Day 1

Introduction to Social Policy and Youth Policy

Overview of the Module

This module is designed to draw together the student’s professional development through the three years of their course. The aim of the module is to enable students to reflect on the journey they have undertaken as a professional, set their learning in the broader social and political context and consider their future learning and development needs

What is the purpose of thismodule?

1. To pull together all the elements of theoretical and theological thinking and their applications to practice.

2. To deepen reflective practice to an intrinsic level.

3. To prepare the student to self manage learning and development post BA.

4. To consolidate professional identity and Vocation.

1. Understand and critique the wider social policy context and its relevance to professional practice and professional identity

2. Synthesise a theoretical and theological underpinning for each of the six competences

3. Demonstrate an integrated and contextual approach to professional and personal development and lifelong learning.

4. Consistently evidence an appropriate level of professional practice across the six competencies demonstrating competence at the JNC professional grade including the exercise of personal responsibility and decision making in complex and unpredictable circumstances.

5. Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively, use analytical techniques, problem solving skills, create appropriate interventions and reach sound judgements

6. Show a growing awareness of professional identity including values, ethical and theological frameworks, boundaries and vocation

Learning Outcomes

Teaching days for the Module• 26th March Introduction to Social Policy and

Youth Policy• 9th April Faith Perspectives on Social

Policy: Social Justice, Social Gospel and CRED Policy

• 30th April Global Perspectives on Social Policy: Understanding the UNCRC and the implications to youth work.

• 7th May Future Perspectives on Social Policy: Priorities for youth

and the role of youth workers post 2014

Professional Formation Groups• PFG’s will play a critical role in this module as

they will help students to meet the learning outcomes set out in this module.

AssessmentPortfolio should include:•A competence-related piece of work outlining your personal and professional development through the course, clearly set in and engaging with the social and political context of your work. This can be in the form of a written piece, a scrapbook, film or Powerpoint presentation with accompanying notes and should be equivalent to 3000 words.

•Assessments from the student, PPT and Line Manager.

•Signed timesheets from the Main Agency

•Timesheets and Line Manager’s Assessment from the Second Alternative Agency.

•Marksheets from a presentation given to the PPT and Line Manager in a Three Way Meeting. This should be a 20 minute presentation demonstrating your personal and professional development through the course and identifying future learning and development needs. It will be followed by a 20 minute viva. (25% of mark)

Any Questions?

• Deadlines for submission• 12 noon on the 4th June

So... what are we talking about?

On a Post-It write down your answers to the following baseline questions

Social Policy

1. What do you understand by the term social policy?

2. Who makes social policy?3. Who does it affect?4. What areas of life might social policy affect?

Question Time

Question Time5. Rate yourself 1-5 on your current understanding of the following

terms:1. Welfare State2. Child Poverty3. Inequality4. Social exclusion

6. Rate your understanding of the following documents:1. A Model of Effective Practice2. Our Children and Young People – Our Pledge3. Review of Public Administration4. Delivering social change for Children and young people5. CRED 6. Priorities for Youth

Social Policy: What is it?

• The Policies which governments use for welfare and social protection

• The ways in which welfare is developed in society

• The academic study of this subject area

Some definitions:• “Social Policy refers to forms of state intervention which affect

the social opportunities and conditions under which people live.” (Burden 1998:3)

• “Social policy is the study of welfare and the ‘welfare state’. It is a deliberate intervention by the state to redistribute resources amongst its citizens so as to achieve a welfare objective.” (Baldock et al 2003:9)

• Social Policy is the “aims or goals, or statements of what ought to happen. Social policies aim to improve human welfare and to meet human needs for education, health, housing and social security.” (Blakemore & Griggs 2007:1)

What does it cover?• Policy and practice in personal and social services:

health, social security, education, employment services, community care, housing management, youth work

• Social Concerns:Crime, disability, employment, mental health, educational attainment, educational need, old age

• Issues relating to social disadvantage:Race, gender, poverty

• The range of the collective responses to these aspects

The term ‘social policy’ refers to forms of state intervention which affect the social opportunities and conditions under which people live (Burden 1998:3)

Ultimately relates to how state and society informs and relates to an individual’s social biography and context:

But what do we really know about Politics and Social Policy

Democracy Cookbook activity on the Northern Ireland Assembly and the history of policy and politics since the formation of the state:

Divide into 2 groups and complete the task ASAP

Personal and Social Biographies

Take a few minutes to reflect on your own personal and social context. Consider

specifically where social policy may make a direct or indirect impact.

Personal Time

Social Policy and Welfare

The study of social policy is the study of welfare and the ‘welfare state’:

[Social Policy is]a deliberate intervention by the state to redistribute resources amongst its citizens so as to achieve a

welfare objective (Baldock et al 2003:9).

The Welfare State

Alcock (2008:6-7) highlights that Beveridge (1942) spoke of the ‘five giant social evils’: ignorance, disease, idleness, squalor and want.

The labour response was: Free education for all up to the age of 15, NHS free at the point of entry, state commitment to securing employment for all citizens, public housing for all citizens to combat squalor and National Insurance benefits to combat ‘want’.

Arguments for Welfare and Collective Provision

• Humanitarian• Religious• Mutual self-

interest• Democratic• Practical

Arguments against Welfare and Collective Provision

• People have absolute rights to use their own property as they wish

• Redistributive arrangements are compulsory and thus mitigates against free will

• The rights of the individual are paramount

• Undermines economic performance

• Fosters dependency

Principles of Welfare Provision

Principles of Welfare Provision

Residual Welfare

Solidarity/ Mutual

Responsibility

Institutional Welfare

Industrial Achievement/ Performance

Welfare as safety net, confined to those who are

unable to manage otherwise e.g Poor Laws

Relates to welfare provided through specific inter-

relationships. Specific rather than general. Not general rights. Eg. Trade Unions

Welfare is provided for the population as a whole .

Welfare is not just for the poor, but for everyone

Welfare seen as ‘servant’ of the economy. Helps

employers by preparing workforce. Acts as an economic stimulator

Welfare and Northern Ireland• Northern Ireland as a

region of the UK adopts an institutional system of welfare.

• This means that there is a combination of universal service (e.g free education; NHS) and some selective benefits (Income Support, Disability Living Allowance)

Welfare and the Concept of Poverty

• What does “poverty” mean to you?

• Just as it is very difficult to define “need” so it is difficult to define poverty

Poverty may refer toMaterial conditionsEconomic positionSocial position

Welfare and the Concept of Poverty

• There are two main models of poverty

• Absolute Poverty: based on subsistence, a minimum standard needed to live.

• Relative Poverty:based on a comparison of poor people with others in society

Townsend and Relative Poverty

Peter Townsend defines poverty as

“The absence or inadequacy of those diets, amenities, standards, services and activities which are common or

customary in society”

Townsend, P. (1979) “Poverty in the United Kingdom: a survey of household resources and standards of living, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, p.39

Hillyard et al (2003) Bare Necessities: Poverty and Social Exclusion

15,360 children and young people in Northern Ireland only own two pairs of shoes

Save the Children 2007

Definition to Measurement

• If there is no agreed definition of poverty then poverty cannot be measured

• Even if definitions agreed it is still complex and difficult to quantify

Absolute Measure: Income based• The World Bank uses $2 a day as a current measure.

In 2001 they estimated that 2.7 billion people in the world (roughly half the world’s population) were living below this rate

Poverty and the EU

The European Union uses a comparative measure which sets the poverty line at 50% of median income

32,000 children and young people in

Northern Ireland live in extreme poverty

Save the Children 2007

Factors influencing Child Poverty

Steps to eradicate Child Poverty in NI

Child Poverty Act (2010)Child Poverty Outcomes Framework (2013)

OFMDFM

Poverty and NI• “Targeting Social Need” Initiative introduced in 1991 in NI with the aim of

improving the social and economic conditions of the most disadvantaged• Implementation of this policy required the identification of areas where

the highest levels of disadvantage and deprivation exist.• Initial ‘index’ of indicators (by Robson) included 18 measurements• Revised in 2001 by Michael Noble. Noble used a total of 45 indicators

from administrative sources• As well as original indicators of health, shelter, physical environment,

education, family, income and jobs Noble introduced new measures of child poverty and economic deprivation

• He included seven individual domain measures covering income, employment, health & disability, education & training, geographical access, social environment and housing

NI Assembly, “Measures of Deprivation” (Research Paper 02/02), 23 Jan 02

Noble’s Multiple Deprivation Indicators

Advantages• Comprehensive use of

measurements• These can be informed not

only by the census figures (10 yearly) but ongoing statistical data

• Important to have a comparative tool of analysis

• Useful information for workers in forming community profiles and funding applications

Disadvantages• Complex index of indicators• Measured by Super Output Areas,

that are larger than any given community – Can lead to poor communities being excluded from policy initiatives

• Results provided rank communities and may lead to negative use of this data

• Results are produced with little indication of what the measuring tools actually were.

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) refers to health inequalities as:

Preventable and unjust differences in health status experienced by certain population groups. People in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to experience chronic ill-health and die earlier thanthose who are more advantaged.

Why is it that your post code can mean you have a shorter life expectancy?

Or can determine your likelyhood of having a mental illness?Or why is it greater numbers of people in deprived areas suffer

from obesity?

Health Inequalities

What role does religion play in deprivation?

Social Exclusion

Social Exclusion

Catholics 4%

Protestants 4%

Gays/Lesbian/Bisexual 37%

Disabled 27%

Elderly 23%

Travellers 42%

Other ethnic 38%

Peace Monitoring Report : Dr Paul Nolan (2013)

Values in the Welfare Debate• Solidarity:

“A firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good, that is... The good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for each other”

Pope John Paul II, On Social Concern, 1987, #38

• Freedom:Individualists argue freedom

should be based on independence – freedom to do something

The social model of freedom depends on interdependence. To be able to act people have to have the power to choose in society

Values in the Welfare Debate• Rights:Rights to welfare can be

general or specificIn the UK attempts to extend

rights to all dependent on citizenship

However, citizenship can be a concept that can be used both to deny people rights as well as to include them

• Justice:Two approaches to justice:Platonic: Justice is what is good,

right or desirable (The Republic)

Aristotelian: Justice is a principle of proportionate action. Social justice is basically a distributive principle. You get only what you deserve (Nichomean Ethics)