THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY IN HIV/ AIDS HOME BASED CARE VOLUNTEERS IN RURAL

KWA-ZULU NATALNaidu, T & Sliep, Y

Outline

• Literature• Project outline and situation• Rationale for the study • Research methods• Results • Discussion

Literature

• Culture and volunteerism• Identity and volunteerism in HIV care

and support• Volunteerism Social Capital and Power

Project Outline and Situation

1. Part of a large project on social capital care and support

2. Subsection of a study HBCV identity3. KwaNgcolosi, High HIV infection +

AIDS4. Poverty and unemployment are

extremely high in the community5. Resource strained

Rationale for the Study

1. No detailed studies on volunteer identity motivation participation in SA

2. Most research on caregivers focuses on burdensome, disempowering nature of the work

3. Offers an in-depth perspective on identity of women volunteers who provide care and support.

4. Data could be useful in recruitment retention and replicating HBCV programmes and activities

METHODOLOGY: Sample

1. 15 Home based care volunteers

2. Group called Uthandolomama3. Aged between 25 and 60

4. Grade 5 to grade 12 level of education. 5. No formal training in nursing or care work

6. Nine of the women were married 7. All had one or more children.

8. isiZulu - first language

METHODOLOGY : Data Collection

1. Qualitative Narrative Interviews2. Translated from isiZulu to English3. Three Stage Process

1.Constructivist Interview

2.Life Story Interview3.Reflective Interview

4. Participatory Action Approach 1.Appreciative Inquiry

Home Based Care Volunteers Reflective Interview

What did you tell your family about the interviews OR what will you tell them?

From you life story and your work story I have heard th at you are a hard working, committed, concerned about your futu re and that of your family, good at making quick decisi ons entrepreneurial, innovative ambitious? Would you say that this is true of you?

What would your family the person closest to you or go od friend say about you as a person – the kind of person you are?

Would they and your friends agree with this idea of th e kind of person you are?

What kind of qualities do you need to have to be a HBCVCan anyone be a home based care volunteer?Someone said you need the mind of a mother to be a H BCV –

What are your ideas on what this means?Do you agree?What are you ideas on why the group is called “Uthando lomama”

METHODOLOGY : Narrative Analysis

1. Phase 1: Assimilating to the data and generating baseline themes

2. Phase 2: Reading for and elucidating the context

METHODOLOGY : Narrative Analysis

1. Phase 3: Reading for and identifying themes of HBCV personal identity

2. Phase 4: Reflexively connecting personal, role and collective identity

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

CONTEXT

Social Field Meta-Narratives

•Poverty•Political unrest•Lost educational opportunities•Absent men•Shifting between two worlds•Traditional aspects of life (Collectivist culture, Polygamy, Hlonipha)

•Absent men•Aspiring to service oriented work•Motherhood•Religious commitment or belief•Traditional aspects of life (Collectivist culture, Polygamy, Hlonipha)•Marriage•Culture Care

ROLE & COLLECTIVE IDENTITY

“ Umqondo kaMama”The mind of a mother

ROLE & COLLECTIVE IDENTITY

“ Umqondo kaMama”The mind of a mother

PERSONAL /INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY

Personal NarrativesCompassionate doerNatural helper, IndustriousHopeful helperPersonal Agency (empowerment through contact with outsiders and training)Continued personal growth/self improvementEmotional/constitutional ResilienceResolved past loss or experience of caring for family memberStrong emotional toleranceSocialiserSense of community With other carers and community in generalRecognition/StatusBroadening of perspectiveDeep connections and personal boundaries – patients, families, other HBCVs)Acknowledgment of death and preciousness of life??

DISCUSSION

Context = foundation for understanding the connection between the role and collective identity of the HBCVsand their personal identity.

Preliminary work by other researchers

Home Based Care Volunteers Reflective Interview

What did you tell your family about the interviews OR what will you tell them?

From you life story and your work story I have heard th at you are a hard working, committed, concerned about your futu re and that of your family, good at making quick decisi ons entrepreneurial, innovative ambitious? Would you say that this is true of you?

What would your family the person closest to you or go od friend say about you as a person – the kind of person you are?

Would they and your friends agree with this idea of th e kind of person you are?

What kind of qualities do you need to have to be a HBCVCan anyone be a home based care volunteer?Someone said you need the mind of a mother to be a H BCV –

What are your ideas on what this means?Do you agree?What are you ideas on why the group is called “Uthando

lomama”

DISCUSSION

• Reflective questioning – linking collective and personal identity

• Witnessing in the process• Opportunity for transformative in research

questioning that encourages movement from endogenous to referent reflexivity

• Through the use of a generative metaphor• Uthandolomama Umqondo kamama