The Support of Juvenile Offender Learners in Correctional Centre Schools: A Spiritual Wellness Perspective

Abstract

This qualitative, phenomenological study, explore the support of juvenile offender learners in correctional schools from a spiritual wellness perspective. The study aimed to explore ways in which supporting juvenile offender learners' spiritual wellness can enhance teaching and learning, rehabilitate, and reduce recidivism. Twenty-one juvenile offender learners and seven teachers were selected from seven correctional schools in South Africa on the bases of availability and willingness. The study intergraded Ubuntu and spiritual wellness frameworks as a lens to understand the current study. Findings revealed that teachers support juvenile learners’ spiritual wellness and it enhances teaching and learning, thus, resulted in a positive behavioural change of the juvenile offender learners. The study recommends that teachers and security official be trained on how to identify the spiritual challenges of juvenile learners and address them in order to improve their learning and rehabilitate. The DCS can do this through collaboration with various stakeholders who have knowledge and expertise in the spiritual wellness scope.