NEET

A government term for 16 to 19 years olds not in education, employment or training. The original reserch carried out by UK government was intended to be titled „Status Zer0“. During the fieldwork, „Status 0“ was simply a technical concept to depict the status of those young people not in education“, (status 1), training (status 2)and employment (status 3). It was felt however, that „Status Zer0“ represented a powerful metaphor for young people who appeared to count for nothing and be going nowhere.
This terminolgy, however, created a political furore at the local level and references to” status 0” in the research report were replaced by „status A“. A s questions concerning young people not in education, training and employment have entered the political and policy arenas, their categorisation has been sanitised yet further; it is alleged that at high levels of local central government they are referred to as NEET young people.

published on:Youth, the 'underclass' and social exclusion

by: Robert MacDonald