Evaluation of Experience-Driven Career Support Services for NEET Youth in Community Contexts

Abstract

Informed by three interlocking perspectives, namely, recognition theory, psychosocial resources, and the expanded notion of work, this study evaluated the effectiveness of a career support service project characterized by experience-driven interventions on reengaging a diverse group of youth aged 15–21, who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) in community contexts and on enhancing their psychosocial resources. The results of repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant pre- and post-intervention changes of 660 NEET participants in relation to their psychosocial resources encompassing career adaptability, social support and career engagement. All participants reported that they successfully achieved status-based and/or non-status-based recognition over three to six months after case closure. The results of multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) further revealed that the four categories of interventions provided by the project significantly influenced the participants’ composite psychosocial resources when controlling for their gender, educational attainment, length of duration as NEET, presenting problems, and pre-intervention scores. Moreover, the combined package of interest development plus career counseling and guidance ranked the most effective intervention. This study sheds light on developing career support services for NEET youth in diverse community contexts.