Empowering Youth through Affordable Homes

1. Executive Summary

The project involves the process of developing a social enterprise that will focus on creating affordable homes and improve professional skills of the youth in Australia who are suffering from homelessness. The project aims to improve the health, lifestyle and employment prospects of the youth living in Australia who are homeless. The homelessness among youth in Australia is a major issue as because being homeless is causing the youth to have limited access to treatment, medication and basic hygiene along with hundred mental health and involvement in substance abuse. The establishment of the project is planned to create 3% increase of availability of affordable housing facility for the youths in Australia who are homeless. Moreover, the project is considered to have affected in creating 7% employability among homeless youth in Australia. The recommendation to be followed further in future is that the social enterprise is required to interact with the Department of Employment in Australia to determine the future actions in lowering homelessness among youth in the country by offering them greater ability to be employed.

2. Project Aim and Objectives

The project aims to enhance the health, lifestyle and employment prospects of the homeless youth living in Australia.

The objectives of the project are as follows:

To enhance the affordability of homes for the homeless youth living in Australia by offering them economic support through various modes

To increase the employability participation of the homeless youth living in Australia by providing them professional training session

To develop enhanced system in meeting the different lifestyle needs and demands of the homeless youth of Australia while empowering the operations of the organisation

The success criteria expected from the change are as follows:

An expected 5% improvement of the well-being and livelihood of the homeless youth of Australia within 4 months of the operation of the organisation

An expected 3% reduction of homeless youth in Australia in the next 6 months who are within the ages of 15-24 years

An expected 10% improvement in the operation of the organisation and achievement of increased scope among the homeless youth in the Australia for getting jobs with development of better professional attributes and skills

3. Project Overview

The project is regarding development of a social enterprise which is focussed on creating affordability of homes and professional skills among the homeless youth living in Australia for enhancing their lifestyle and well-being. The project intends to develop the social enterprise that would operate in creating employability and education-based training for the homeless youth in Australia. This is to help the homeless youth develop professional skills and knowledge regarding employability. The project also created to empower the capability of the homeless youth in Australia to be able to meet their own needs which is to be resolved by providing them financial knowledge explaining ways to get finances and use them strategically to build their life. The project developed intends to explain the target community, their needs and financial model of the social enterprise in executing the project while overcoming the risk and challenges faced during its execution. The operation of the project is determined to be initiated from helping homeless youth in Perth and Brisbane while later expanding its operation to Melbourne and Sydney as well as rest of Australia.

2.2 Rationale

Homelessness is referred to the condition in which an individual lack fixed, adequate and regular nighttime residence leading them to sleep in designated temporary living accommodations or places not designated for habitation of humans like parks, streets, etc (aihw.gov.au, 2021). In Australia, homelessness among youth is one of the major social problem which is evident as in 2016 nearly 21% of the youth population (15-24 years) are found to be homeless which is equal to 24,200 young people living without permanent settlement (abs.gov.au, 2016). In between 2006-2016, homelessness among youth in Australia rose by 26% (aihw.gov.au, 2021). This indicates that a major part of the youth population in Australia are facing homelessness and the problem has become grave in the past 10 years with rising number of youth homelessness in the country. The issue of homelessness among youth in Australia is mentioned to have rose due to various reasons such as housing crisis (37%), domestic violence (25%), inadequate dwelling condition (15%), family breakdown (13%) and financial difficulties (11%) (aihw.gov.au, 2019). Thus, family reasons along with financial incapability are found to be influence the development of the problem.

The homelessness among youth in Australia is a key issue to be focussed and resolved because being homeless leads the youth to have limited access to treatment, medication and basic hygiene along with exposes them to violence, social isolation and sexual exploitation. This is because homeless youth are regarded as threat in the society which makes people to attack them and isolate them from others (Schifalacqua et al., 2019). Moreover, the homeless youth to make money often involve in sexual exploitation (Stewart and Townley, 2020). Thus, homelessness among the youth leads the individuals to face hindered health and well-being which makes them fail to act for a better future. As argued by Swahn et al. (2018), homelessness in youth makes them develop behavioural problem, anxiety, depression, drug misuse and others. This is because the condition makes them youth worried regarding their future and feel suffocated in their social life for which their emotional health is challenged. Thus, focus on improving the lifestyle and social condition of the homeless youth in Australia is important to make them develop enhanced well-being and future.

The homelessness among the youth in Australia has current become a major issue which is evident as 1 in 6 youth are mentioned to have faced homelessness as reported in 2020 (aihw.gov.au, 2021). This indicates that the problem of homelessness among youth in the country is quite widespread. The support of homeless youth to achieve financial help and affordable housing would limit their issue of living in overcrowded places and uninhabitable places that compromises their health (VonHoltz et al., 2018). Moreover, the study by Watson and Cuervo (2017) mentions that employability of youth helps them in making effective money to meet their needs and demands on their own which also makes them feel empowered in maintain steady lifestyle. Thus, the financial, lifestyle and employability upliftment of the homeless youth in Australia is been focussed to be improved through the project.

3 Running the Project

3.1 Teamworking

The importance of teamwork in project management is that it helps in collaborative sharing of ideas and skills to efficiently and productively reach the determined goals and meet the objectives in time (Ibraimova et al., 2019). The initial practice made by the team in the current project is development of a financial model. This is because the collaborative development of financial model would inform the team regarding the role each of the team members has to play for arranging finances in accomplishing the project and meet the determined objectives for the homeless youth in Australia. The team determined that an investment of around US$50000 is required for executing the project which is to be achieved though investment from the different governmental agencies and gathered from charity-based donations from common people as well as social communities.

The developed practice for financial model is effective approach from the team as they focused to depend not only on government but determined to gather support from the society in executing the project. This is because the government bear wide expenses in managing homeless in the country and they may not provide sufficient funds to all enterprise working in resolving the social issue (Alavipour and Arditi, 2018). Thus, determining inclusion of different social avenues in gathering finances would lead the enterprise to effective gather required funds without being burden on the government to accessing help in establishing their project. In this aspect, team working is involved as opinion from different members are included regarding which modes of donations are to be sued for collecting finances as well as which government agencies are to be asked to support the project as all the agencies may not be efficient in understanding the vitality of the cause been focussed.

In the project, as a team the other practice developed in deciding the way gathered money is to be provided to the homeless youth and used for paying to the employees as well as staffs. The team also decided regarding the way the money is to be invested in expanding the services to target audience in further places within the country. This is an effective team approach as discussion of finance distribution in the organisation would make the team members understand way the plan for compensation and remuneration is been fixed. It would make the team members approved they are not been deprived for the profit of the organisation and they are equally valued in the project which would make them feel zeal to work with increased productivity (Senabre Hidalgo, 2018).

3.1.1 Structure of Team and Professional Identity

In allocating the team roles, the Belbin’s Team role is been followed. This is because team role helps in allocating role of specific individuals based on their strength and weakness which makes the person perform the role in enhanced manner without facing personal barriers (Marcusson, 2018). The team roles used in framing the project are team worker, coordinator and resource investigator. The team worker role involves ensuring collaborative working of the team members and by using their versatility the team workers complete role on behalf of the team in meeting the tasks (Eybers and Hattingh, 2018). The role is allocated to team members who expressed enhanced communication ability along with ability to act cooperatively and in diplomatic way (DeLong and Vander Schee, 2021). The coordinator role is included as it helps in making the team members understand objectives and make them work effectively through delegation of duties (Flores-Parra et al., 2018). The role is provided to team members who expressed maturity in managing work and has clarified understanding of the project goal so that they understand way to delegate task without conflict (Aranzabal et al., 2022). The resource investigator role is played in the team to ensure availability of resources in the form of ideas and sources in meeting the team goals (Marcusson, 2018). The role is allocated to member showing outgoing ability and have contacts so that they can gather resources as needed during the work for its smooth execution (Marcusson, 2018).

In the project, the skills and abilities expressed commonly by team members is enhanced communication ability and collaboration. It is evident as all the team members were found to be participative in making verbal interaction as well as expressed intension to work together. This is important as effective communication helps the team members to discuss ideas with one another and listen to each other in developing trust and support for one another for collaborative working (Bond-Barnard et al., 2017). Moreover, critical thinking ability is also shown by the team members. It helped the team members analyse complex actions at work and develop informed decision in managing them to achieve the goal (Mutakinati et al., 2018). The team in the project showed critical thinking ability by making an informed decision when monetary disputes are raised in the course of the project. The team members at work also demonstrated effective time management with problem-solving attitude which is evident as they worked by following task schedule and develop strategies in resolving problem on their own during the project execution. This is effective as time management would help the team members resolve the project action within schedule leading to avoid missing deadlines at work. Moreover, the problem-solving attitude in teamwork is important as it helps to resolve problem raised at work which hindered the achievement of task-related goals (de Rezende and Blackwell, 2019).

3.2 Project Management

In managing the project, the Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Team are the two digital tools extensively used by the leader. The value of using Microsoft Team (MT) as digital tool in the project was that it helped in keeping transparency at work and it created enhanced focus of team members at work. This is because the application allowed the team members to see the roles played by each of the members and their progress along with the way each of the members are treated by the leader (Bondarenko et al., 2018). The use of the application is also valuable for new team members to develop speed at work as the place allow the new members to understand focus of the work and what has been done from which they are to initiate and play their role effectively to achieve progress (Glazunova et al., 2020). The value of using Microsoft Outlook is that it helped in easily connecting with team members in discussing progress and changes in the project as well as ensuring security of the discussion made to be avoided to be revealed in public (Bondarenko et al., 2018). The value of using both application is that it helped the leader to track the work of the team members on regular basis to inform them about modifications of steps to be made to meet the determine goal in time (Glazunova et al., 2020).

3.2.1 Leadership

The leadership style commonly observed in the project is transformational leadership. The transformation leadership is one in which the leaders work with their followers or team beyond their self-interest in making any change. It allows the leaders to provide direct guidance to the team members in executing activities and be inspired in executing change (Maqbool et al., 2017). In the project, the leaders and team members are seen to work collaboratively by sharing each idea between one another to be approved before work. Moreover, the team leader is seen to provide support and inspiration to team members in an effective way so that they feel motivated to execute the project. Thus, transformation leadership style where effective leader involvement in necessary is effectively followed.

3.2.2 Conflict management

The importance of conflict management in project is that it helps to limit the negative aspects of problem at work and increases effective work performance as well as group outcomes (Tabassi et al., 2019). Conflict management at work is established by supporting collaborative ideas to be used at work so that the actions are performed by the team members with effective satisfaction that each of their views are valued. Thus, the collaborative action of managing conflict is effective as it minimises negative attitude and feelings among the team members and support long-term relationship develop out of lack of opposite intentions among one another (Lu and Wang, 2017).

3.2.3 Ethics in Profession

The code of Ethics and Professional Conduct highlights key ethical values to be followed are honesty, integrity, confidentiality and justice (ahri.com.au, 2016). In the current project, effective confidentiality is maintained by the team members by avoiding revealing anyone’s personal information beyond work. The team members also ensured the strategies at work are known only to required members and not to the public as dispute may be created due to sharing of information beyond work that compromises confidentiality. In addition, integrity is ensured in the project execution by retaining honest work principles. The justice and equality are implemented in the project by managing all the employees in rightful manner without creating any discrimination towards them on any grounds.

3.3 Impact of Change

The establishment of the project led to 3% increased availability of affordable housing facility for the homeless youths in Australia. Moreover, it impacted to create 7% employability among homeless youth in Australia and their ability to work which assisted them in earning finances to support effective well-being. The original method adopted to measure the social impact of the project is performing survey of the homeless youth population regarding their enhancement in housing facility and well-being before and after the project. The method is realistic as it provided the real number of homeless youths who benefited after the project leading to assist in numerically measuring the success of the project.

4. Findings and Conclusion

The project helped to achieve the determined success criteria for affordable housing facility for the homeless youth in Australia. However, the desired employability level determine in the objectives for the homeless youth is not effectively achieved. This indicates that though the homeless issue among the youth of Australia is reduced through the project, but the employability required for their safe future and better well-being could not be achieved.

4.1 Recommendation

The recommendation to be followed further in future is that the social enterprise is required to interact with the Department of Employment in Australia to determine the industry in which jobs could be available for the homeless with minimum experience and vocational training. Moreover, the social enterprise is recommended to evaluate the job market and identify the specific jobs to be applied by the homeless youth so that they can achieve employment.

Evidence of Completion (to be provided by client)

Reflection

In the UEL, a reflection on the way the Mental Wealth module lead me to become an educational professional is to be discussed. The Gibb’s reflective cycle is to be followed in reflecting the experience because it allows analysing the experience in better way to determine the strength and weakness of the performance along with decide way to improve it for future endeavours (Zare et al., 2020).

Description

In the Mental Wealth module, it was ensured that use of three key digital tools such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Outlook is learned as compulsory by the students. I learned the use of digital tools through LinkedIn short course but due to shortage of time could not learn in-depth use of the tools in project management. In the module, the students are instructed to develop communication with one another as we are required to perform few projects as a team apart from single assignments. Moreover, the communication was asked to be established so that sharing of information from one another can be supported in building effective projects and understanding of new information can be done with assistance from one another. The module led me to work with my peers as a team in executing many projects during which I learned regarding conflict management and leadership style to be followed in accomplishing projects as a team. However, the module did not allow to focus on the way assistance can be offered to other while personally dealing with loads of work so that both can be able to achieve success. The module led to learn regarding the professional identity by specifying the professional codes and ethical principles to be followed in executing projects. Moreover, it highlighted the professional responsible and roles to be followed in any project management. The module educated regarding the way mindset is to be developed so that social issues can be identified, and recommendations can be developed to resolve them. The module did not allowed scope for learning self-management as the students were always helped to resolve problem after identification, as well as decision, were made by tutors regarding the way to improve self in controlling the weakened skills and abilities from affecting while they work.

Feelings

In executing the module, I felt that effective idea regarding the variety of potential digital tool available for project management and time management were not provided. This is evident as the short course in the LinkedIn only informed regarding three digital tools to be used for project execution. I felt that effective communication was allowed to be learned in the module as verbal, non-verbal as well as written way of interaction was allowed and taught to be performed through various assignments. I also feel that effective professional identity and positive mindset was allowed to be built through the module because it informed about the way professionalism and ethical principles at work are to be followed. However, I feel that development of emotional intelligence was not adequately supported as apart from self-awareness characteristics, the self-management, motivation, empathy and social skill characteristics are not able to be learned from the module. However, I felt that the module helped in understanding social issues and way to manage them. I also felt that the module educated effectively regarding team working and management but avoided to mention in detail regarding the way conflict between team are to be resolved by the team members without involving the leaders.

Evaluation

The good thing about the experience is that the module informed regarding the basic use of digital tools in project management for performing it in an easier and systematic way. This is because learning of digital tool use in project management helped in quality team operation, tracking of team performance, time management, evaluating resource use and others (Zaverzhenets and Łobacz, 2021). However, the bad thing was that wider information about variety of digital tools used in project management was not provided in the module. This limited the opportunity for identifying more easier way to connect and keeping track of characteristics of the project. The other thing which went well is that effective way of communicating with others was learned. This is important as enhanced communication ability makes the individuals in the professional field avoid to be misunderstood and support enhanced interaction of ideas as well as develop listening attitude which allows them to work with better efficiency (Dasí et al., 2021). The other thing that also went well is effective working in a team was educated. It is important as learning effective way to work in a team helps individuals in the professional field to work collaboratively with diverse people and share ideas at work to execute tasks in creative and innovative way (Sanchez and Terlizzi, 2017).

The thing that did not went well is that effective emotional intelligence was unable to be developed even after executing the course. This is because the course educated regarding the way of development of self-awareness and self-regulation skills but failed to inform regarding the way empathy, motivation and social skills are to be developed that are important part of emotional intelligence. The learning of emotional intelligence in professional world is necessary because it helps individual to perceive, understand, reason with and manage personal emotions as well as other’s emotions to create successful achievement of work goals (Di Fabio and Saklofske, 2019). The other thing which did not go well is that effective problem-solving is not able to be learned from the module. This is because during problems raised at work, the leaders would come forward and provide the solution to the individuals on their own in resolving the problem rather than making the individual develop solution on their own to cope with the problem (Heppner et al., 2020). However, the good thing about the module is that effective conflict management skills were allowed to be developed. This is because during clashing of ideas in team work, the team members were supported and educated regarding the way to make discussion and develop solution to overcome the conflict of interest and develop enhanced unified ideas to be followed.

Analysis

The learning of digital tools to be used for project management went well because effective training was allowed to be taken within the module in learning the use of such tools to be implemented in practical environment. However, in-depth learning was not achieved due to the vastness of the tools and limited time within the module to complete the single topic. The communication ability was effectively developed among each member and went well because enhanced opportunity and assistance was provided to each of the individuals in the module to develop the skill through active interaction with others. The ability to execute team work also went well because of the increased opportunity created through the module to perform various assignment as a team. However, the development of emotional intelligence did not go well because of lack of effective connection and understanding of personal emotions and others during the module. The lack of effective mindfulness to practise focussed attention in the module was not also achieved which led to hindered emotional intelligence development.

The other thing which did went well is development of academic and research skill because wide opportunity was provided in the module to perform research to gather adequate information to present them academically. The effective ability of self-management is not allowed to be developed because assistance was always provided to individuals in the module in resolving problem instead of making them take actions on their own. The issues around social impact in the module was effectively understood because individuals were provided the opportunity to effective research wide number of social issues and their impact on society along with the problem surrounding them which is creating barrier towards their management. The helping others aspect went well in the module because individuals in the module were instructed to be cooperative by informing them about the benefits to be achieved by collaborating and helping one another.

Conclusion

The above discussion led to conclude that effective communication with others, research and academic skills, formation of professional identity and team working. The things going well helped in better instruction and information to be presented in the module projects assisted in maintaining professional ethics, supported collaborative working, assist in conflict management, resolving of social issues and others. The thing that did not go well is problem-solving ability, self-management, emotional intelligence development and enhanced mindset in managing issues at work. The issues raised as a result are hindered management of raised problem without assistance, lower control of emotional outbursts and others.

Action Plan

In future, for similar conditions the improvement to be made is the development of emotional intelligence. For this purpose, enhanced mindfulness is to be developed to understand the situation and emotions regarding it so that effective decisions can be taken to cope with the situation while controlling emotions. The other improvement to be made is enhancement of problem-solving attitude which is to be achieved by personally exploring and identifying different problem at work and develop own solutions in resolving them without accessing help from leaders. In addition, further education and training of digital tools used in project management are to be taken so that in-depth understanding regarding their critical use in better management of project is developed. The self-management skill is to be improved by determining avoidance of any help for personal issues raised and resolve the problem with self-awareness.

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