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

Loosemore, M; Bridgeman, J; Russell, H; Zaid Alkilani, S

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

Loosemore, M

Bridgeman, J Russell, H Zaid Alkilani, S

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Publisher:: MDPI AG
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Sustainability, 2021, 13, (6), pp. 1-18
Issue Date:: 2021-03-12

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Loosemore, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3189-4655
dc.contributor.author	Bridgeman, J
dc.contributor.author	Russell, H
dc.contributor.author	Zaid Alkilani, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3799-143X
dc.date.accessioned	2023-03-23T22:17:12Z
dc.date.available	2023-03-23T22:17:12Z
dc.date.issued	2021-03-12
dc.identifier.citation	Sustainability, 2021, 13, (6), pp. 1-18
dc.identifier.issn	2071-1050
dc.identifier.issn	2071-1050
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/168247
dc.description.abstract	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.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	MDPI AG
dc.relation.ispartof	Sustainability
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/su13063127
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	12 Built Environment and Design
dc.title	Preventing Youth Homelessness through Social Procurement in Construction: A Capability Empowerment Approach
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	13
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Built Environment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2023-03-23T22:17:11Z
pubs.issue	6
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	13
utslib.citation.issue	6

Abstract:

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.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/168247