Lived experiences of vulnerable social work students during the COVID-19 pandemic engaged in emergency remote learning in Johannesburg

While the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact worldwide, it created particular challenges for a group of South African higher education students who relied on bursaries to fund their studies. This article highlights the experiences of these students, especially the difficulties they faced in adapting to emergency remote online learning during lockdown. Confronted with various new stressors, students were compelled to develop coping strategies to navigate this "new normal". This article presents findings from a qualitative study conducted post-pandemic. Data were gathered from two focus groups, consisting of nine third- and fourth-year social work students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and other bursaries. The study offers insight into the lived experiences of these students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, examining the obstacles they encountered and the strategies they employed to manage these challenges. Thematic content analysis was employed to interpret the data. The findings indicate that participants had both positive and negative experiences with online learning; however, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds faced challenges, such as a lack of access to the technological resources necessary for engaging in online learning, including computers, laptops, or data. The data collected provides valuable insights into how these students learned during this period. The results of the study have the potential to influence policymaking and can be utilised to plan for future disasters.