Professor Oleksandr Dluhopolskyi - Integrating NEETs into economic and social life: challenges and opportunities

IAS visiting Fellow Professor Oleksandr Dluhopolskyi delivers a seminar on their research - In today’s world, grounded in the principles of inclusion, sustainability, and democracy, increasing attention is being paid to the issue of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEETs). This social group is particularly vulnerable to social isolation, poverty, and marginalisation, posing significant challenges to sustainable societal development, economic growth, and long-term prosperity. The seminar will examine how the rising proportion of NEETs across various countries reveals deeper systemic problems within education systems, labour markets, and social protection frameworks. Drawing on international examples such as the UK government’s “Back to Work Plan”, the seminar highlights how flexible, regionally attuned public measures can promote inclusion and opportunity for marginalised youth. This paper investigates the structural and policy-based factors contributing to the NEETs challenge and proposes strategies for regional and national governments to support meaningful integration. The goal is to imagine, prepare, and plan for a more inclusive socio-economic future – one where no young person is left behind. For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias