Suchergebnisse

NEETs are a social category specific to today's society characterized by increasing inequalities between people, precariousness, and insecurity. At the level of the majority of the population but also among the authorities and specialists (economists, sociologists, psychologists, etc.) the dominant perception is negative on this category of populations often associated with the underclass, dangerous class (Avis, 2014), people getting nowhere (Bynner, Ferri & Shepherd, 1997) or people at risk (Conrad, 2005). The interest for this category of the population is even higher for Bulgaria and Romania because the share of NEETs is the highest in the EU: 23.8% in Romania and 20.7% in Bulgaria (Eurostat database). This paper aims to analyze this category of population to obtain a more realistic image of NEETs, especially in the two Eastern European countries. One of the few positive effects resulting from the accentuation of interest for this category of the population consists in increasing the number of documents (articles, reports, books, etc.) that analyze NEETs. By using alternative research methodologies (literature review) these documents can provide relevant information on NEETs and can provide several clarifications on their situation at the national and European levels.

The aim of this article is to identify the main mechanisms leading to the NEET status in Italy, Romania, and Bulgaria. It does so by highlighting the differences amongst them and verifying how place of residence effectively affects the connected propensity to this status after having controlled for many personal characteristics through a series of probit models. Furthermore, multiple correspondence analyses produce profound understanding of the NEET phenomenon and associated determinants. The results highlight the need to plan support actions tailored to specific NEET characteristics. Whilst the degree of urbanization impacts upon the NEET status throughout Romania and Bulgaria, Italy shows a strong divide between the North and the South. However, in all three countries there is a need to improve the education system and stimulate higher levels of education as the main measure of NEET prevention.

Subjective well-being is of paramount importance when support is offered to young individuals seeking employment and social inclusion in general. The present study looks at different dimensions of youth well-being and the growing demands for skills to enable labour market integration. Based on survey data, this article examines the relationships between the role of public employment services in providing support and their impact on the subjective well-being of youth. Specifically, 1,275 not in education, employment, or training (NEET) rural youths from Italy, Portugal, and Spain participated in the survey. Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, the current study sets up a model which includes different factors at the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macro-system levels. The results show that non-urban NEETs' subjective well-being is associated positively with public employment services availability, while the relationship with public employment services interaction and public employment services support is non-significant. A positive and significant relationship emerged also with self-efficacy and social support. Some recommendations for policymakers are discussed.