Social Work Research Paper 2022

Running head: SOCIAL WORK
SOCIAL WORK
Name of the Student:
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SOCIAL WORK1
Introduction
There had been a period when the Republic of Ireland comprised of homogeneous
society and culture. According to Coulte (2018), the country has developed into a
multinational, cosmopolitan and globalised society. The aim of the paper is to analyse as an
Irish social worker, the current issue several youths have been experiencing related to
homelessness and lack of employment services. Additionally, the paper will offer relevant
recommendations of aiding the disadvantageous youths in Australia by introducing social
programs from education to training and employment.
Discussion
Barriers to Employment Services for Homeless Irish Citizens
Critical barriers to employment for Irish citizens are apparent which are associated
with health issues. Most crucial obstructions in this regard relate to drug addiction,
alcoholism and deteriorated mental conditions. Reports of Coulter (2018) revealed around
55% of citizens who experience homelessness indulge in excessive substance abuse, while
with 37% considered to be problematic substance users. In addition to this, reports also have
revealed that 35% have been diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses. The enumeration of
homeless youths has been notoriously oppressed. This is in part because of arguments over
ways to explain homeless inhabitants and is further associated to concealed nature of
significant level of homelessness (Barker 2016). On the other hand, income support has been
considered as one of the most vital and effectual ways of preventing poverty as well as
decreasing destitution rate in Australia. Reports of Borland (2014) on current poverty rate in
Australia has revealed that around 3.05 million inhabitants have been expected to be living
below poverty line, after considering accommodation expenses.

SOCIAL WORK2
Meanwhile, the linkage between homelessness and mental illness amongst youths
seemed to be bi-directional whereby the ones with mental disorders have been prone to be at
elevated risk of homelessness. Particularly high proportions of youths experiencing
homelessness deteriorated psychological conditions. In the view of authors, considering the
association between youths’ homelessness and mental health, it is significant to deliberate the
occurrence of mental health for youths. According to McGrath and O'Toole (2014), it has
been explicitly understood that experiencing mental illness tends to have significant
damaging effects on welfare, health, functioning and development in adolescence and is
associated with impaired academic achievement, unemployment, poor social functioning and
substance abuse. These destructive impacts tend to extend well beyond adolescence, forming
an ongoing cycle of dysfunction and shortcoming. On the other hand, there are number of
socio-demographic factors which elevate the capacity of youths with deteriorated mental
health. Studies have reported that since early 1990s, the Newstart program has not raised in
real times, regardless of the expenses of essentials elevating extensively. It has further been
estimated that the expense of basic essentials related to private rent, food, transportation and
other essential amenities have risen (Philip and Mallan 2015).
There has been universal acceptance of the importance of access to employment,
education and training for youths experiencing homelessness since the introduction of
Government’s ‘Homelessness: An Integrated Strategy’ in 2000. On the other hand, early
intervention supports such as counselling for accessing secured and proper accommodation in
addition to educational or employment support have been specifically considered to be vital
for susceptible and threatened youths in Australia who has the potential to couch surf and
experience mental disorders, in order to thwart them indulging into more entrenched
homelessness. The principles underlying these programs must integrate holistic, strength-
based approach along with adequate resilience to work with youths’ families. Mission