The application of the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability to self-employment in South African informal microenterprises

Abstract

Introduction: Persons with disabilities experience difficulties entering the formal South African labour market despite progressive legislation to enhance their economic participation. Consequently, self-employment becomes a work placement consideration for occupational therapy clients. However, self-employment requires certain volitional attributes, and the identification of such attributes would greatly enhance the outcome of vocational rehabilitation efforts. The aim of the study was to describe the level of creative ability of self-employed business owners in informal microenterprises.

Method: A descriptive, quantitative non-experimental research design was used. Sixteen self-employed business owners of informal microenterprises were interviewed and observed completing work tasks using the eight domains of the Activity Participation Outcome Measure (APOM) based on the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability (VdTMoCA).

Results: Participants were between 27 and 50 years of age. Their education levels ranged from no-education (6%) to tertiary education (19%) with the majority (38%) having a high school education. Based on the APOM scores, participants functioned on three levels of creative ability namely: Passive Participation, Imitative Participation and Active Participation. Most participants functioned at the Imitative patient-directed level with the highest APOM domain scores for all participants being Communication Skills, Affect and Role Performance.

Conclusion: To be successfully self-employed in an informal microenterprise, the required level of creative ability ranging from Passive to Active Participation, was identified. This provides occupational therapists with an understanding of these requirements when considering self-employment as work placement option.

Key words: self-employment, informal, microenterprise, Vona du Toit's Model of Creative Ability (VdTMoCA), Activity Participation Outcome Measure (APOM), Work, Vocational Rehabilitation, placement.