| dc.description.abstract | Background: In 2003, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service gave instructions that all the new student constables should undergo a personnel capacity-building programme as part of their basic training. This led to the development of the Self-Management Programme by Police Social Work Services. This programme IS, since July 2004, an integral part of the empowerment of more than 8000 recruits annually. A comprehensive study into the short and long-term effects of the programme on recruits, as well as its overall return on investment (ROI), was started in 2004. In this document, only the results that were achieved with the measurement of the programme's decision-making and purpose-in-life components will, however, be covered. Objectives: The study had a twofold purpose. The first was to measure the short and long-term effect of the Financial Management, Planning of Goals, Self-knowledge, Problem-solving and HIV/AIDS Awareness modules on recruit's knowledge, attitude and behaviour. It, secondly, endeavoured to measure the programme's return on investment coefficient. Method: The study utilised an experimental research design, as well as focus groups and triangulation. It involved an average of 400 experimental group respondents, 120 control group members, 12 focus group participants and 14 presenters per module. A total of 23 questionnaires and a focus group schedule was designed and utilised in the generation of data. Results: All five modules had a practical significant effect on the respondents' knowledge, attitude and behaviour and improved their personal and professional functioning considerably. The "decision-making"
and "purpose-in-life" components, as well as the programme as a whole, also produced a very high return on investment. It, therefore, implies that the Self-Management Programme should be seen as both a very effective capacity-building tool and a financial asset for the South African Police Service. | |
