The experiences of psychological empowerment in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Goals among staff in a Kenyan Children’s Centre : A qualitative field study

Sammanfattning: The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence of psychological empowerment factors among staff in a children’s centre in Kenya and explore how their work is connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). A qualitative approach was used, based on interviews as the method of data gathering. The sample of the study consisted of 10 participants (N=10), whereby 8 were men and 2 were women. The sample was selected using a convenience sample method. The data material was analyzed using a thematic approach and revealed five different psychologically empowering factors: competence, meaning, self-determination, impact and organisation and management in accordance with previous psychological and structural empowerment literature. Additionally the data revealed eight potential psychologically disempowering factors: lack of competence, self-determination, impact, of work-life balance, financial resources, decent working conditions, community poverty and child neglect. The study provided both positive and negative linkages between the data and the UN SDG’s. Further, it adds a newfound understanding of the complexity of psychological empowerment within a Kenyan lower socio-economic community.