An interdisciplinary team's experiences of a university-led community engagement intervention in the Tshwane district

The Bags of Hope (BoH) intervention is an interdisciplinary community engagement intervention bringing health professionals and students together towards uplifting the community. Through the project, abandoned newborn babies and mothers in need are provided with care packages. The project entails collecting, creating and distributing care packages within training hospitals.

The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of the interdisciplinary team as to how the BoH intervention impacted their working relationships and care towards the beneficiaries.

The study was conducted in three training hospitals within the Tshwane district of South Africa and University of Pretoria.

This was a qualitative, exploratory study. The study population included radiography students (three), qualified radiographers (three), nurses (two) and social workers (two) involved in the BoH intervention. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.

From the data analysis, four themes were generated: (1) The BoH intervention as a potential abandonment prevention strategy for hospital born infants, (2) psychological impact of the BoH intervention on the interdisciplinary team, (3) strengthening of interdisciplinary collaboration and service delivery through the BoH intervention, (4) sustainability strategies for the BoH intervention.

The BoH intervention provided immediate relief to abandoned babies and mothers in need. The interdisciplinary team was emotionally impacted, experiencing a 'warm glow' effect. To sustain the intervention, increased public awareness, along with ensuring all healthcare professionals are well informed, is crucial for its long-term success.

The research highlights the value that interdisciplinary collaborations can have towards uplifting communities, improving working relations and bridging resources gaps.