Communities as asset: Using positive communication to enhance the holistic well-being of South Africans

Abstract

Young South Africans who live in contexts of poverty face many challenges and obstacles in their attempts to rise out of their circumstances. However, adding support in the form of well-being teams who take ownership of promoting well-being may facilitate resilience and serve an important supportive function. Four different well-being teams participated in a focus group interview. They consisted of teachers, learners, parents, and a mixed group. The theory of positive communication provided a framework to understand the themes that emerged. Therefore, in an effort to level the playing field for these young South Africans, the educational system should create more spaces that enable and facilitate learning and that promote positive communication.