One of the assumptions that concerns me most when discussing the growing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training is the subtle belief that the trend is somehow inevitable. When a problem becomes large enough, visible enough and persistent enough, there is a tendency to begin treating it as a fact of
Can We Reverse a National Trend? History Suggests We Can. Continue »
One of the qualities I most admire in any society is the willingness to change course when new evidence emerges. It is surprisingly difficult for institutions, governments and even individuals to admit that an idea which once appeared progressive may require reconsideration. Yet throughout history, some of the most important advances have occurred when people
Sweden’s U-Turn on Screens and the Courage to Ask What Children Really Need Continue »
When Alan Milburn’s report landed on my desk, I found myself thinking less about employment statistics and more about a group of teenagers standing outside a school gate twenty years ago. At first glance, the connection may seem tenuous. The report concerns the growing number of young people in the United Kingdom who find themselves outside
What Iceland Teaches Us About the NEET Crisis Continue »
Alan Milburn’s recent report on young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) highlights one of the most pressing social and economic challenges facing the UK today. The rising numbers should concern all of us, not only because of the impact on the life chances of individual young people, but because they
The NEET Crisis Begins Long Before a Young Person Leaves School Continue »
