Adefila, Arinola Anneke (2010) The role of voluntary organisations in developing the capabilities of vulnerable young people. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

What do people need to live functional and flourishing lives in today’s global society? They require
sophisticated socio-economic skills and the prowess of political and cultural participation to
undertake duties as world citizens. Can schools in the United Kingdom, adequately prepare all
young people for these challenges? Data published by the Department for Children, Schools and
Families (DCSF, 2009b) show that two in five children do not acquire key literacy and numeracy
skills before leaving primary school. Some young people leave the education system altogether
with no qualifications and limited understanding of their rights and responsibilities as global
agents. Most of the young people in this category have multiple and sometimes complex
disadvantages; they may live in poor and deprived neighbourhoods, experience poor physical and
mental health or lack the support of adults who are able to model successful, flourishing and
capable citizenry.
Sen (1992) argues that the instruments needed for individuals to flourish are “capabilities”. These are
the “potentials to be and do”. This study examines the means by which voluntary organisations
improve the capabilities of vulnerable young people. It focuses on three major vulnerable groups:
young people who have been excluded from mainstream education, those in cared for by the State and
young people with learning difficulties.
The research uses a mixed methods approach, skewed in favour of qualitative methods to analyse
diverse trajectories of vulnerable young people towards capability. It relies on the capability approach
to investigate the methods used in Voluntary Organisations which support the participants’
transformation to functional individuals. Organised as communities of learning, Centres of non-formal
education provide the space, expertise and pedagogies for transformative learning processes to take
place. The study shows vulnerable individuals need to combine and convert specialised capabilities in
specific suites to enable them make the transition to capability successfully.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HS Societies secret benevolent etc L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Associations, institutions, etc. -- Great Britain, Life skills -- Great Britain, Student expulsion -- Great Britain, Children -- Institutional care -- Great Britain, Children with disabilities -- Education -- Great Britain
Official Date:	October 2010
Dates:	Date Event October 2010 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Institute of Education
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Ranson, Stewart
Sponsors:	University of Warwick. Institute of Education
Extent:	xiv, 443, xlii leaves : ill.
Language:	eng

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