NEET Research Articles

“Remaking the world memetically”: interrogating white nationalist subject formation through the circulation of the “Wagecuck” meme

ABSTRACT This essay examines the wagecuck, a 4chan meme portraying wage workers and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) counterparts, as an artifact of white nationalist desire. Through a rhetorical materialist analysis focused on exchange, I argue that wagecuck memes encourage viewers to pursue white recognition to offset anxieties of race, class, and sexuality. The meme circulates cuckold and wage-slave tropes to construct the white working-class man as a human agent in pursuit of antiblack jouissance. This research identifies the fantasy of racial agency as the meme’s operative logic, encouraging scholars to move beyond its humanist underpinnings.

The school-to-work transition for young people who experience custody

We use individual-level population data to characterise the pathways followed by young people in England who experience custody. We identify a typology of pathways up to age 18 and a separate typology covering ages 19–22. Our results confirm the generally poor prospects among this group, showing 80% to be firmly established as not in employment, education or training (NEET) by age 22. Despite the high level of deprivation in the population considered, prospects are still found to vary with specific markers of disadvantage. Managing to avoid NEET when 16–18 is an important part of the strategy for avoiding NEET when older. This suggests the importance of policy interventions aimed at re-engagement of those who experience custody as a young person.

Early substance use disorders and subsequent NEET-not in education, employment or training-a national cohort study.

Substance use problems have been associated with poor labour market outcomes. This study investigated whether substance use disorders (SUD) in emerging adulthood increase the likelihood of later being not in employment, education or training (NEET). A national cohort study of 235295 males and 227792 females born between 1981 and 1987. SUD was assessed between ages 17 and 24 years. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of NEET, between ages 25-34. Sibling-comparison analysis was performed to account for potential shared genetic and environmental factors. Having been diagnosed with a SUD was associated with the likelihood of being NEET among males [OR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25-1.49] and females (1.19, 1.13-1.27) after adjusting for domicile, origin, psychiatric diagnosis and parental psychiatric diagnosis. Early SUD was also associated with a gradual increase in the ORs of accumulation of years being NEET. This was more evident among females. In the sibling-comparison analysis, we found a higher OR of NEET among same-sex sibling males 1.39 (1.06-1.82) and females 1.28 (0.99-1.66) with SUD. These risks were fully attenuated when another psychiatric diagnosis was adjusted for. Early SUD was associated with an increased likelihood of being NEET in both males and females. Neither origin, domicile, psychiatric diagnoses nor parental psychiatric diagnoses did fully explain the association. The combination of unmeasured familial factors and having other psychiatric disorders largely explained these associations.

How Incarcerating Children Affects their Labour Market Outcomes

Abstract We investigate the labour market effects of incarcerating children. Using linked administrative data to track outcomes for English schoolchildren, we estimate an econometric model of transitions between education, custody, employment and NEET (not in employment, education or training), along with earnings for those starting work. We allow outcomes to vary according to the individual’s state in the preceding spell and, by controlling for personal characteristics and unobserved heterogeneity, interpret such variation as capturing causal impacts. For males, the main effect of incarceration is a reduction of more than 10% in the probability of employment. For females, there is no overall impact on employment but, for those entering work, wages are reduced by 25%. These negative impacts suggest roles for policy in deterring delinquency, finding alternatives to custody, rehabilitating those incarcerated and supporting resettlement on release. Appropriate labour market policy may differ by gender, with males needing help to overcome employer discrimination and females needing encouragement to achieve better-paid work.

Exploring the determinants of NEET youth in Jambi Province: A socioeconomic perspective

This study aims to analyze: 1) the socioeconomic characteristics and NEET (Not in employment, education, or training) status of young individuals in Jambi Province; 2) the determinants influencing the NEET status of young people in Jambi Province. The data utilized in this study is derived from a survey conducted in four sample villages within Jambi Province, consisting of 200 young participants. Descriptive statistical tools, single-frequency and cross-frequency tables, and binary logit regression are employed for analysis. The findings of the study reveal that: 1) NEET youth, when compared to non-NEET youth, tend to be older, have a higher proportion of females, possess higher education levels, are more likely to be married, are predominantly non-migrants, and have fewer siblings or step-siblings; 2) The parents of NEET youth, in comparison to non-NEET youth, generally have higher incomes and predominantly belong to non-Malay ethnicities in Jambi. 3) Factors significantly impacting the categorization of youth as NEET include gender, education, marital status, and parental income.

Problems of Generating Productive Employment in the Youth Labor Market as a Dominant Risk Reduction Factor for the NEET Youth Segment in Kazakhstan

NEET (not in employment, education, or training) unemployment is one of the newer, most relevant, and least studied modern features of the youth labor market, making it an urgent problem to be solved. The purpose of this study is to identify the barriers to creating productive employment in the youth labor market, with a view to reducing the NEET youth segment in Kazakhstan. Our aim is to identify the impact of employment and unemployment parameters in the youth labor market in order to reduce the NEET youth segment in Kazakhstan. The article analyzes the indicators of youth participation in the labor force, defines the features of the youth labor market based on segmentation by age, and identifies the dynamics of youth employment, including the type of economic activity. Particular attention is paid to the NEET youth category in Kazakhstan, providing a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics of the youth labor market for the period 2001–2021. The portrait of Kazakhstani youth in the category of NEET unemployment was determined based on an analysis of labor market indicators. Our study identifies the barriers to generating productive youth employment, allowing policymakers to reduce the NEET youth segment in Kazakhstan.

Values, Health and Well-Being of Young Europeans Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET).

Youth unemployment is a problem that undermines young people's health and well-being and is also a concern for their immediate communities and society. Human values predict health-related behaviour; however, this relation is very little studied and not examined earlier among NEET (not in employment, education or training) young people. This study aimed to explore the association between four higher-order human values (conservation, openness to change, self-enhancement, self-transcendence), self-rated health (SRH) and subjective well-being (SW) among NEET young men and women (n = 3842) across European regions. Pooled European Social Survey data from 2010-2018 were used. First, we run linear regression analysis stratified by European socio-cultural regions and gender. Then, multilevel analyses by gender with interactions were performed. The results show expected variation in value profiles across genders and regions and corresponding differences in SRH and SW. Significant associations between values and SRH and SW were found among both genders and across the regions; however, the results did not entirely confirm the expectations about the "healthiness" of specific values. More likely, prevailing values in societies, such as the social norm to work, might shape these associations. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors affecting NEETs' health and well-being.

Non-Western Immigrants, the Transition from School to Education and to Work and NEET Status

This article examines the transition from compulsory school to education and work for children of immigrants and native Danes by focusing on NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) status. Using administrative register data, I first examined the overrepresentation of children of immigrants in the NEET group three years after completion of compulsory school. I then analysed: (a) whether differences in family background and grades can explain this overrepresentation and (b) whether NEET status during this period is associated with a high risk of NEET status four years later (i.e., seven years after compulsory school completion). My results show higher NEET rates for children of immigrants than for native Danes. Regression analysis of three year groups suggests, unfavourable family characteristics explain the higher probability of NEET status among children of immigrants in two of these groups. NEET status in the three-year period after school completion is associated with higher risk of NEET status four years later for both children of immigrants and native Danes.

Clinical Research Updates.

Clinical Research Updates.

Being poor and being NEET in Europe: Are these two sides of the same coin?

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10888-022-09561-7.

Risk Factors of Being a Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET): A Scoping Review

In recent years, concerns over youth unemployment have broadened to those about youth not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET). The appeal of the "NEET" concept comes from its alleged ability to address a wide range of vulnerabilities amongst youth, including concerns about unemployment, early school leaving, and labour market discouragement. These concerns require attention as youths face the effects of economic crisis, especially in industrial economies, and global crises like the recent COVID-19 pandemic.Based on the PRISMA criteria, this scoping review identifies and maps the evidence on the risk factors of NEET youth. We included articles published between 2000 and June 2022, which resulted in 91 included papers. We categorised all the risk factors into eight major groups: individual characteristics, education and school, work, health, addiction, social factors, family, and environment.Overall, the findings indicate that education and family-related variables have a crucial influence on NEET youths. The most critical indicators were education level, work experience and skill, physical and mental health, marital status, poverty and social inequalities, living situation, parents' income, education, and job status. In addition, the review identifies various knowledge gaps concerning pertinent risk factors. More research to address these gaps and evaluate each risk factor's influence on NEET youth is advised.

Gender disparities between young and adult NEETs: do we need a more refined policy approach?

ABSTRACT Italy has the highest rate of individuals Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) in Europe, and its NEET has the highest gender bias in Western Europe. A marked heterogeneity, however, accompanies the age sub-groups, and women’s conditions become systematically worse with advancing age. Using data from 2019, we investigate the association between the probability of being NEET and a set of individual and regional (socioeconomic and institutional) characteristics, examining whether and to what extent the role of these determinants varies depending on gender within two distinct age groups: young (15–24) and adult (25–34) NEETs. In general, we find clear evidence that women are at a relative disadvantage compared to men and, as age increases, both positive and negative determinants show relations that tend to weaken for men and to worsen for women. The results of our analyses also suggest that social/family obligations affect men and women differently, to the detriment of women, and that this disparity widens with age. The contrast between the position of men and women within marriage is empirically confirmed and perfectly captured by marginal effects with opposite signs. The policy implications of our analysis are discussed in the concluding section of this paper.

Predictors of Becoming not in Education, Employment or Training: A Dynamic Comparison of the Direct and Indirect Determinants

Abstract This paper uses a dynamic latent factor model to investigate the determinants of not in education, employment or training (NEET) status among adolescents in the United Kingdom. We bring together within one framework various determinants of NEET status, such as educational achievements, non-cognitive skills, family socio-economic factors, aspirations, mental health and local labour market conditions. We model the educational progress over multiple periods through the life of the young person, up to the completion of compulsory schooling. By taking into account this progression, we can determine the direct and indirect impacts of different determinants of NEET status, and the stage in the life of the young person at which each determinant is important. Our findings suggest that cognitive ability (as measured by educational achievements) remains the key predictor of NEET status. Further, while a range of individual and family factors determines NEET status, the impact of most of these factors is largely indirect, through ability formation and not necessarily direct. To gauge the relative contributions of various determinants, we conduct simulations to predict the probability of the young person being NEET under different scenarios and assumptions. The exercise indicates that the effects of aspirations of the young person, their school engagement, and the local youth unemployment rate on the likelihood of the young person being NEET are as large as boosting their cognitive skills.

Has the sustainable development goal of reducing the proportion of youths not in education, employment or training by 2020 been met in Africa?

ABSTRACT The consequences of growing up deprived of critical resources vital for well-being and human development jeopardises the fulfilment of potential in the lives of youths, thereby creating hurdles in access to education, training or the labour market, consequently leading to higher rates of youths that are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, Target 8.6 aimed to substantially reduce the proportion of NEET by 2020. This study aims to find out if the SDG’s target of substantially reducing NEET by 2020 was fulfilled in Africa. If not, what are the factors affecting NEET in Africa? Descriptive statistics, Ordinary Least Squares and Two-Stage Least Square methods have been used. Results indicate that Africa stalls behind and is far from reducing NEET. Self-employment is the highest employer of youths and conversely exacerbates the rates of NEET. Gender parity index, access to the internet and irrigation services reduce NEET rates. Good institutional quality is critical because institutions are policymakers and service providers. Policies should support literacy, entrepreneurial and digital skills training to boost self-employment. Child marriage should be prohibited. Youths can be supported by securing funds from indirect taxes. Policymakers should work closely with youths to understand their needs and capacities.

Five mechanisms for tackling the risks to NEEThood: introducing a pathway to change to guide educators’ support strategies

ABSTRACT Tackling NEEThood remains a major UK policy focus, with numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) stubbornly high and the COVID-19 Pandemic exacerbating school disengagement and widening inequalities. Drawing on rich qualitative data from a three-year study evaluating educational interventions tackling NEEThood, this paper explores such interventions were successful from the perspectives of the young people and their educators. We introduce five mechanisms underpinning effective support strategies, arguing that these enable a pathway to change for young people. We distinguish between foundational mechanisms, essential at the outset of work with young people, facilitating mechanisms which build on these foundations, and outcome-generating mechanisms which lead to education and work goals. These findings underscore the importance of tackling the social aspects of educational disengagement, as well as the critical role of advocacy and support from an adult who can unpick the complex barriers to engagement and learning.

The development of a health-promoting employment intervention with physical activity for young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET): NEXT STEP—on the path to education and job

BackgroundIn the EU, approx. 16.5% of the 20–34-year-olds are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Research shows that good health is an important progression factor towards employment, and daily physical activity as well as participation in sports has a positive effect on physical and mental health as well as in the development of life skill. However, there is an absence of studies investigating what role physical activity can play in the employment efforts. The aim of this study is to investigate experiences with physical activity in employment interventions and to describe the development of a health-promoting employment intervention with physical activity for young people aged 18–30 years who are NEET.MethodsThe study combined an evidence-based approach with practice-based experiences. It included a Mapping of Danish employment interventions with physical activity for young people NEET, an overview of national reports and international literature, a workshop with leaders and employees from Danish municipalities, and fieldwork in four municipalities. Key findings were grouped thematically and were transformed into intervention content in a close dialog with relevant researchers and practitioners.ResultsIn general, physical activity was assessed as a meaningful method when working with young people NEET. A range of positive experiences was highlighted, including successful experiences, surplus of mental resources, new ways of meeting, and new social relations. Based on these findings, a 16-week health-promoting employment intervention, NEXT STEP, was developed with the following intervention components: (1) fixed boundaries, (2) body and physical activity, (3) social relations and network, and (4) life skills and future. NEXT STEP is designed to be implemented in Danish job centers.ConclusionThe study found the great potential of including physical activity in employment interventions for young people NEET. The planning and development of the intervention have reinforced a comprehensive evaluation; however, the first intervention in its entirety is ready for testing in a randomized feasibility trial.

A critical study of alternative education provisions for young people aged 16 to 24 years in the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT In the United Kingdom, the number of young people (16 to 24 years-old) not in education, employment or training (NEET) was estimated to be c.763,000 in October to December 2019. The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of NEET young people attending alternative education provisions that focus on physical and mental health in promoting positive outcomes. Semi-structured interviews with young people (n = 18), parents (n = 10), and staff (n = 8), analysed using Constant Comparative Method, were conducted in an alternative education provision in England and Wales. Analysis led to the identification of themes around motivation, empowerment, and confidence. The findings illustrate that young people in alternative education provisions benefit from an approach that placed health, well-being and confidence building at their core. This paper outlines the implications for policy-makers and practitioners in designing alternative education provisions with physical activity as part of the core curriculum.

P08-13 Physical activity increases social inclusion

BackgroundStudies show that exercise improves self-esteem and improved self-esteem strengthens inclusion and prevents marginalization. Young people who have only completed primary school may incur additional costs of up to 370 000 euros for public administration over their lifetime, compared to those who educate themselves. In Pieksämäki, a physical activity intervention was developed for physically inactive young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and it aims to improve their activity and thereby their social inclusion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes and the cost of the intervention.MethodsThe physical activity intervention includes a personal physical exercise plan, individual instruction and free access to the swimming hall and gym during the participation. Each participant gets as much guidance as they need. We present results only for three cases, because the target group was very challenging. The follow-up period was 12 months.ResultsTo evaluate the outcomes we used three subjective measures, 3X10D® (survey-self-evaluation tool), the Abilitator®, and 15D (HRQoL, the health-related quality of life instrument). The 3X10D® showed that life as a whole and self-esteem improved in two cases. In all three cases managing in daily activities improved. However, the Abilitator® showed slight improvement in wellbeing and clear improvement in physical functioning in all three cases. We obtained 15D results only from two cases. In one case HRQoL decreased slightly and in the other one it increased significantly. The employment status of these three cases changed. In the beginning there was an unemployed person, a person having only 9-year basic education and a drop-out from vocational education. After the intervention the unemployed person was working, and the other two were studying. Depending on the number of visits to the physical exercise instructor and other physical activities the costs of the intervention varied between 1042 and 1215 euros.ConclusionsBased on the results physical functioning and self-esteem improved and that can lead to stronger social inclusion. Although the three individuals underwent intensive individual instruction, the costs were low compared to the costs of social exclusion reported in earlier researches.

Cannabis and Tobacco Use Among Young People and Labor Market Outcomes in Midlife: A 23-Year Population-Based Longitudinal Study.

Research suggests an association between cannabis use and adverse labor market outcomes, but the mechanisms are unknown. We studied the nature of this association by comparing the relative roles of cannabis and tobacco use in predicting midlife outcomes. We analyzed data from the Young in Norway Study, a 23-year longitudinal investigation (N = 2,550; 56% female). Cannabis and tobacco use, potential confounders, and mediators were assessed by self-report. We used register data on income, years Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), and welfare benefits. We compared cannabis users (7%) and regular tobacco users (15%) with nonusers. After confounders were controlled for, cannabis users had lower income (income decile difference = -1.31; 95% CI [-1.83, -0.80]), had more NEET years (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.87; 95% CI [1.34, 2.61]), and received welfare benefits more often (odds ratio [OR] = 2.84; 95 % CI [1.56, 5.17]). Tobacco users also earned less (income decile difference = -0.51; 95% CI [-0.86, -0.17]) and received welfare benefits more often (OR = 1.74; 95 % CI [1.14, 2.66]) but did not have more NEET years (IRR = 1.22; 95% CI [0.94, 1.59]). The reduction when controlling for confounders was larger for tobacco than for cannabis. Including mediators further reduced the associations for tobacco use considerably, whereas only slight reductions were observed for cannabis. The robust associations of cannabis use with poor labor market outcomes, even after adjustments, seem to differ from how tobacco use is related to such outcomes. More knowledge is needed about causal effects of cannabis use on important life domains.

Mental distress and substance use among rural Black South African youth who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).

South Africa (SA) has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment and youth who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), even higher among Black South Africans. SA's NEET rates are 3 times those of UK; 5.4 times of Germany; 1.3 times of Brazil; and 2.5 times of Malaysia. Given that youths between 15 and 24 years of age make up 24% of the total population, these are significant challenges for the economy and further fuel the cyclical, pervasive and enduring nature of poverty. We hypothesised that rural youth who are NEET would have a greater prevalence of mental disorders and higher rates of substance use compared to their non-NEET counterparts. The objective of the study is to determine the differences in rates of psychological distress and substance use between NEET and non-NEET rural African 14- to 24-year-old young men. The study took place in a remote and rural district municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We divided the district's five sub-municipalities into two clusters (large and small) and randomly selected one from each cluster for inclusion in the study. We further randomly selected wards from each sub-municipality and then rural settlements from each ward, for inclusion in the study. We recruited young men as part of a larger study to explore sociocultural factors important in gender-based violence in rural SA. We compared 15- to 19-year old and 20- to 24-year old youth NEET and non-NEET on rates of psychological distress symptoms (depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, hopelessness and worthlessness) and substance misuse (including alcohol, cannabis, other recreational drugs) using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) statistics at p < .005 level of significance level. About 23% of the 355 male participants were NEET. There were no statistically significant differences in psychological distress or substance use between youth NEET and non-NEET, controlling for age. The study highlights difficult transitions to post-secondary education and work for Black youth in rural SA where opportunities for employment are limited. Education, training and employment appear to offer limited benefit.