Understanding NEET: lessons for policy and practice
| Title | Understanding NEET: lessons for policy and practice |
| Author(s) | Caroline Mager |
| Organisation | LSIS |
| Date | 5 July 2010 |
| No. of pages | 21 |
| Key words | Neets; 14-19; 16-19; youth unemployment; persistence; recognition of prior learning; dropping out; informal learning; information sharing; information, advice and guidance |
| Description | Areport of a seminar by LSIS that took place in 2010 |
| Select quotations | Recommendations: I.“Funding should recognise the additional costs of working with those at risk of disengagement II.Performance systems should not deter providers from transferring learners to more appropriate provision or suspending participation whilst learners are dealing with health, family or other personal issues. III.Learners who leave their studies to progress to sustainable employment should be defined as a positive outcome rather than as a drop-our negative outcome. IV.A credit-based system should allow learners to bank all achievement in order to be able to build progressively on achievement even when study patterns are disrupted. This would enable providers to ensure that all learners leaving their programmes early receive credit for heir achievements up to that point and are informed of opportunities for re-entry. V.Performance measures should recognise that maintaining positive engagement and closeness to learning can be a successful outcome for some at-risk learners and that qualification-bearing programmes are not always the most suitable option. VI.Many learners would benefit from a pause button after their compulsory education to ensure that they take up their precious entitlement post-16 when they are ready to take full advantage. VII.A strategic approach to working with young people who are NEET should view the years between 16 and 25 as a coherent single phase. It should offer a range of flexible opportunities for extended initial formation as young people explore different pathways to adulthood. This would enable the design of more integrated services pre- and post-18, including between BIS and DWP. VIII.Reconsideration is needed about sharing information between providers – for example, when young learners are in care or living away from home. IX.Consideration should be given to making IAG a major focus of Ofsted inspections. People at risk of disengagement need multiple agencies to work together – for example, social services, mental health, and justice – in a co-ordinated manner, sharing resources and managing transitions and information appropriately.” |
| Link | http://www.lsis.org.uk/Services/Policy/Policy-Seminars/Documents/Understanding%20NEETs%20research%20seminar%20final%20report.pdf |
