South West Regional Skills Enterprise and Employment Analysis 2007/2008

Final Report

4.13 Participation and provision

4.13.4 The NEET Group

Those young people who are not in education, employment or training are referred to as NEETs. The percentage of the South West population aged between 16 and 19 that were classified as NEETs in March 2006 was 6%, which is considerably less than the national figure of 7.9%. There are a further 5,427 individuals whose status is currently unknown.

Whilst recognising that NEETs are not a homogeneous group, there is a significant body of research that has identified a number of characteristics more prevalent amongst young

people who become NEET than in the wider population. For example, they share certain economic and social characteristics, such as that they are more likely to come from workless households, have parents with no or low educational qualifications and/or live in the social housing sector. Other factors linked to behaviour and personal circumstances such as truancy or caring responsibilities were also found to be more common among young people in the NEET group(59).

Research suggests(60) that results in GCSE examinations are the single most important predictor of whether a young person will stay on in education after the age of 16. Young people are also guided, but perceptions of their own ability are based on their performance up to two years earlier. Connexions Cornwall and Devon analysed the relationship between GCSE attainment and the initial destinations of school leavers between 2001 and 2003(61). In the autumn after completing Year 11, only just over 1% of those achieving five or more A*-Cs were NEET, while those achieving fewer than five GCSEs at this level made up almost 92% of NEETs.

Research from the Education Maintenance Allowance Pilots(62) found that young people in the NEET group were far more likely to have parents with no qualifications (50.3%) than young people in any of the other destinations. Similarly, 15.4% of young people in the NEET group had parents with qualifications at Level 3 or higher compared to 42.9% of young people overall.

Transport has also been found to restrict employment opportunities for the NEET group, particularly those living in rural areas, which is a particular issue for the South West. Research carried out in Somerset also established that the cost of daily travel when a young person finds low-waged work often resulted in decisions to leave employment. Travel also created problems for young mothers wanting to return to learn.

Various types of provision are currently available through Connexions, ESF, Entry 2 Employment, the Treasury pilot and other multi-agency activity.

Conclusions

The poor image of the vocational route deters many young people from pursuing the opportunities that do exist. An effective campaign is needed within the region to highlight the opportunities and benefits to be gained by workplace learning.

Early intervention is required if young people are to remain engaged. Action is needed in schools and beyond to identify and provide support for young people. This needs to be a multi-agency support involving youth services, post-16 education and training providers, information advice and guidance services (IAG) and employers themselves. Mentoring has a critical role in supporting young people in making transitions into working life.

The region should consider piloting an initiative for the development of formal and informal mentoring models for practitioners, peers, parents, professionals, advisers, teachers and employers.

(59) Young People not in Education, Employment or Training: Evidence from the Education Maintenance Allowance Pilots Database. Joanne Rennison, Sue Maguire, Sue Middleton and Karl Ashworth Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) 2005)., Payne 2000, Pearce and Hillman, 1998.
(60) Young People: Employment without Training, October 2005, SLIM
(61) Analysis of the 16-18 NEET group in Cornwall and Devon. Connexions Cornwall and Devon research brief, Feb 2005.
(62) Young People not in Education, Employment or Training: Evidence from the Education Maintenance Allowance Pilots Database. Joanne Rennison, Sue Maguire, Sue Middleton and Karl Ashworth Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) 2005)