Youth Employment Transitions and Social Inclusion

Youth employment transitions encompass the critical shift from education or training into stable work, a process that shapes individuals’ economic prospects, social capital and sense of belonging. This journey is influenced by personal resources such as skills, aspirations and well-being, as well as structural factors including labour market flexibility, regional opportunities and public policy frameworks. Social inclusion in this context refers to the extent to which young people gain access to meaningful economic roles, supportive networks and civic participation, thereby reducing risks of marginalisation. Persistent challenges—ranging from skills mismatches and mental health vulnerabilities to socioeconomic inequalities and territorial disparities—can impede smooth transitions and hinder inclusive outcomes. Global crises, demographic shifts and evolving employer demands have underscored the need for integrated approaches that bridge education, training and employment, while attending to diverse local contexts. Effective interventions combine vocational support, psychosocial services and collaborative governance, aiming to foster resilience, equity and long-term social integration across youth populations worldwide.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A systematic scoping review of young people classified as not in employment, education or training (NEET) in Europe has highlighted the absence of a standard definition across studies and policy documents. It reveals that individual characteristics—such as educational attainment and personal aspirations—interact with contextual variables like urban versus rural residence to determine NEET risk. The review further maps a diverse set of policy responses adopted over the past decade, ranging from targeted training schemes to integrated support services, and underscores the importance of multilevel coordination. The findings call for harmonised conceptual frameworks and evidence-informed policy design that can adapt to regional specificities while promoting coherent support for vulnerable youth cohorts.

Youth Employment Transitions and Social Inclusion publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in youth employment transitions and social inclusion across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

NEET: An acronym for young people Not in Employment, Education or Training, used to identify individuals at risk of social and economic exclusion.

School-to-work transition: The process through which individuals move from formal education or training into the labour market, encompassing pathways, support mechanisms and barriers encountered.

Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE): A quantitative survey method that presents participants with hypothetical scenarios to elicit preferences and trade-offs among different service or policy attributes.

Social inclusion: The degree to which individuals are able to participate fully in economic, social and civic life, with access to rights, resources and networks that foster well-being and belonging.

References

1. Conceiving of and politically responding to NEETs in Europe: a scoping review. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2024).
2. Territorial Disparities in the Governance of Policies Promoting the School-to-Work Transition: An Analysis of the Italian Case. Education Sciences (2024).
3. Youth not engaged in education, employment, or training: a discrete choice experiment of service preferences in Canada. BMC Public Health (2024).
4. Risk Factors of Being a Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET): A Scoping Review. International Journal of Educational Research (2023).