The early bird ... preventing young people from becoming a NEET statistic

Despite increasing concern about youth unemployment, there has been little work to date focused on identifying those at risk of becoming NEET (Not in employment, education or training) and the evidence base on intervention programs that can make a difference. This report documents the scale of the current problem, discussing the different definitions of youth unemployment and NEET that commonly arise and illustrating the group with the worst future trajectories. We identify a set of characteristics that can be measured at age 14 to help predict those most at risk of becoming a NEET statistic. A systematic review of previous interventions, both here in the UK and from around the world, gives a sense of the strengths and weaknesses of previous attempts to deal with those entering NEEThood. Based on the evidence presented, we offer a number of important key findings to be taken into consideration when designing programs to help tackle this increasingly important issue.