Addressing the NEET crisis: A path to empowerment

In the UK, nearly 1 million people aged 16-24 were classified as NEET in November 2024. The impact can be long-lasting, affecting mental health, future employment, and quality of life, leading to significant economic and social challenges.

Addressing this crisis is crucial for a healthy, productive society. Prolonged NEET periods increase risks of unemployment, low wages, and poor job quality. The economic cost is substantial, with lost productivity and higher social welfare expenditures.

Colleges and Independent Training Providers (ITPs) recognise the need to do more to support NEET learners. We have curated resources to help you provide the necessary guidance and opportunities, aiding young people in re-engaging with education, developing essential skills, and progressing to further study, apprenticeships, or employment.

How providers are tackling the challenge

Independent Training Providers

Youth Employment UK gathers insights into the barriers preventing young people from engaging with education or employment through their annual Youth Voice Census. They collaborate with providers and employers to develop practical, flexible, and emotionally supportive programs.

For SCL Group, understanding the local job market is key to their success, as they tailor their NEET provision to meet local demands. Their specialised training programs go beyond traditional offerings by including independent living, work preparation, and protection from exploitation. Behaviour mentors support learners with personal histories, addressing past experiences to help them overcome challenges.

How ITPs can support NEET learners

FE Colleges

The effects of COVID-19 have led to many young people leaving school with few or no qualifications. Over half of those enrolling at Milton Keynes College declare some form of support need. To tackle these challenges, Milton Keynes College introduced pathways that focus on employability skills, English, and maths. These programmes allow learners to explore various vocational options while receiving the foundational support they need to progress. The Specialist Transition Pathway offers additional wraparound support for learners with significant SEND needs, ensuring they are academically and emotionally prepared for college life. By tailoring programmes to meet individual needs, Milton Keynes College has increased retention by 10%.

Harlow College’s Choices Programme offers a unique, staggered start, where learners begin their term a week after the mainstream learner intake, allowing them to settle into college life without feeling overwhelmed. Learners can join at three points within an academic year with no new learners added to the cohort mid-term, allowing learners to build strong relationships with their peers and lecturers. This approach reduces anxiety and promotes engagement. The programme has made a significant impact, with successes such as a learner who initially struggled with anxiety and lacked confidence but is now thriving in a Level 3 gaming course thanks to the support provided.

How FE Colleges can support NEET learners

Pathways to apprenticeships, employment and beyond

Our guides illustrate multiple pathways that can be created using a single qualification while meeting varying employer and local authorities’ needs at local, regional and national levels. This allows you to mould your adult education and training curriculum to meet these needs. At the same time, you can maintain the simplicity of using a single qualification to support your learners’ progress into specific job roles.

First-step learners can begin with small Awards that provide a stepping stone towards larger and higher qualifications.

Explore our Vocation Tasters

The flexibility of our larger qualifications is ideal to support you in creating flexible pathways to progress your adult learners into apprenticeships, training, employment and beyond.

Covering a range of vocational subject areas, our guides illustrate some examples of the multiple pathways that can be created using a single qualification to meet varying employer and local authorities’ needs at local, regional and national levels.

See guides and build progression pathways

Support for you

Click on the links below for further details and valuable resources and advice to help you provide young people with access to education, training, and employment opportunities.

  • Pathways to Apprenticeships, Employment, and Beyond: Guides that focus on a range of vocational sectors. These guides can help you build progression pathways and show young people how to navigate their options and find the best route to success.
  • Peer success stories: Discover inspiring stories of how colleges and Independent Training Providers (ITPs) are successfully supporting students. These stories highlight how students have secured employment or progressed to further education and training, showcasing the positive impact of tailored support.
  • Engaging the disengaged webinars: Webinars that provide the evolving nature of NEETs and peer best practices.

Advice to share with your learners

  • Career advice: Use services like the National Careers Service for personalised career guidance, CV writing assistance, and job application support.
  • Mental health support: Access mental health resources to address issues that may hinder education and employment prospects.
  • Word of mouth: Hearing about others’ success stories can be incredibly motivating. Sharing experiences and achievements can help young people see that success is possible for them, too.

Engaging the disengaged webinars

Originally a hit at the AoC Conference as a workshop and later hosted in collaboration with AELP, this session delves into the evolving nature of NEETs, the potential future landscape for young people and shares best practices and successful strategies from professionals working in this broad and complex area.

Watch now