scholarly journals Preventing Youth Homelessness through Social Procurement in Construction: A Capability Empowerment Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3127
Author(s):  
Martin Loosemore ◽  
Jemma Bridgeman ◽  
Hugh Russell ◽  
Suhair Zaid Alkilani
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Disadvantaged Youth ◽  
Youth Homelessness ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
The Uk

Homelessness is a serious and growing problem in the UK, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The latest figures estimate that 160,000 households are at risk of the worst forms of homelessness. Employment is widely recognised as being critical to reducing homelessness, yet there has been no research into the role that the construction industry, as a major UK employer, can play in reducing this problem. The aim of this paper is to address this gap in knowledge and contribute to the emerging social procurement debate in construction by exploring the role that construction employment can play in reducing the risk of homelessness. Mobilising Sen’s and Nussbaum’s capabilities empowerment approach, an in-depth case study is presented of a construction employment program in Wales, UK, which was aimed at supporting young people who had experienced or who were at risk of homelessness. Contributing to the emerging social value and social procurement debate in construction and drawing on documentary analysis and interviews with young people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness who went through the program, findings indicate that these young people became empowered in ways which reduced their risk of homelessness. It is concluded that the capabilities empowerment framework is valuable in explaining how employment in the construction industry can reduce the risks of homelessness for disadvantaged youth with a care-experienced background or who were known to the criminal justice system.

scholarly journals A Case Study of a Negotiated Tender within a Small-to-Medium Construction Contractor: Modelling Project Cost Variance

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
James Ellis ◽  
David John Edwards ◽  
Wellington Didibhuku Thwala ◽  
Obuks Ejohwomu ◽  
Ernest Effah Ameyaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Open Book ◽  
Competitive Tendering ◽  
Construction Contractor ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Insight Into

This research explores the failure of competitively tendered projects in the UK construction industry to procure the most suited contractor(s) to conduct the works. Such work may have equal relevance for other developed nations globally. This research seeks to teach clients and their representatives that “lowest price” does not mean “best value”, by presenting a case study of a successfully negotiated tender undertaken by a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) contractor; SME studies are relatively scant in academic literature. By applying the “lessons learnt” principle, this study seeks to improve future practice through the development of a novel alternative procurement option (i.e., negotiation). A mixed philosophical stance combining interpretivism and pragmatism was used—interpretivism to critically review literature in order to form the basis of inductive research to discuss negotiation as a viable procurement route, and pragmatism to analyse perceptions of tendering and procurement. The methods used follow a three-stage waterfall process including: (1) literature review and pilot study; (2) quantitative analysis of case study data; and (3) qualitative data collection via a focus group. Our research underscores the need to advise clients and their representatives of the importance of understanding the scope of works allowed within a tender submission before discounting it based solely on price. In addition, we highlight the failings of competitive tendering, which results in increased costs and project duration once the works commence on site. These findings provide new contemporary insight into procurement and tendering in the construction industry, with emphasis on SME contractors, existing relationships, and open-book negotiation. This research illustrates the adverse effects of early cost estimates produced without first securing a true understanding of project buildability and programming. Our work concludes with a novel insight into an alternative procurement option that involves early SME contractor involvement in an open-book environment, without the need for a third-party cost control.

Hidden speech, private thoughts: a case study in peer conversation and educational choice

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-168
Author(s):  
Cherry Canovan ◽  
Rory McDonald ◽  
Naomi Fallon
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Educational Choice ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Friendship Group ◽  
Great Relevance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Peer Conversation

The role of peer and friendship-group conversation in educational and career choices is of great relevance to widening participation (WP) practitioners, but has been little studied in recent years. We interviewed young people and WP practitioners in Carlisle, an isolated city in the UK, to interrogate this subject. We found that young people were clearly discussing their future choices, sometimes overtly and sometimes in 'unacknowledged conversations'. However some topics and ambitions were seen as 'too private' to discuss; all of our young people had a plan for the future, but many believed that some of their friends did not, possibly because of this constraint. We also discuss the role of older students in informing choices, the phenomenon of 'clustering' that can lead to young people funnelli ng into certain options, and the role that geographical isolation might play in exacerbating some effects. Finally we give some recommendations for WP practice based on these findings.

Values and Significance: A case study uncovering the search for meaning among young people in Central and Eastern Europe

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-63
Author(s):  
Sarah Dunlop
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Traditional Church ◽  
Living Space ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Uk

This paper will present a few of the results of qualitative, case study research conducted among students in six cities in Central and Eastern Europe. It will describe the use of images in interviews and how this enabled digging beyond cultural, customary religious belief to uncover a search for ultimate meaning and spirituality. A summary of the findings regarding the emerging values of the young people and their descriptions of what is significant to them in life will be related to Savage, Collins-Mayo and Mayo's research conducted in the UK, specifically to their theories of formative and transformative spirituality and the happy midi-narrative. The tension between a young person's actual situation and their dream about their ideal life will be discussed in terms of the research findings regarding the students' use of celebrity images in their living space. The young people's values, as they emerged from the research, will be contrasted with the values and practices of churches in this region, as seen through the young people's perceptions of traditional church and as articulated by local church leaders. The paper will include a short analysis of the current religious situation in former Soviet countries in light of the finding of the research..

scholarly journals A rapid systematic review of what we know about alcohol use disorders and brief interventions in the criminal justice system

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy Newbury-Birch ◽  
Ruth McGovern ◽  
Jennifer Birch ◽  
Gillian O'Neill ◽  
Hannah Kaner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Young People ◽  
Criminal Justice System ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorders ◽  
Brief Interventions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence of alcohol use disorders within the different stages of the criminal justice system in the UK. Furthermore it reviewed the worldwide evidence of alcohol brief interventions in the various stages of the criminal justice system. Design/methodology/approach – A rapid systematic review of publications was conducted from the year 2000 to 2014 regarding the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the various stages of the criminal justice system. The second part of the work was a rapid review of effectiveness studies of interventions for alcohol brief interventions. Studies were included if they had a comparison group. Worldwide evidence was included that consisted of up to three hours of face-to-face brief intervention either in one session or numerous sessions. Findings – This review found that 64-88 per cent of adults in the police custody setting; 95 per cent in the magistrate court setting; 53-69 per cent in the probation setting and 5,913-863 per cent in the prison system and 64 per cent of young people in the criminal justice system in the UK scored positive for an alcohol use disorder. There is very little evidence of effectiveness of brief interventions in the various stages of the criminal justice system mainly due to the lack of follow-up data. Social implications – Brief alcohol interventions have a large and robust evidence base for reducing alcohol use in risky drinkers, particularly in primary care settings. However, there is little evidence of effect upon drinking levels in criminal justice settings. Whilst the approach shows promise with some effects being shown on alcohol-related harm as well as with young people in the USA, more robust research is needed to ascertain effectiveness of alcohol brief interventions in this setting. Originality/value – This paper provides evidence of alcohol use disorders in the different stages of the criminal justice system in the UK using a validated tool as well as reviewing the worldwide evidence for short ( < three hours) alcohol brief intervention in this setting.

scholarly journals Multiculturalism is Dead: Long Live Community Cohesion? A Case Study of an Educational Methodology to Empower Young People as Global Citizens

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Cremin ◽  
Paul Warwick
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Young People ◽  
Educational Outcome ◽  
Community Cohesion ◽  
Global Citizens ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Diverse Community ◽  
The Uk ◽  
College Setting

This article explores the theme of the ‘two faces of education’ by reviewing new policy directives in the United Kingdom to strengthen community cohesion in schools and their communities. These directives have resulted from growing disaffection with the aims and outcomes of multiculturalism. This article will investigate the ways in which this disaffection has resulted in both ‘quick fix’ politicised solutions, and in more genuine attempts to support young people to develop positive relationships with people from different ethnic backgrounds. It will suggest that whilst inequalities of educational outcome for different ethnic groups persist, schools will continue to be part of the problem, hence the second link with the theme of two (or more?) faces of education. In order to become part of the solution, schools internationally will need to adopt much more creative and complex approaches to the reduction of racism and inequality than those currently being proposed by the UK Government. A case study of an approach that has been used in many countries of the world, including Brazil and Canada, to engage young people in open dialogue, and to develop empathy and critical thinking is provided. The case study from a multi-ethnic college setting within the Midlands, United Kingdom, will illustrate how young people can be enskilled and empowered to consider key debates that have relevance to their lives as global citizens living in a culturally diverse community.

scholarly journals Forgetting social value and other good practices in construction supply chains: Procurement in pandemics

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 221-233
Author(s):  
Greg Watt ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Supply Chain Collaboration ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Value Creation ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Uk

The construction industry is a major contributor to the UK economy and provides additional benefits for wider society including the creation of social value. The creation of social value is highly dependent upon the construction industry supply chain which can been described as fragmented, adversarial and wasteful. Supply chain collaboration has been improving in recent times with increased trust and communication helping to successfully deliver project requirements, including the creation of social value. However, progression in construction supply chain collaboration was made pre Covid-19, the consequential UK Government enforced lockdown, and resulting recession. As we are now in the immediate aftermath of the initial impacts of the pandemic, this paper aims to understand if the lockdown and proceeding recession has resulted in any supply chain procurement behaviour changes of Quantity Surveying professionals, and how such changes may impact upon social value creation. Semi structured interviews were conducted with seventeen main contractor Quantity Surveyors and the results analysed using narrative analysis. The results revealed that whilst there is a lack of supply chain collaboration generally, progress has been made in building trust and communication amongst the supply chain to help create social value. However, changes in supply chain management behaviours post pandemic now risk undermining social value creation in the construction industry.

scholarly journals PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT NEEDS OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT RISK

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 366
Author(s):  
Anna Vintere
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Personal Finances

Social exclusion is widely recognized as having a lasting negative impact on quality of life and future opportunities. Many young people live in families at risk of poverty. One of the causes of social exclusion is the inability to manage personal finances. Social workers working with these young people may not always be able to help, as they often do not have sufficient knowledge on how to properly consult young people on their personal financial issues. In order to find out the needs of personal financial management, a case study involving social workers and young people from social exclusion groups was carried out with the financial support of Nordplus Horizontal programme. This article analyses data from a Latvian survey that reveals main reasons causing personal financial management problems, as well as ways to overcome them. The study also answers the question of what knowledge and skills, as well as methodological materials, are needed by social workers to support young people at risk and to develop their personal financial management skills. 

The Social Pedagogy of Youth Policies in Latin America

2020 ◽  
pp. 82-95
Author(s):  
José Antonio Pérez Islas ◽  
Luis Antonio Mata Zúñiga
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Young People ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Pedagogy ◽  
The Social

This chapter reviews the institutional actions and discourses linked with public policies affecting young people in Latin America, highlighting three large institutions that have impacted this sector in the region: the army, the justice system, and schools, which view young people as a group at risk who must be helped. Next, the chapter discusses youth within the framework of their interactions and well-being, as part of one of the distinctive aspects of social pedagogy—placing it at the center of public policy. Finally, the chapter discusses the relevance of a dialogue between adults and young people that channels the demands, conflicts, and concerns of both in order to produce new youth policies, starting from the recognition of young people through a generational perspective that must be present in all government actions.

Rapid response pathway united to reduce self-harm (RUSH): a case study of a pilot pathway for children and young people

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Molly Cross ◽  
Tim Clarke
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Young People ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Rapid Response ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Harm

Purpose In response to elevated local self-harm and suicide rates, and the lack of a dedicated pathway for children and young people (CYP) who self-harm, a rapid response pathway united to reduce self-harm (RUSH) was developed and implemented within Norwich (Norfolk, England). This public health case study aims to describe the pathway model and share its outcomes, learnings, and reflections over the pilot year. Design/methodology/approach RUSH was a community-based pilot pathway aiming to support CYP, 11–18 years old, engaging in or at risk of engaging in repeated self-harm and subsequently at risk of repeated attendance at local emergency departments. From May 2020 to April 2021, RUSH supported 61 CYP using funding from NHS England and Improvement. Findings This case study shares the pathway’s outcomes, through a mixed-method evaluation. Results indicate statistically significant reductions in self-harm frequency (p = 0.01) and anxiety and depression symptomatology (p < 0.001); a statistically significant increase in progress towards goals (p < 0.001); and a general downward trend in re-attendance at local emergency departments following RUSH. Findings also illustrate high service user satisfaction. Framework analysis of focus group data highlights positive experiences with hope for recommissioning from a staff perspective. Originality/value This study will be valuable for services looking to develop and implement a similar service provision, in response to the need to tackle self-harm rates as a broader approach to suicide prevention. In light of the NHS long-term plan (2019), it also serves as an example of how to develop and use a strategic co-production group, and work collaboratively with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors.

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