Changing the Story: The Evaluation of a Leadership Development Programme for Vulnerable and Deaf Youth in South Africa

Kirsty Bastable, Paul Cooke, Lou Harvey, Victoria Olarte, Daleen Casteleijn and Shakila Dada ()
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Kirsty Bastable: Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Paul Cooke: Centre for World Cinemas and Digital Cultures, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Lou Harvey: School of Education, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
Victoria Olarte: Hope and Homes for Children, Wiltshire SP3 4LZ, UK
Daleen Casteleijn: Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
Shakila Dada: Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Vulnerable youth and youth with disabilities are at great risk of not having their rights met. In addition, they face challenges with regard to empowerment and participation in their own lives. Youth development programmes frequently focus primarily on the individual skills of the youth. However, reviews have indicated that for youth to be able to drive change, additional opportunities at community and broader society levels are required. This project sought to evaluate the changes facilitated by the Changing the Story—Leadership Development Programme as implemented in the Youth Accountability and Deaf Inclusion in South Africa project, for both vulnerable and Deaf youth. A longitudinal Q-sort methodology was used to measure the youths’ changes in perceptions. The results provided evidence of significant change following the programme, including increases in perceptions of empowerment within the community. Furthermore, although vulnerable and Deaf youth began the programme with differing perceptions of self, community and society, these perceptions were more aligned after completion of the programme. The results and challenges experienced using a longitudinal Q-sort methodology are presented and discussed. Recommendations and limitations are also highlighted.

Keywords: Changing the Story; Deaf; disabilities; evaluation; leadership; longitudinal; Q-sort methodology; vulnerable youth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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