Neets in the News

Neets, (young Not in Education, Employment or Training), are in the news. This is a significant sector in the age group 16 to 24.

It seems that the next unemployment analysis will indicate that they now number one million, or about one in six of that age group. They receive benefits, but otherwise their life is full of despair, and they live with little prospect of the dignity of employment, now or in the future.Unless, that is, something is done to help them.

What is terrifying is the disclosure made recently by John Coles, the government's director general of schools. He reported that one city in the North of England had examined in the longer term what happens to NEETs, in particular, the cohort of 10 years ago. The neets in that city had not gone into anything, except drugs and drinking. In the country as a whole drug use among neets is about 71 per cent, compared with 45% for non-neets. (Neets are more common in the cities of northern England than in the south.)

The result was that the study found that 15% of neets had died within the 10 years. Other studies have shown that neets are more likely to suffer depression and poor physical health.

These figures might have caused a shock in Victorian times, but in the 21st century, with welfare state and all, they are even more shocking.

The government introduced a £4 billion New Deal scheme, confidently expecting to reduce the number on benefits, but even if they found employment they were usually back on benefits within a year.

Such "sticking plasters" for the 16-24 age group are too late. Whatever other means are tried, something must be done about the quality of parenting and early school life. This is where many neets are created.