title: Are we failing young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)? A systematic review and meta-analysis of re-engagement interventions.
abstract: Youth comprise 40% of the world's unemployed, a status associated with adverse wellbeing and social, health, and economic costs. This systematic review and meta-analysis review synthesises the literature on the effectiveness of interventions targeting young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
  
  
  
  Randomised and quasi-randomised trials with a concurrent or counterfactual control group and baseline equivalence are included. Cochrane collaboration tools are used to assess quality, and a narrative synthesis was undertaken. The primary outcome is employment; secondary outcomes were health, earnings, welfare receipt, and education.
  
  
  
  Eighteen trials are included (9 experimental and 9 quasi-experimental), sample sizes range from 32 to 54,923. Interventions include social skills, vocational, or educational classroom-based training, counselling or one-to-one support, internships, placements, on-the-job or occupational training, financial incentives, case management, and individual support. Meta-analysis of three high-quality trials demonstrates a 4% (CI 0.0-0.7) difference between intervention and control groups on employment. Evidence for other outcomes lacks consistency; however, more intensive programmes increase employment and wages over the longer term.
  
  
  
  There is some evidence that intensive multi-component interventions effectively decrease unemployment amongst NEETs. The quality of current evidence is limited, leaving policy makers under-served when designing and implementing new programmes, and a vulnerable population neglected.
  
  
  
  PROSPERO CRD42014007535.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK. l.mawn2@newcastle.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mawn
authors.affiliation: School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3HN, UK.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Research Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Durham, TS17 6BG, UK.
authors.forename: Nasima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.affiliation: Institute of health and Society, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Clare L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bambra
authors.affiliation: School of Education, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torgerson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health, Lincoln University, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bridle
authors.affiliation: Psychology - School of Social and Health Sciences, Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 4HD, UK.
authors.forename: Helen J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Stain
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D014478:Unemployment; D035862:Vulnerable Populations; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Education; Effectiveness; Health; Unemployment; Wages