1. What Is ‘Social Exclusion’ and How Does It Affect Young People During Their Transitions Towards to Adulthood?
Abstract
The focus of this research is concerned with the effects of social exclusion on the transition from youth to adulthood. This has been area of growing concern throughout Britain today particularly in light of recent political changes. This study is necessary in order to identify key themes in relation to social exclusion and the role of professionals and the government in terms of minimising the impact of social exclusion.
This qualitative inquiry sets out to expose a range of philosophical, political and professional ideologies in line with two key questions which are highlighted from the very outset. The findings from this research provide evidence that the role of the professional can be both a mechanism through which youth professionals aim to ‘undo’ social exclusion (due to pre-determined social factors such as poverty) and also an agent who works against the system or ‘the odds’ in order to make sure that young people are included in mainstream society as much as possible.
The main conclusion that is drawn from this study is concerned with an imperative need for youth professionals and the government to gain a more ‘holistic’ understanding of young people which extends beyond an emphasis on government policies as a response to the circumstances facing socially excluded young people in Britain and elsewhere; one which interrogates exclusion processes and institutional practices rather than merely addressing the symptoms of disadvantage.
Introduction
A considerable amount of research has been carried out over recent decades in relation to the nature of social exclusion and young people both on national and international scale. Questions such as: How competent are young people in making responsible decisions? When does youth end and adulthood begin? Are youth undervalued as a subgroup in society? are both topical and of historic interest to sociologists, youth professionals and government organisations in the UK.
Throughout the
The focus of this research is concerned with the effects of social exclusion on the transition from youth to adulthood. This has been area of growing concern throughout Britain today particularly in light of recent political changes. This study is necessary in order to identify key themes in relation to social exclusion and the role of professionals and the government in terms of minimising the impact of social exclusion.
This qualitative inquiry sets out to expose a range of philosophical, political and professional ideologies in line with two key questions which are highlighted from the very outset. The findings from this research provide evidence that the role of the professional can be both a mechanism through which youth professionals aim to ‘undo’ social exclusion (due to pre-determined social factors such as poverty) and also an agent who works against the system or ‘the odds’ in order to make sure that young people are included in mainstream society as much as possible.
The main conclusion that is drawn from this study is concerned with an imperative need for youth professionals and the government to gain a more ‘holistic’ understanding of young people which extends beyond an emphasis on government policies as a response to the circumstances facing socially excluded young people in Britain and elsewhere; one which interrogates exclusion processes and institutional practices rather than merely addressing the symptoms of disadvantage.
Introduction
A considerable amount of research has been carried out over recent decades in relation to the nature of social exclusion and young people both on national and international scale. Questions such as: How competent are young people in making responsible decisions? When does youth end and adulthood begin? Are youth undervalued as a subgroup in society? are both topical and of historic interest to sociologists, youth professionals and government organisations in the UK.
Throughout the
References: Aries, P. (1962) Centuries of Childhood. New York: Vintage Books. Barry, M. (2001) Competence in Childhood. Challenging Transitions. London: Save The Children. p.30. Blair, T (1997) In Taylor, A. (2000) Hollowing out or filling in? Taskforces and the Management of cross-cutting Issues in British Government. The British Journal of Politics & International Relations. (2) pp. 46–71. Bondi, L Bynner, J. (2001) British Youth Transitions in Comparative Perspective. Journal of Youth Studies. 4 (1) pp. 5-23. Bynner, J., Pan, H. (2002) Changes in Pathways to Employment in Adult Life. In Bynner, J., Elias, P., McKnight, A., Pan, H., Pierre, G. (eds) Young People’s Changing Routes to Independence pp. 13-26. York: YPS for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Children’s Society (2010) The Media Centre. [Online] Available from: http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/whats_happening/media_office/News_Centre_4091.html [Accessed: 5th Dec 2010]. Corbin, J., Morse, J. M. (2003) The Unstructured Interactive Interview: Issues of Reciprocity and Risks when Dealing with Sensitive Topics. Qualitative Inquiry. June 2003. 9 (3) pp. 335-354. Buckinghamshire: OUP. DCSF (2004) Every Child Matters [Online] Available from: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/about/aims/aims/ [Accessed: 12th Dec 2010]. DCSF (2005) Youth Matters [Online] Available from: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/Youth/youthmatters/youthmatters/ [Accessed: 12th Dec 2010]. Deleuze, G. (2006) Foucault. London and New York: Continuum. Denzin, N. K. Lincoln, Y. (1998) The Landscape of Qualitative Research. London: Sage: 414. Dispatches: Britain’s Street Kids (2010) [Documentary] Channel 4. Monday 1st November 2010. Elden, S. (2001) Mapping the Present: Heidegger, Foucault and the Project of a Spatial History. London and New York: Continuum. Fahmy, E. (2008). Tackling Youth Exclusion in the UK: Challenges for Current Policy and Practice. Vol 6 [Online] Available from: http://www.socwork.net/2008/2/special_issue/fahmy [Accessed: 16th Dec 2010]. Fenton, S., Bradley, H., West, J., Guy, W., Devadason, R. (2002) Winners and Losers in Changing Labour Markets. Report to USRC, Swindon: Economic and Social Research Council. Fine, G. A. (1993). Ten lies of ethnography. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography. 22 (3). pp. 267-294. Flick, U., Kardoff, E. V., Steinke, I. (2004) A Companion to Qualitative Research. London: Sage. Furlong, A., Cartmel, F Gibson, W. (2010) Qualitative research as a method of inquiry in education. Cited in Hartas, D. (2010) Educational Research and Inquiry: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. London: Continuum. p. 60. Giddens, A Gubrium, J. F., Holstein, J. A. (2003) Active Interviewing. Postmodern Interviewing .London: Sage. pp. 70-71. Gubrium, J Hall, G. S. (1904) Adolescence. New York: Appleton. Hammersley, M., Atkinson, P. (2003) What is ethnography? Ethnography. Oxon: Routledge. pp. 1-19. Henderson, S., Holland, J., McGrellis, S., Sharpe, S., Thomson, R. (2007) Inventing Adulthoods: A Biographical Approach to Youth Transitions. SAGE: London. pp. 18-32. Holland, J Home Office (2006) Respect Action Plan [Online] Available from: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/respect-action-plan.html [Accessed: 14th Dec 2010]. Jamieson, L. (1998) Intimacy: Personal Relationships in Modern Societies. Cambridge: Polity. Jones, G. (2009) The Youth Divide: Diverging Paths to Adulthood. York: YPS for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Jones, A Keats, D. M. (2000) The many types of interview. Interviewing: A Practical Guide for Students and Professionals. Buckingham: OUP. Kirby, P., Bryson, S Lansdown, G. (2004) Criteria for the Evaluation of Children’s Participation in Programming. Early Years Matters (103) pp. 35-39. Lansdown , G. (2006) International Developments in Children’s Participation: Lessons and Challenges. In Tisdall, J. M. Davis, M. Hill (eds.) Children, Young People and Social Inclusion: Participation for what? Bristol: Policy Press. Mac Naughton, G. (2005) Doing Foucault in Early Childhood Studies. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Mc Neice, R., Bidgood, P., Soan, P. (2004) An Investigation into using national longitudinal studies to examine trends in educational attainment and development. Educational Research. 46 (2) pp. 119-136. Milburn, M (2009) The Prince’s Trust [Online] Available from: http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/about_the_trust/what_we_do/research/rethinking_recession.aspx [Accessed: 8th Dec 2010]. Mizen, P. (2004) The Changing State of Youth. Houndmills: Palgrave. Moss, P., Petrie, P. (2002) From Children’s Services to Children’s Spaces: Public Policy, Children and Childhood. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Moss, P. (2006) From children’s services to children’s spaces. In Tisdall, J.M. Davis, M. Hill (eds.) Children, Young People and Social Inclusion: Participation for what? Bristol: Policy Press. O’ Leary, Z. (2005) Data Collection Methods. Researching Real World Problems: A Guide to Methods of Inquiry. London: SAGE Publications. pp. 115-117. Payne, G., Payne, J Pile, S. (1991) Practising Interpretative Geography, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 16 (1991). pp. 458-469. Pharoah, C. (2009) Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy at Cass Business School. The Prince’s Trust [Online] Available from: http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/about_the_trust/what_we_do/research/rethinking_recession.aspx [Accessed: 8th Dec 2010]. Rubin, H. J., Rubin, I. S. (2005) Continuing the Design: Making the research credible. Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data (2nd ed.) London: Sage. pp. 64-78. Seidman, I Silverman, D. (2004) Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice. (2nd ed.) London: Sage. Silverman, D Social Exclusion Unit (2006) What is Social Exclusion? www.socialexclusion.gov.uk/page.asp?id=213 [Accessed: 21st July 2006]. Cited in Robb, M. (2007) Youth in Context: Frameworks, Settings and Encounters. SAGE: London. The Children’s Society (2010) Neglected Adolescence: Literature Review. [Online] Available from: http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/research/research-publications [Accessed: 19th Dec]. Williams, R