Enhancing the well-being of early childhood education practitioners working in resource-constrained contexts
| Autor: | Lesley Wood, Stef Esterhuizen |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2024 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | South African Journal of Childhood Education, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp e1-e8 (2024) |
| Druh dokumentu: | article |
| ISSN: | 2223-7674 2223-7682 |
| DOI: | 10.4102/sajce.v14i1.1477 |
| Popis: | Background: The recent migration of early childhood care and education function brought with it many changes that affect the workplace well-being of practitioners and centre managers, yet little research has reported on the voices and experiences of those working on the ground. Aim: To find out the current state of well-being of practitioners working in resource-constrained contexts to help us theorise how might they take action to improve it. Setting: Early childhood care and education centres in rural and township areas in six different provinces. Methods: The first author conducted 10 semi-structured focus group interviews with 80 practitioners recruited by collaborating researchers at various universities. All ethical protocols were adhered to. The focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and thematically analysed independently by the two authors before reaching consensus. Results: Two themes were identified: (1) participants experienced negative emotions arising from both internal and systemic aspects that were affecting their well-being. (2) Several factors promoted the well-being of practitioners despite their difficult circumstances. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it appears that close collaboration among practitioners within centres and, with other external stakeholders, was an important factor for enhanced well-being. Drawing from action learning theory, we suggest how practitioners can collaborate to sustain their well-being while addressing the challenges they face. Contribution: This collaborative action learning approach can be applied not only by ECCE centres, but to any organisation wishing to improve the well-being and practice of their members. |
| Databáze: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
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