UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Human Sciences — Department of Social Work
⋄
COMMUNITY WORK PROPOSAL
Assignment 3 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: BSW4805
Module Name: Community Work
Assignment No.: Assignment 3
Due Date: June 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for BSW4805: Community Work
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
Part 1: Introduction, Rationale, and Identified Community Needs
1.1 Introduction
Community work as a professional social work method is grounded in the principle that com-
munities themselves are agents of change, not merely passive recipients of services (Rothman,
1995). This proposal outlines a community-based youth skills development and psychosocial
support programme targeting unemployed young people between the ages of 18 and 35 re-
siding in a peri-urban township community in South Africa. The programme, titled Sikhula
Sonke (meaning “We Grow Together”), is designed to address a cluster of interrelated social
problems identified during the situation analysis conducted in Step 1 of the community work
process.
The proposal is premised on the understanding that no social problem exists in isolation, and
that an effective community intervention must engage with the individual, the group, and the
broader structural environment simultaneously. The integration of micro and meso levels of
practice is central to this proposal.
1.2 Identified Social Problems and Needs
The needs assessment conducted in Step 1 of the situation analysis revealed a number of press-
ing social problems within the target community. Youth unemployment is the most dominant
concern, with a significant proportion of young people having no formal employment, voca-
tional training, or access to income-generating opportunities. Related to this is the problem of
psychosocial distress, including symptoms of depression, social withdrawal, substance use, and
a pervasive sense of hopelessness among young adults who feel excluded from the mainstream
economy (Studocu, 2024).
The community also experiences high rates of gender-based violence, school dropout, and a
lack of structured recreational or developmental activities for young people. Families are under
enormous financial pressure, which compounds the emotional burden carried by youth who
feel they are unable to contribute meaningfully to their households. These findings align with
the broader South African context, where youth unemployment has persistently remained
among the highest in the world, placing extraordinary strain on families and communities
(Statistics South Africa, 2023).
Page 1 of 12
,UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
At the meso level, the assessment revealed that existing organisations operating in the area
are fragmented and largely uncoordinated. There is a local non-governmental organisation
(NGO), a community health centre, two primary schools, a public library, and a ward commit-
tee structure, but these entities rarely collaborate in any sustained or systematic way. This
fragmentation means that community members often fall through the gaps in service delivery.
1.3 Rationale for the Proposed Project
The Sikhula Sonke programme is proposed because the identified needs cannot be adequately
addressed through individual counselling or casework alone. A community-level intervention
that builds local capacity, mobilises existing resources, and creates sustainable change is re-
quired. The project supports the host organisation’s mission to promote the dignity, self-
reliance, and social inclusion of marginalised community members, and it aligns with the
organisation’s vision of a community where every young person has the opportunity to develop
their full potential.
The project is also consistent with the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997), which empha-
sises a developmental approach to social welfare that moves away from residual, remedial
responses toward preventive and capacity-building interventions. By addressing unemploy-
ment, social exclusion, and psychosocial distress through a structured community programme,
this proposal seeks to produce lasting change at both the individual and community levels.
Implementation Insight
The integration of micro and meso practice is not optional in this context. While indi-
vidual psychosocial support addresses the immediate distress of young people (micro
level), the skills development programme and the coordination of local organisations
create the group and community-level conditions (meso level) that make individual
change sustainable. One without the other produces incomplete results.
Page 2 of 12
, UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
Part 2: Goals and Objectives of the Proposed Community Project
2.1 Project Goal
The overarching goal of the Sikhula Sonke programme is to reduce youth unemployment and
psychosocial vulnerability in the target community by providing structured skills development,
psychosocial support, and pathways to economic participation for young people between the
ages of 18 and 35 over a period of twelve months.
2.2 Programme Objectives
The following objectives have been developed in accordance with the SMART framework,
meaning they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound (Doran, 1981).
Each objective is directly consistent with the project goal and responds to one or more of the
identified community needs.
Objective 1: Skills Development: By the end of Month 6 of the project, at least 60 young people
from the target community will have completed a ten-week accredited vocational skills
training course in one of the following areas: basic computer literacy, food preparation
and catering, welding and metalwork, or early childhood development.
Objective 2: Psychosocial Support: By Month 3, a minimum of four structured psychosocial sup-
port groups will be established and running on a weekly basis, each with a minimum of 8
and a maximum of 15 participants, facilitated by a registered social worker or a trained
social auxiliary worker under supervision.
Objective 3: Economic Linkages: By Month 9, at least 30 programme graduates will have been
linked to formal employment opportunities, cooperative business ventures, or registered
youth enterprise development initiatives in the area.
Objective 4: Organisational Coordination: By Month 2, a functioning inter-organisational coor-
dination committee comprising representatives from at least five local service providers
(including the host NGO, the community health centre, the ward committee, the library,
and at least one school) will be established and hold monthly meetings for the duration of
the project.
Objective 5: Community Awareness: By Month 4, a community awareness campaign on the avail-
able services and support structures will have reached a minimum of 500 community
residents through a combination of community meetings, radio broadcasts, WhatsApp
Page 3 of 12
, UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
community groups, and printed flyers distributed through schools and the health centre.
Objective 6: Monitoring and Evaluation: A baseline assessment will be completed by the end of
Month 1, a mid-term review will be conducted at Month 6, and a final evaluation report
will be produced by Month 12, using pre-developed indicators that measure changes in
participants’ employment status, psychosocial wellbeing, and self-reported confidence and
life skills.
Critical Consideration
All objectives must remain consistent with the broader project goal. A common error
in community project proposals is developing objectives that are either too ambitious
for the available resources and timeframe, or so vague that they cannot be measured.
Each of the objectives above names a specific number, a specific activity, and a specific
deadline, making progress both trackable and verifiable.
2.3 Summary of Goals and Objectives
Table 1: Summary: Project Goal and SMART Objectives
Objective Focus Area Measurable Target Deadline
1 Skills Development 60 youth complete accredited vocational Month 6
training
2 Psychosocial Support 4 weekly support groups running (8–15 Month 3
members each)
3 Economic Linkages 30 graduates linked to employment or enter- Month 9
prise
4 Organisational Coor- Inter-agency committee of 5+ organisations Month 2
dination meeting monthly
5 Community Aware- 500+ residents reached through multi- Month 4
ness channel campaign
6 Monitoring and Eval- Baseline, mid-term, and final evaluation Months 1, 6,
uation completed 12
Page 4 of 12
College of Human Sciences — Department of Social Work
⋄
COMMUNITY WORK PROPOSAL
Assignment 3 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: BSW4805
Module Name: Community Work
Assignment No.: Assignment 3
Due Date: June 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for BSW4805: Community Work
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
Part 1: Introduction, Rationale, and Identified Community Needs
1.1 Introduction
Community work as a professional social work method is grounded in the principle that com-
munities themselves are agents of change, not merely passive recipients of services (Rothman,
1995). This proposal outlines a community-based youth skills development and psychosocial
support programme targeting unemployed young people between the ages of 18 and 35 re-
siding in a peri-urban township community in South Africa. The programme, titled Sikhula
Sonke (meaning “We Grow Together”), is designed to address a cluster of interrelated social
problems identified during the situation analysis conducted in Step 1 of the community work
process.
The proposal is premised on the understanding that no social problem exists in isolation, and
that an effective community intervention must engage with the individual, the group, and the
broader structural environment simultaneously. The integration of micro and meso levels of
practice is central to this proposal.
1.2 Identified Social Problems and Needs
The needs assessment conducted in Step 1 of the situation analysis revealed a number of press-
ing social problems within the target community. Youth unemployment is the most dominant
concern, with a significant proportion of young people having no formal employment, voca-
tional training, or access to income-generating opportunities. Related to this is the problem of
psychosocial distress, including symptoms of depression, social withdrawal, substance use, and
a pervasive sense of hopelessness among young adults who feel excluded from the mainstream
economy (Studocu, 2024).
The community also experiences high rates of gender-based violence, school dropout, and a
lack of structured recreational or developmental activities for young people. Families are under
enormous financial pressure, which compounds the emotional burden carried by youth who
feel they are unable to contribute meaningfully to their households. These findings align with
the broader South African context, where youth unemployment has persistently remained
among the highest in the world, placing extraordinary strain on families and communities
(Statistics South Africa, 2023).
Page 1 of 12
,UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
At the meso level, the assessment revealed that existing organisations operating in the area
are fragmented and largely uncoordinated. There is a local non-governmental organisation
(NGO), a community health centre, two primary schools, a public library, and a ward commit-
tee structure, but these entities rarely collaborate in any sustained or systematic way. This
fragmentation means that community members often fall through the gaps in service delivery.
1.3 Rationale for the Proposed Project
The Sikhula Sonke programme is proposed because the identified needs cannot be adequately
addressed through individual counselling or casework alone. A community-level intervention
that builds local capacity, mobilises existing resources, and creates sustainable change is re-
quired. The project supports the host organisation’s mission to promote the dignity, self-
reliance, and social inclusion of marginalised community members, and it aligns with the
organisation’s vision of a community where every young person has the opportunity to develop
their full potential.
The project is also consistent with the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997), which empha-
sises a developmental approach to social welfare that moves away from residual, remedial
responses toward preventive and capacity-building interventions. By addressing unemploy-
ment, social exclusion, and psychosocial distress through a structured community programme,
this proposal seeks to produce lasting change at both the individual and community levels.
Implementation Insight
The integration of micro and meso practice is not optional in this context. While indi-
vidual psychosocial support addresses the immediate distress of young people (micro
level), the skills development programme and the coordination of local organisations
create the group and community-level conditions (meso level) that make individual
change sustainable. One without the other produces incomplete results.
Page 2 of 12
, UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
Part 2: Goals and Objectives of the Proposed Community Project
2.1 Project Goal
The overarching goal of the Sikhula Sonke programme is to reduce youth unemployment and
psychosocial vulnerability in the target community by providing structured skills development,
psychosocial support, and pathways to economic participation for young people between the
ages of 18 and 35 over a period of twelve months.
2.2 Programme Objectives
The following objectives have been developed in accordance with the SMART framework,
meaning they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound (Doran, 1981).
Each objective is directly consistent with the project goal and responds to one or more of the
identified community needs.
Objective 1: Skills Development: By the end of Month 6 of the project, at least 60 young people
from the target community will have completed a ten-week accredited vocational skills
training course in one of the following areas: basic computer literacy, food preparation
and catering, welding and metalwork, or early childhood development.
Objective 2: Psychosocial Support: By Month 3, a minimum of four structured psychosocial sup-
port groups will be established and running on a weekly basis, each with a minimum of 8
and a maximum of 15 participants, facilitated by a registered social worker or a trained
social auxiliary worker under supervision.
Objective 3: Economic Linkages: By Month 9, at least 30 programme graduates will have been
linked to formal employment opportunities, cooperative business ventures, or registered
youth enterprise development initiatives in the area.
Objective 4: Organisational Coordination: By Month 2, a functioning inter-organisational coor-
dination committee comprising representatives from at least five local service providers
(including the host NGO, the community health centre, the ward committee, the library,
and at least one school) will be established and hold monthly meetings for the duration of
the project.
Objective 5: Community Awareness: By Month 4, a community awareness campaign on the avail-
able services and support structures will have reached a minimum of 500 community
residents through a combination of community meetings, radio broadcasts, WhatsApp
Page 3 of 12
, UNISA | BSW4805 Community Work Proposal
community groups, and printed flyers distributed through schools and the health centre.
Objective 6: Monitoring and Evaluation: A baseline assessment will be completed by the end of
Month 1, a mid-term review will be conducted at Month 6, and a final evaluation report
will be produced by Month 12, using pre-developed indicators that measure changes in
participants’ employment status, psychosocial wellbeing, and self-reported confidence and
life skills.
Critical Consideration
All objectives must remain consistent with the broader project goal. A common error
in community project proposals is developing objectives that are either too ambitious
for the available resources and timeframe, or so vague that they cannot be measured.
Each of the objectives above names a specific number, a specific activity, and a specific
deadline, making progress both trackable and verifiable.
2.3 Summary of Goals and Objectives
Table 1: Summary: Project Goal and SMART Objectives
Objective Focus Area Measurable Target Deadline
1 Skills Development 60 youth complete accredited vocational Month 6
training
2 Psychosocial Support 4 weekly support groups running (8–15 Month 3
members each)
3 Economic Linkages 30 graduates linked to employment or enter- Month 9
prise
4 Organisational Coor- Inter-agency committee of 5+ organisations Month 2
dination meeting monthly
5 Community Aware- 500+ residents reached through multi- Month 4
ness channel campaign
6 Monitoring and Eval- Baseline, mid-term, and final evaluation Months 1, 6,
uation completed 12
Page 4 of 12
