What are the main causes of Social Exclusion? Discuss the ways in which housing organisations are trying to cope with this problem.
What are the main causes of Social Exclusion? Discuss the ways in which housing organisations are trying to cope with this problem.
In the following essay I intend to investigate the main causes of social exclusion and discuss the ways in which housing associations are trying to cope with this problem.
We have to be clear as to what social exclusion is and we need to adopt a definition which will be suitable. This is very difficult because different organisations have different views of what social exclusion is. Hence for this enquiry I will adopt the following definition as defined by the report of the social exclusion unit 'Preventing Social Exclusion'. This is because due to the complexity in the term social exclusion we need a starting base. Hence social exclusion is:
'a shorthand term for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown'.
This definition mentions unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown which I take to be the main causes of social exclusion, for example if we look at the composition of those social groups which form part of the socially excluded then we can identify rough sleepers of which:
* 30-50 per cent suffer from mental health problems
* only 38 per cent have any educational qualifications
* up to 50 per cent have serious alcohol problems
* up to 80 per cent have drug problems
(Source adapted from 'Preventing Social Exclusion')
We can identify prisoners of which:
* 56 per cent of prisoners are unemployed before sentencing
* 50 per cent have poor reading skills, 80 per cent have poor writing and 67 per cent have poor numeracy skills
* 38 per cent will homeless on release
* 47 per cent of prisoners are in debt at time of sentence
* 66 per cent of prisoners admit to use of drugs (other than alcohol) in the year before imprisonment
(Source adapted from 'Preventing Social Exclusion')
Social exclusion can happen to any person. But some people are extensively more at risk than others. Research has found that people with particular backgrounds and experiences are inexplicably likely to suffer from social exclusion. The source risk factors consist of: low income; family conflict; being in care; school problems; being an ex-prisoner; being from an ethnic minority; living in a deprived locality in urban and rural areas; mental health problems, age and disability. For example, those who grow up in low income households are more probable to end up unwaged, spending time in prison (usually the men) or as a lone parent (usually the women). Also, for instance those children who have endured some mode of family conflict are at greater risk of homelessness, running away, offending and drug use.
Based on a report published by the Joseph Rowntree foundation I have discovered that the way they intend to tackle the problems involving social exclusion is through the government. In order to successfully tackle all the problems involved in social exclusions, one has to make many sacrifices; finances will run short; workers won't be paid as much as they should but all these sacrifices have to be made in order to successfully tackle the problems.
It is impossible to tackle all the matters involved in social exclusion, but to tackle one problem; if not more then it ...
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Based on a report published by the Joseph Rowntree foundation I have discovered that the way they intend to tackle the problems involving social exclusion is through the government. In order to successfully tackle all the problems involved in social exclusions, one has to make many sacrifices; finances will run short; workers won't be paid as much as they should but all these sacrifices have to be made in order to successfully tackle the problems.
It is impossible to tackle all the matters involved in social exclusion, but to tackle one problem; if not more then it will be the base to start. Every step taken towards tackling the issues will be steps taken towards lowering the problems of social exclusion.
The Joseph Rowntree foundation has been experimenting many different ways in order to tackle the issues, but to no avail. They have continuously pleaded with the government to supply them with extra funds. This inquiry recommends that the term 'social housing' is replaced by the term 'affordable housing' and the current funding system is replaced with the introduction of an Affordable Housing Unified Grant (AHUG). This would allow housing providers to choose which affordable housing products best suited the objectives of individual schemes and could allow more imaginative use of low cost home ownership. Decisions on the mix, balance and types of tenures could then be taken at a local level. They could take account of wider housing and economic considerations in neighbourhoods and the broader objectives of local and regional housing strategies. Also within the organisation crime and disorder reduction partnerships have been set up. Partnerships work with local people to draw up a strategy containing measure to tackle priority problems and set targets.
The Youth Justice Board, set up under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, has responsibility for advising on the operation of the youth justice system in delivering its aim to preventing offending young people. The board has funded over 250 schemes designed to achieve this aim. Youth offending teams (YOTs) have been set up across England. Their purpose is to reduce offending by children and young people. The team will bring together for the first time all the key local agencies on a statuary basis with a contribution to make to reducing youth offending - police, social services, education, probation and health. For young people who are already persistent offenders, a new intensive supervision and surveillance programme (ISSP) has been introduced. The ISSP aims to deal with 2,500 of the most persistent offenders by combining close surveillance by the police with a structured daily programme tackling the causes of the offending.
By gathering funds from the government the Joseph Rowntree foundation has managed to tackle at least one of the problems of social exclusion. Problems still remain with social exclusion but at least the Joseph Rowntree foundation has taken the right steps to tackling social exclusion.
The government has taken steps, working with local government and partners in the community, voluntary and business sectors, towards achieving the three goals of preventing exclusion, reintegrating those who become socially excluded and ensuring basic minimum standards.
Many housing organisations believe that children, families and schools are fundamentally important in the fight against social exclusion. It is because of this the government and other housing organisations such as the Joseph Rowntree foundation have pledged to eliminate child poverty in twenty years, and halve it in ten.
One housing organisation in particular, in conjunction with their local authorities are trying to minimise the effects and consequences of any members of the public becoming socially excluded; an organisation calling themselves 'Sure Start' have started a programme called the 'Sure Start Programme'. Locally-based sure start programmes offer extra support to pregnant women and families keen to learn about parenting skills, nurturing and the development of babies and pre-school children. Other services on offer include outreach, home visits and befriending; social support like mentoring and parenting information; primary and community health care; advice about child health and development; and also services to support good quality play, learning and childcare. Because of the initiative taken by the leaders of the sure start programme: -
* by January, there were 128 Sure Start programmes in areas covering 104,000 children
* 18 of these were led by voluntary sector partners
* By 2003/04, government will have invested £1.4 billion in 500 programmes, reaching 400,000 under-4's in deprived areas.
(Source adapted from 'Preventing Social Exclusion')
A housing organisation known as 'The Dandelions Corporation' are also involved in a scheme to lower social exclusion. They set about and accomplished many company objectives such as give support to poorer families. The government has bestowed The Dandelions Corporation a large cash settlement from which the Dandelions Corporation have extended the maternity allowance to women not earning enough to pay National Insurance. The period for which statutory maternity pay can be received is being extended from 18 weeks to 26 weeks from April 2003. The rate statutory maternity pay will increase from April 2002 from £60.20 a week to £75, rising even further to £100 per week from April 2004 the following year.
Certain groups of children are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion. So The Joseph Rowntree foundation set up a children's fund to prevent poverty and disadvantage for children and young people. Aimed at 5 to 13 year olds at risk, its local partnerships will provide services like mentoring schemes, counselling, advice services and out-of-school activities.
What's Next?: the Government
Over the last four to five years the government has put precautionary measures in place for those most at risk of social exclusion; started to re-integrate some of the most socially excluded groups and set in place reforms that will deliver the basic minimum standards in key services that have been underperforming for many vulnerable people and places.
This has meant a huge programme of policy innovation, as well as new structures and new ways of working within the government. These have created the basis for a new partnership with groups outside central government who have much expertise and commitment, such as local government, service providers, the voluntary sector, communities, churches and faith groups and business.
As a result trends on literacy, school exclusion, teenage births, post-16 participation and rough sleeping are now heading in the right direction. Income for the poorest pensioners and families, and for low paid workers, have risen substantially. And many of the programmes mentioned earlier in this essay i.e. the Sure Start programme, are extremely long term in character and will yield over 10-20 year period.
The government intends to build on this in the following ways:
. First, by continuing to invest in opportunity, based on a foundation of sound economic management
2. Second, through continued follow-up of what has been put in place. The overwhelming majority of programmes mentioned in this essay are on the right tracks - but they must also be kept that way and policy must be adapted if and when new challenges emerge
3. Third, by continuing an open working relationship with those outside the government, to maintain buy-in and learn lessons
4. Fourth, once the current targets are fully achieved the government will look for further improvements. Setting decent minimum standards is only the start, and over time the aim is to raise these still further so they create a platform for excellence, and
5. Fifth, the social exclusion approach will be extended to other areas that have not yet been radically reassessed or where new problems emerge in future. This will be a priority.
Reference Page
. The Social Exclusion Unit (2003). Preventing Social Exclusion
2. David Page (2002). The Reality of social exclusion on housing estates.
http://irf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/housing.htm
ATIF RIAZ - 03131435 INTRODUCTION TO HOUSING MANAGEMENT
