (2012), commenting on research conducted in the USA, indicate that no evaluation efforts have emerged to ascertain the effectiveness of psychological support services or to determine if any correlation exist between students and the intended student performance.Institutions should take cognisance of the important role of psyhcological support staff. Their job description will assist in determining the core focus areas. (Burkard et al. 2012) further indicate that psychological support services staff spent more time on non-psychological issues and were deprived of an academic calendar with important dates for providing psychological support.
Ethical issues when discharging psychological support services cannot be ignored. Comprehensive psychological support services should adhere to clear guidelines that do not infringe the students’ rights. These ethics are to be observed by both the practitioners and the students.
There are obstacles that coerce students to refrain from utilising psychological support services. (Stebleton and Soria, 2013:9) point out that “low self-esteem students’ lack the confidence and they suffer academically as they are faced with so many challenges that include family responsibility, weak study behaviours and demands emanating from the study environment.” These types of students are reluctant to seek psychological help. They further suggest that issues related to psychological disorders can be sensitive and some students may not, therefore seek help. They also highlight confidentiality, limited access to the services, location, myths with regard to the purpose and stereotypes on use of counselling as some of the major barriers to provision of this vital service.
33 Erguner-Tekinalp, Leuwerke and Terzi (2009:6) identify the following barriers to implementing counseling services based on studies conducted in the United States and Turkey. “
Lack of comprehensive programmes
Non-supportive colleagues and administrators
Inappropriate counselor duties
Insufficient attention to cultural concerns
Scarce effective research
Lack of developmental theory
Little focus on prevention efforts
Lack of coordinated efforts
Poorly defined roles in legislation and mandates that create confusion”.
There is no uniformity on the use of psychological support services by students. Ibrahimovic and Potter (2011) assert that there is a clear boundary with regard to academic achievement between low-income students and those from higher income families. Students from low-income families may not explore the full range of psychological support services available basing their judgements on false assumptions about their competence and their fear of outcomes on decisions. Maree and Maree (2010) conducted research that indicates that a lack of vision and a unified career counselling strategy are inherent in institutions. In the context of South Africa, career patterns favour previously privileged groups at the expense of the majority. This further highlights inadequate coordination, lack of information and the need for strategic policy leadership in this field. Christopher, Howell and Page (2014:1) note “the paradox that students from economically high status backgrounds have the least need for psychological support services and yet they enjoy the most access to psychology practitioners and at the same time they also supplement the institution’s resources by engaging private practice”. They further bemoan the restricted availability and
34 accessibility of college psychological support services, more especially to those from low-economic status which sums up the indeaquacy of psychological support services.
Lack of qualified personnel is one of the obstacles that interferes with the provision of psychological support services to students. The document, Student Support Services Framework (DoE, 2009) points out that most student support services in TVET Colleges suffer from inadequate capital and human resources for the provision of student support services, including psychological support services. Some of the staff members responsible for the provision of psychological support services do not have the necessary expertise and experience and hence their effectiveness is questionable. Key individuals and institutions regard the student support services as ancillary and not as a core service. The system for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the student support services is clear and this facilitates key stakeholders to come up with plausible strategies to improve the provision of psychological support services.
Workload is one of the challenges that affects provision of psychosocial support to students. This is supported by Brock (2010) who asserts that there is major concern in public institutions on the counselor student ratio. The ratio is unfavorable with the practitioner having to attend to a large number of students which compromises the quality of srvices being offered.
Psychological support services should be easily accessible to students and the institutions should have a clear map on how this can be done. Russo- Glercher (2013) indicates that in tertiary institutions students are unaware of the availability of psychological support services. Golardi (2013) also states that although a number of support services are available to all students, they may not be accessible at the time and place convenient for students. Research conducted indicated the availability of counselling services but only a few students utilise them; learners were not aware on how to access them (Gewer, 2010:6). Bailey, Jaggers and Jenkins (2015:1) assert that “most students make their own choices about enrolments but inadequate career guidance being provided by institutions contributes significantly to indecisiveness and varied career pathways through college.”
The above discussion highlights the obstacles that hinder the use of psychological support services. Institutions should do more to create awareness of this crucial service. Psychosocial services are not confined to emotional wellbeing of students but also in assisting in choosing their careers. Institutions should re-strategize on ways to interact with the students and in coming up with support services required by learners.
35 Institutions are expected to respect the job description of their personnel. Overloading the individual with other tasks that are not confined to their profession not only serves as a demotivator but impacts the individual’s area of expertise. Mc-Donough (2005) asserts that counsellors’ jobs have been compromised. Counsellors view resolving students’ psychological issues as their core business, but they are forced to take up administrative duties. This indicates the need to respect and draw up a job description that focuses on provision of psychological support services.