Resilient Kids South Africa PDF Download

The present study addresses gaps in the literature by exploring resilience from the perspective of the child. This paper begins by providing background on the current conditions in sub-Saharan South Africa specific to children and the AIDS epidemic. Emphasis is placed on the adverse conditions for these children, resulting in what has been labeled a national and social emergency. Past and present literature is reviewed on the topic of resilience in children with particular attention paid to the concept of global resilience in relationship to cross-cultural studies of at-risk children and the cultural and contextual factors specific to healthy development in adversity. Background is additionally provided on theories of resilience from a developmental perspective, including a review of psychological and social systems and the use of psychosocial support as a framework for addressing the developmental needs of children. In the current study, researchers analyzed the existing data sample collected from a week long Kids Camp organized and operated by Resilient Kids SA, a psychosocial support program and awareness training curriculum designed to equip and empower communities to care for youth and vulnerable children in South Africa. Grounded theory methodology was employed in this study. An open-coding process was used to identify themes and construct a theory on resilience, grounded in the data, from the perspective of the child. Individual and group themes that emerged were: community networking and connection, multisensory tools, skill building and development, identity, group belonging and change, positive influence of the model, and a place to learn.