Pathways Through Transition: Participants who are NEET (Not in

Employment, Education or Training) or in a vulnerable position

Rachel Hewett and Graeme DouglasVICTAR

Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs, University of Birmingham

Sue KeilRNIB

Overview

Labour Force Survey Participants who are NEET Participants who are ‘churning’

Labour Force SurveyEstimate that 42.8% of 16-25 year olds

with a visual impairment which impacts on their day to day life could be described at NEET

This compares with 21.7% of 16-25 year olds in the general population

Participants who are NEET/in vulnerable positions

10 of the 61 participants who took part in the autumn 2014 interviews were NEET at some point during the previous academic year

Key characteristics:– Gender: 6 male; 4 female– Cohort recruited into: Y9 3; Y11 7– Registration type: blind 3; partially sighted 2;

not registered/unsure 5 Based on LFS can anticipate others becoming

NEET once they leave education

Length of time participants have been NEET

  Total (N) Total (%)Less than 3 months 4 40.0%3-6 months 2 20.0%6-12 months 0 0.0%Over 1 year 4 40.0%Total 10 100.0%

Length of time participant has been/was NEET

Participants who have been NEET for over 1 year:– 3 registered blind and 1 partially sighted– Highest qualifications: Level 2 (x 3); A-level; – None have had previous paid employment

Activities whilst NEET To fill their time whilst NEET, the participants would:

– Look for work– Course in employability skills – Spend time with friends– Do voluntary work– Hobbies– Relaxation

Careers support and guidance Only one participant careers support in the past year One participant spoke of how he actively avoided

careers advice following previous negative experiences: – Researcher: Was it just that one person that you had who

gave careers advice? Participant: No, I have had a few people over the years, but it’s just been garbage like normal. So I just said in the end, they said “oh [name removed] we have brought in another person to see you”, and I said “there’s no point, I am not going to bother”.

Important that high quality careers advice is provided when in education and also available when required

Support: local job centre Only half of the participants had registered with the

job centre Spoke negatively about their experiences One participant automatically reports being put on

ESA but not referred to any work programmes:  P: “I am on employment support allowance…but I have not

really had many dealings with the job centre at all.” R: “[..] have you had any support in terms of getting into employment? I know they have things like work programmes to help rehabilitating into work.” P: “No I had no… well obviously I had an idea, but no, no one has told me nothing about anything like that.”

Participants: unemployed > 3 months

What would help you get a job? – Not having VI; jobs relevant to skills and level of VI;

employers having different attitudes to VI; support in looking for work; putting mind to it

What stops you getting a job?– VI; general health; travel options; attitudes of employers

External focus – discussed further in employment presentation

How likely are they to find paid work in next 12 months?– One participant felt that it was ‘likely’; two participants felt

that it was ‘unlikely’

Churning Recurrent theme Participants repeatedly taken courses at the same

level (or even lower levels) and not progressed Mirrors findings by researchers at Manchester

University following the transition experience of young people with hearing impairment (Young et al, 2015)

A case study to illustrate churning “Toby” is registered as partially sighted. Desire to be as independent as possible, and to be

“normal”. Since completing GCSEs enrolled on three different

types of course - leaving two prematurely. Resisted support which would make him feel

conspicuous, such as by straining to read small text. Hints this impacted on his decision to drop out in the

second year of two of the qualifications he was taking, when the courses became more theoretical, and text based.

 

Case study – cont. Was looking at very vocational courses - reflects

back that at 16 he did not feel prepared to make such decisions about his future

Eventually identified a potential career. Unfortunately he had been in education for too long and found that there was no available funding for him to take the next level of the qualification which he would need.

 

Examples of churning Participant at university who had significant

difficulties completing the course (many of which he attributed to poor access arrangements), and has instead gone back to complete FE course

Two participants who had completed level 3 courses, and have gone back to take additional level 3 courses

One participant taking a level 1 course having already completed a level 3 course. He wanted to do an apprenticeships in a particular sector, but needed to have this particular qualification first

Better outcomes? Participants who are NEET – encourage to take

some responsibility? E.g. explaining to employers how they could perform in the workplace

Participant at university – improved with better self advocacy skills? E.g. communicate to university support needs, and challenge if support agreements/university responsibilities are not met

Participants taking additional FE courses and not progressing – improved with better careers advice and transition planning? E.g. working alongside YP as they both prepare and make their next transition