Against the odds
Re-engaging young people in education, employment or training
Since 1990, a yearly government survey has indicated that between 9 and 10 per cent of 16 to 18 year olds is without a wage, schooling or training.
This study looks at the financial, personal and social cost of teenagers who are so-called NEET – not in education, employment or training.
The study has found that the problem may be worse than the annual ‘snapshot’ survey shows, but that a new approach can make scarce resources work harder for those at greatest risk.
Targeted Briefings
Targeted briefings for practitioners are also available:
young offenders
teenage parents
young people with special educational needs
young carers
care leavers
Estimating the life-time cost of NEET: 16-18 year olds not in Education, Employment or Training
Research undertaken for the Audit Commission by The University of York
The study, by researchers in the University of York’s Departments of Social Policy and Social Work and Health Sciences demonstrates the long term cost of rising levels of youth unemployment associated with young people between the ages of 16 and 18 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
The lowest estimate of the cost to the public finances across the lifespan of young people in this category is nearly £12 billion, an increase of 44 per cent in the last eight years. Estimated lifetime losses to the economy and to individuals and their families total £22 billion – a 210 per cent increase over the 2002 figure.
The research can be found on York University’s website (external link)
Downloads
Full report
Summary report – an overview of the main findings from the research, complete with a series of questions to help commissioners and members of 14-19 partnerships, children’s trusts and local strategic partnerships explore what local issues may be for young people and how to work more effectively to help them.
Scrutiny guide – this guide is for members of scrutiny committees or panels and the officers who support them. It provides the framework for a scrutiny review of action taken to reduce the number of teenagers not in education, employment or training.
Characteristics of young people not in education, employment or training – the methodology used to quantify the relationship between the characteristics of young people and their risk of being not in education, employment or training for six months or more.
Benchmarking your council’s performance – the charts in this document show performance in fieldwork areas for groups of young people most at risk of becoming NEET.
Briefing for colleges - highlights the key role further education colleges, sixth form colleges and school sixth forms play in helping young people make successful transitions from secondary school to post-16 learning or training and ensuring young people who are NEET can re-engage in learning. The messages in this briefing are also relevant to other post-16 learning or training providers such as third sector organisations and independent training providers.
Briefing for schools – highlights schools’ key roles in preventing young people becoming NEET and ensuring they make successful transitions from primary to secondary school and then on to further learning, work, and training.