Can we talk about NEETs?

[MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack]

Sorry if there's a thread already and I've missed it. But I want to talk about NEETs.

Apparently, we are potentially going to have 1.25million young people not in employment, education or training by the early 2030s. This is quite an alarming number, and it feels like we're failing an entire generation - both the NEETs themselves, who don't seem to have very much going on in their lives that might give them a sense of satisfaction or achievement, but also their working peers who will presumably end up having to support them via the tax system.

I really don't want this to be a thread with lots of judgement or criticism of these young people - it seems to me that we must have failed them somehow as a society. I also want to steer clear of party politics if we can. But I really want to understand why we have so many young people in this position right now.

Does anyone have a child in this situation who would be willing to share why they find themselves in this position? What are the barriers to them studying or getting at least a part time job? Are they happy with how things are right now? Are they trying to change their situation? What do they actually do all day? Are they surrounded by friends who are in the same position? What do they do about money? And what do you feel about the whole situation as a parent?

If anyone is willing to share, I really hope we can avoid a pile-on in which the young people and/or their parents are subjected to a character assassination. I would like an honest and frank exchange of views and experiences because I do genuinely want to understand the root causes of this issue, but if it descends into blame and fingerpointing, then the whole conversation will get derailed.

For full disclosure, I do have a dc in the middle of the 16-24 age group, but neither she nor any of her friends fall into this category.

Sadly there was no help - you either sank or swam. No one could help you.
And we never talked about it.

I had no treatment or help?
I had to help my child. Resources were limited.

What about the ones that sank?? Or is it all I’m alright Jack? What about the ones that didn’t sink then , but sank later? In their 40s, 50s , 60s.

Minimum wage is the issue. It simply costs too much to give a chance to someone who has no experience. It affects everything. Even my plumber no longer employs an apprentice. He used to, and would like to, but it is no longer worth it to him. Minimum wage needs reducing asap.

Okay. I poked around and found it originated in the U.K., so maybe it didn't become as pervasive in the U.S. Or maybe I'm not as clued in to abbreviations. That is, after all, why I asked.

Its 1 in 5 of 1 of 7. Remember 86% of young people arent neet and not all neet have mental health issues.

This is about youngsters today and their lack of resilience. If you worked with young people you might get it. It’s going to get a lot lot worse.

Agree.
But an awful lot have low resilience.
A lot don’t want to work unsocial hours.
A lot use ‘ it’s against my human rights’. Even at school they tell you constantly.
Of course there are many young people who are amazing. And deserve every opportunity.

You initially stated that kids without jobs were 'slackers' Your word. You only pretended to play the innocent after many many posters displayed their disgust at your comment. Suck it up.

No. That's incorrect.

I didn't "state" they were slackers. I was saying that based on the incomplete information I was given, it appeared to be the equivalent of slackers. As I later said, anyone could have initially clarified, but didn't.

Round and round and round we go.

My husband has a business where he occasionally advertises jobs suitable for young people without prior working experience. A job advertisement will typically attract 200 applications, of which 190 are generic AI written and go straight in the bin. About ten will be proper applications, of which about five are called for interview. These are contacted on the day and confirm they are planning to attend.
How many attend the interview?
0.
As I understand it, they have to show they have completed job applications to claim benefits.
Apologies if there is something I don't understand here. However, I've heard my DH discussing this situation with staff.
The work is in the south-east but not a particularly affluent area.

This with bells on. There are jobs. Beets don’t want them. Tip for your husband - get in touch with the job centre work team. When people don’t turn up for an interview or disappear after one shift you can at lease feed back

In contrast to this, my son (aged 14) really wants to work and can’t find anyone who will take that age. Yes, I know he is “just” 14 and I also know he has school etc but he wants to work and earn his own money which is, quite admirable really. The problem is no one realistically hires 14 yr older olds for paid work.

When I was his age it was common place to have a Saturday job. Now… not so much.

We (my son and I) are trying to find a work experience week for him and it’s really hard work and that’s for just one week!

This is demoralising frankly - what hope do young people have if even a week as work experience is not achievable?

Maybe he shouldn’t throw 190 in the bin then, AI or Not?

How many times has this happened? It's very hard to believe when everyone else on here seems to knows young people applying for every job under the sun and actually wanting to take them. Of course there will be some on benefits who don't want to work but it's not like there aren't vastly more people who do. What kind of work is it?

We had this. It’s hard. I get it, insurance, DBS, etc. I get it I really do. But you lose kids. You lose them “falling into their profession”. Lose building a work ethic. You learn so much from work experience and your Saturday jobs.

It'll be something within a warehouse setting; all very legitimate and above board but they don't get far enough to decide they don't like it.
I don't know how often it's happened - more than once anyway.

I believe they're discarded if they're generic applications, which have not been tailored in anyway to the job advert. I think it's normal for companies to ignore such efforts.

That isn’t what this report is saying.
The review found that 84 per cent of NEET young people want to be in work or training, but find that the system is failing to help them secure it.

Speaking on Thursday as he launched his interim report, Mr Milburn said the characterisation of young people as not trying is “a myth”,

“The first rung of the career ladder has thinned. For too many young people it is now simply out of reach. That places them in a hopeless catch-22, where employers ask for work experience but the opportunities for young people to gain it have narrowed or gone,” Mr Milburn said.

Half of NEETs aren’t on benefits.

No it isn’t which Alan Milburn makes clear.

That’s going to be hard as half aren’t on benefits dispelling your unpleasant little myth.

That isn’t healthy. And again being miserable isn’t mental illness. Some parents can’t help their children because they are too ill, can’t get treatment, don’t have the money or the wherewithal for private ….

At work I find it is often the kids with the AI cvs are the ones who are trying the hardest. They are attempting to sound grown up and professional and just don't understand what it is the application proccess is looking for. If your DH is serious about hiring that age group he needs to be more explicit about what hes looking for in a cv.