In Norway the majority of youth lives under favourable conditions with a remnant of youth-at- risk. Difficulties include school dropout, mental health issues, and homelessness. Several government programs purpose to assist youth-at-risk in becoming independent adults. Project “Good Start” aimed at assisting youth-at-risk to find housing, employment or schooling, and affirmative activities. The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the experiences of project participants. The research methodology had a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Individual qualitative interviews were applied with 12 participants. Phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis of the data resulted in five major themes: a safe and secure haven, autonomy and responsibility, a variety of friendships, helpful others and meaningful activities. A metaphor of gaining a foothold on a rock-filled road to adulthood was developed as the overarching theme, with the intention of expressing a holistic understanding of the meaning of the texts. By obtaining stable housing with necessary support, participants (re)established contact with school and work, friends and family. They evolved an identity and envisioned a hope of establishing themselves on their own. Additionally, a sense of belonging, supportive professional relationships, and meaningful activities emerged as vital factors for social participation. Findings confirm positive connections among health, quality of living, and housing, and support the importance of focusing on external living conditions, rather than on individual deviations and diagnoses. Services for youth-at-risk must be developed together with them and issues of safety, security and privacy prioritized; mental health and social services should be coordinated with a long-term perspective. They need support from persons they know and trust, such as mental health nurses, and may require further assistance in developing skills in everyday living. The advantages and disadvantages of housing several youth- at-risk in close vicinity need to be assessed. Various housing choices should be available.
References
[1]
Arnett, J.J. and Hughes, M. (2012) Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach. Pearson Press, Harlow.
[2]
De Marco, A.C. and Berzin, S.C. (2008) The Influence of Family Economic Status on Home-Leaving Patterns during Emerging Adulthood. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 89, 208-218.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.3736
[3]
Settersten, R.A. and Ray, B. (2010) What’s Going on with Young People Today? The Long and Twisting Path to Adulthood. The Future of Children, 20, 19-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/foc.0.0044
[4]
Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) (2014) Ungdata—nasjonaleresultater 2013 (Youth Data—National Results 2013) Report No. 10/14, Norwegian Social Research Institute, Oslo. (In Norwegian)
[5]
United Nations Development Programme (2014) Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience. Human Development Report 2014. http://hdr.undp.org/en
[6]
NOU (2009) Det du gjør, gjør det helt. Bedre samordning av tjenester for utsatte barn og unge (Whatever You Do, Do It Well. Better Coordination of Services for Children and Adolescents). Norwegian Official Report, Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. (In Norwegian)
[7]
Patel, V., Flisher, A.J., Hetrick, S. and McGorry, P. (2007) Mental Health of Young People: A Global Public-Health Challenge. Lancet, 369, 1302-1313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60368-7
[8]
Ungar, M., Liebenberg, L. and Ikeda, J. (2014) Young People with Complex Needs: Designing Coordinated Interventions to Promote Resilience across Child Welfare, Juvenile Corrections, Mental Health and Education Services. British Journal of Social Work, 44, 675-693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs147
[9]
Singh, M.P., Paul, M., Ford, T., Kramer, T., Weaver, T., McLaren, S., et al. (2010) Process, Outcome and Experience of Transition from Child to Adult Mental Healthcare: Multiperspective Study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 197, 305-312. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.109.075135
[10]
NOU (2011) Rom for alle—sosialboligpolitikk for framtida (Room for Everyone—Social Housing Policy for the Future). Norwegian Official Report, Ministry of Local Government and Modernization. (In Norwegian)
[11]
Smetana, J.G., Campione-Barr, N. and Metzger, A. (2006) Adolescent Development in Interpersonal and Societal Contexts. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 255-284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190124
[12]
Costello, E.J., Egger, H. and Angold, A. (2005) 10-Year Research Update Review: The Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders: I. Methods and Public Health Burden. Journal of American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44, 972-986. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.chi.0000172552.41596.6f
[13]
Curtis, S., Pain, R., Fuller, S., Khatib, Y., Rotnon, C., Standsfeld, S. and Daya, S. (2013) Neighbourhood Risk Factors for Common Mental Disorders among Young People Aged 10-20 Years: A Structured Review of Quantitative Research. Health and Place, 20, 81-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.10.010
[14]
Winther, I.W. (2006) Hjemlighed—Kulturfænomenologiske studier (Homeliness—Culture Phenomenological Studies). Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitets Forlag, Copenhagen. (In Danish)
[15]
Saunders, P. (1989) The Constitution of the “Home” in Contemporary English Culture. Housing Studies, 4, 177-192.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02673038908720658
[16]
Rambøll Management Consulting (2010) Kunnskapsoversikt over forskning om vanskeligstilte pa boligmarkedet 2004-2010 (An Overview of the Research Concerning Those Having Difficulty Obtaining Housing from 2004-2010). Husbanken. (In Norwegian) www.husbanken.no
[17]
Simon, A. (2008) Early Access and Use of Housing: Care Leavers and Other Young People in Difficulty. Child and Family Social Work, 13, 91-100.
[18]
Hodgson, K.J., Shelton, K.H., van den Bree, M.B. and Los, F.J. (2013) Psychopathology in Young People Experiencing Homelessness: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Public Health, 103, e24-e37.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2013.301318
[19]
Wade, J. and Dixon, J. (2006) Making a Home, Finding a Job: Investigating Early Housing and Employment Outcomes for Young People Leaving Care. Child and Family Social Work, 11, 199-208.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2206.2006.00428.x
[20]
WHO (2012) Social Determinants of Health, Report by the Secretariat.
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/B_132_14-en.pdf?ua=1
[21]
WHO (1986) The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. 1st International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, 21 November 1986. http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/previous/ottawa/en/index1.html
[22]
WHO (2007) People-Centred Health Care: A Policy Framework. World Health Organization, Geneva.
[23]
Martinsen, K. (2006) Care and Vulnerability. Akribe, Oslo.
[24]
Padgett, D.K. (2007) There’s No Place Like (a) Home: Ontological Security among Persons with Serious Mental Illness in the United States. Social Science & Medicine, 64, 1925-1936.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.02.011
[25]
Fields, D. (2011) Emotional Refuge? Dynamics of Place and Belonging among Formerly Homeless. Emotion, Space and Society, 4, 258-267. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.emospa.2010.09.002
[26]
Arnett, J.J. (2004) Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens through the Twenties. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
[27]
European Youth Centre (2008) Have Your Say! Manual on the Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life. Council of Europe Publishing, Brussels.
[28]
Ministry of Local and Regional Government (2011) Forskrift om kompetansetilskudd til boligsosialt arbeid fra Husbanken (Regulations concerning Grants for Social Housing).
https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2011-02-23-193
Ricoeur, P. (1976) Interpretation Theory: Discourse and the Surplus of Meaning. Texas Christian University Press, Forth Worth.
[31]
Kvale, S. and Brinkman, S. (2011) Interview. Introduction til et handverk. Hans Reizel, København. (In Danish)
[32]
Lindseth, A. and Norberg, A. (2004) A Phenomenological Hermeneutical Method for Researching Lived Experience. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 18, 145-153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6712.2004.00258.x
[33]
World Medical Association (2008) Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. WHO, Geneva. www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b3/
[34]
Berzin, S.C., Singer, E. and Hokanson, K. (2014) Emerging versus Emancipating: The Transition to Adulthood for Youth in Foster Care. Journal of Adolescent Research, 29, 616-638. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0743558414528977
[35]
Borg, M., Sells, D., Topor, A., Mezzina, R., Marin, I. and Davidson, L. (2005) What Makes a House a Home: The Role of Material Resources in Recovery from Severe Mental Illness. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 8, 243-256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15487760500339394
[36]
Borg, M. and Davidson, L. (2008) The Nature of Recovery as Lived in Everyday Experience. Journal of Mental Health, 17, 129-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15487760500339394
[37]
Ness, O., Borg, M. and Davidson, L. (2014) Facilitators and Barriers in Dual Recovery: A Literature Review of First- Person Perspectives. Advances in Dual Diagnosis, 7, 107-117. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ADD-02-2014-0007
[38]
Gullestad, M. (1989) Kultur og hverdagsliv (Culture and Everyday Life). Universitetsforlaget, Oslo. (In Norwegian)
[39]
Norwegian Directorate of Health (2011) Nasjonal faglig retningslinje for utredning, behandling og oppfølging av personer med samtidig ruslidelse og psykisk lidelse—ROP-lidelser. Helsedirektoratet, Oslo. (In Norwegian)
[40]
Kyle, T. and Dunn, J.R. (2008) Effects of Housing Circumstances on Health, Quality of Life and Healthcare Use for People with Severe Mental Illness: A Review. Health & Social Care in the Community, 16, 1-15.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2007.00723.x
[41]
Wright, P.A. and Kloos, B. (2007) Housing Environment and Mental Health Outcomes: A Levels of Analysis Perspective. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 79-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2006.12.001
[42]
Bild, M. and Gerdner, A. (2006) Socially Excluding Housing Support to Homeless Substance Abusers: Two Swedish Case Studies of Special Category Housing. International Journal of Social Welfare, 15, 162-171.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2006.00385.x
[43]
Darbyshire, P., Muir-Cochrane, E., Fereday, J., Jureidini, J. and Drummond, A. (2006) Engagement with Health and Social Care Services: Perceptions of Homeless Young People with Mental Health Problems. Health and Social Care in the Community, 14, 553-562. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2006.00643.x
[44]
Thompson, S.J., Ryan, T.N., Montgomery, K.L., Lippman, A., Bender, K. and Ferguson, K. (2013) Perceptions of Resiliency and Coping: Homeless Young Adult Speak Out. Youth Society, 48, 58-76.
[45]
Ulager, J., Pearson, A., Tomescu, O., Hill, C., Auerswald, C. and Ginsburg, K. (2005) “Why Should I Tell You?” Homeless Youth Share What It Takes for Professionals to Earn Their Trust. Journal of Adolescent Health, 36, 133-134.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.11.080
[46]
Flanagan, C.A. and Stout, M. (2010) Developmental Patterns of Social Trust between Early and Late Adolescence: Age and School Climate Effects. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20, 748-773.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00658.x
[47]
Flanagan, C.A., Gill, S. and Gallay, L.S. (2005) Social Participation and Social Trust in Adolescence: The Importance of Heterogeneous Encounters. In: Omoto, A., Ed., Processes of Community Change and Social Action, Earlbaum, Mahwah, 149-166.
[48]
Smith, N., Lister, R., Middelton, S. and Cox, L. (2005) Young People as Real Citizens: Towards an Inclusionary Understanding of Citizenship. Journal of Youth Studies, 8, 425-443. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13676260500431743
[49]
Alexander, C.F. (2008) Safety, Fear and Belonging: The Everyday Realities of Civic Identity Formation in Fenham. ACME: An International E-Journal for Critical Geographies, 7, 173-198.
