Preparing for successful transitions beyond institutional care in Zimbabwe: adolescent girls’ perspectives and programme needs

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explored adolescent girls’ perspectives and programme needs as they transition from two institutions in Highfield, Harare, Zimbabwe. The study was guided by the sustainable livelihood and feminist theoretical frameworks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 adolescent girls (16 inside and 16 outside) from Institutions A and B. Focus group discussions were held with two groups of eight adolescent girls inside both institutions. Institutions A and B are run by the government and a non-governmental organisation respectively. Findings suggest that adolescent girls associate successful transitions with social, economic and emotional well-being. Thus, they need programmes that provide advocacy skills, relationship-building, educational support, accommodation, financial support, employment opportunities, family tracing and after-care support to address poverty and other social vulnerabilities after leaving care. The study concludes that adolescent girls are active agents of development capable of articulating their views and developmental needs. Thus, the researcher recommends their increased participation in transition planning and programming as well as the development of a support model that incorporates gender-specific concerns and needs addressing poverty in the institutional context.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainable livelihoods
• feminist

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on Contributor

Pamhidzayi Berejena Mhongera is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Work at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

ORCiD

Pamhidzayi Berejena Mhongera http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8691-5671

Additional information

Funding

The researcher acknowledges the scholarship awarded by Graca Machel Trust and Cannon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust to conduct this doctoral study.