Guided by Bronfenbrenner's (1994) ecological systems theory Bronfenbrenner (Int Encycl Educ,3(2):37-43) , this study highlights the interplay between learner psycho-social challenges and teacher emotional fatigue, which affect classroom dynamics, and the critical role of systemic support--the role of school social workers (SSWs)--in South Africa.…

The unprecedented magnitude and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have rendered it a highly disruptive and traumatic phenomenon. This paper considers the impact of COVID-19 on South African students and Student Counseling Services in Higher Education. The paper specifically reflects on shifts in student mental health and psycho-social vulnerability…

Rates of pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as mortality and morbidity related to HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) depend, in part, on the resources available in the child's country. HIV prevention and intervention efforts also are influenced by cultural factors. The purpose of this article is to summarize key…

The aim of this article is to discuss the social justice implications for educational psychologists working with orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) who comprise 3.7 million of the population in South Africa. The author begins with a global conceptualisation of social justice and then discusses the nature of social justice in South Africa. This…

The concept of decent work is intuitively desirable, an ideal to strive for, and a human right. Awareness of the decent work agenda has been raised in career counselling and is posing challenges about what role, if any, career counselling can play towards the achievement of sustainable decent work for all. Feeding into the social justice values of…

Student counseling services are a recognizable feature of higher education institutions locally and abroad. This article reviews the sociohistorical development and evolution of student counseling services in South African institutions of higher learning, with an emphasis on systemic influences, achievements, and contemporary challenges. This…

This study explored how culturally relevant stories could be used to bolster the lay counselling competencies of teachers furthering their studies in an honours degree in learner support -- while working in schools with limited resources and at-risk children. One possible way of supporting teachers to be effective in the lay counselling role is to…

Globalization and shifting demographics have led to a call for an immediate change in education-based counseling. Future school counselors must be equipped with 21st century skills that are applicable across cultural boundaries and applied in a global context. "Addressing Multicultural Needs in School Guidance and Counseling" is a…