Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work

In the UK a significant number of young people do not make successful transitions into further education, training or employment on leaving school, which has been exacerbated further by the current economic crisis.  Drawing on in-depth qualitative interview data, this paper examines two Third secto...

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Main Authors: Emma Hollywood, Valerie Egdell, Ronald McQuaid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Social Work & Society 2012-07-01
Series:Social Work and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1435
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author Emma Hollywood
Valerie Egdell
Ronald McQuaid
author_facet Emma Hollywood
Valerie Egdell
Ronald McQuaid
author_sort Emma Hollywood
collection DOAJ
description In the UK a significant number of young people do not make successful transitions into further education, training or employment on leaving school, which has been exacerbated further by the current economic crisis.  Drawing on in-depth qualitative interview data, this paper examines two Third sector programmes in the UK that can be seen moving away from 'work-first' employment activation and focusing instead on promoting the individual capabilities of disadvantaged, unemployed youth in finding work.  When this move is considered through a capability approach perspective, questions are raised about the voice of young people, as their aspirations can be limited because of the social contexts in which they live.  It is argued that enabling unemployed youth to choose the work that they have reason to value cannot be achieved without taking into account the importance of the external context; and so while young people's choices may be developed through providing role models etc. it is still a choice shaped and restrained by the context of wider labour markets and education and training opportunities; and the personal and social barriers that inhibit young people from entering work.
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spelling doaj-art-07b24f2fe95d4a09a9459f4aa74853882025-08-20T03:13:59ZengSocial Work & SocietySocial Work and Society1613-89532012-07-01101Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking WorkEmma HollywoodValerie EgdellRonald McQuaidIn the UK a significant number of young people do not make successful transitions into further education, training or employment on leaving school, which has been exacerbated further by the current economic crisis.  Drawing on in-depth qualitative interview data, this paper examines two Third sector programmes in the UK that can be seen moving away from 'work-first' employment activation and focusing instead on promoting the individual capabilities of disadvantaged, unemployed youth in finding work.  When this move is considered through a capability approach perspective, questions are raised about the voice of young people, as their aspirations can be limited because of the social contexts in which they live.  It is argued that enabling unemployed youth to choose the work that they have reason to value cannot be achieved without taking into account the importance of the external context; and so while young people's choices may be developed through providing role models etc. it is still a choice shaped and restrained by the context of wider labour markets and education and training opportunities; and the personal and social barriers that inhibit young people from entering work.http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1435capability approachyouth unemploymentwork-firstemployment activation
spellingShingle Emma Hollywood
Valerie Egdell
Ronald McQuaid
Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work
Social Work and Society
capability approach
youth unemployment
work-first
employment activation
title Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work
title_full Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work
title_fullStr Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work
title_full_unstemmed Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work
title_short Addressing the Issue of Disadvantaged Youth Seeking Work
title_sort addressing the issue of disadvantaged youth seeking work
topic capability approach
youth unemployment
work-first
employment activation
url http://132.195.130.183/index.php/sws/article/view/1435
work_keys_str_mv AT emmahollywood addressingtheissueofdisadvantagedyouthseekingwork
AT valerieegdell addressingtheissueofdisadvantagedyouthseekingwork
AT ronaldmcquaid addressingtheissueofdisadvantagedyouthseekingwork