Neither in employment nor in training: Young people left behind.

Summary Young people disengaged from both the world of work and the education system, now known as NEET (Not in employment, in education or training), represent more than 16.3 percent of 15-29 year-olds in France, and the average rate for Europe is 15.7 percent. Even if the structure of unemployment differs from one country to another, these figures are not only symptoms of deep economic difficulties, they also reveal the growing inoperability of education systems in the face of these difficulties . . Because unemployment affects young people with low levels of education and skills more than others, improving educational provision is the key to overcoming it. This book compares the performance of various education, training, and prevention programs for children, adolescents, and young adults in several European countries and the United States. In particular, it shows that measures to broaden and extend access to general education, as well as early childhood learning and prevention programs for disadvantaged families, are among the most effective in improving the entry and retention of young people in the labor market.