Why Being Out of Education, Employment or Training is about Wellbeing, not Willpower

The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has risen to its highest level in over a decade. Recent reporting highlights a complex picture: increasing mental health difficulties, long waits for support, and widening inequalities that make it harder for young people to re‑engage with education or work. Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn’s review into social mobility reinforces this, noting that many young people are not lacking motivation, they are facing barriers that undermine their wellbeing, confidence and capacity to participate.

From a therapist’s point of view, this distinction matters. NEET status is often interpreted as disengagement or apathy, but the evidence consistently shows that it is more accurately understood as a mental health and systemic issue, not a personal failing. Some commentators have warned of a potential “lost generation” if these barriers are not addressed early, not because young people lack ability, but because prolonged distress and disconnection can make it harder to regain momentum without support.

Many young people who become NEET describe experiences of anxiety, depression, trauma, or neurodiversity‑related overwhelm. Some have been masking difficulties for years and others have reached a point of burnout where everyday tasks feel unmanageable. Executive functioning challenges such as planning, organising or initiating tasks can make returning to college or work feel impossible without support. When these internal struggles meet external pressures, whether practical, social, or environmental, young people can quickly feel stuck.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has emphasised the importance of early intervention, particularly in response to Milburn’s findings. Their position is clear: young people need to be well enough to work, and mental health support is a foundational part of that readiness. Early therapeutic support helps prevent distress from escalating into long‑term disengagement and reduces the shame many young people carry when they feel they are “falling behind.”

Image credit: Unsplash / Luke Jones

Every mind is wired differently, and every young person’s journey deserves patience and support.

Finding Stability Through Therapeutic Support

Young people who are NEET often arrive in therapy carrying shame, fear of judgement, or a sense of feeling like they’re not keeping up. Therapy gives young people a steady, supportive space to find their footing. A consistent, non‑judgemental environment allows young people to slow down, regulate, and begin naming what feels difficult. When they feel safe enough to explore their experiences without criticism, shame reduces and clarity increases.

Progress for young people in therapy often appears first as:  

• improved emotional regulation  
• increased self‑awareness  
• reduced avoidance  
• tentative future‑thinking  
• small steps toward autonomy  

These early shifts are important signs of progress and will happen before any practical movement toward education or employment occurs.

Learning to Cope and Rebuild Agency

Many young people who are NEET struggle with planning, getting started, and maintaining momentum with tasks, especially when they feel overwhelmed or unsure where to begin. Therapy can help them understand what sits underneath this stuckness and learn ways to cope with it. In sessions, young people can practise breaking things down into manageable steps, explore the feelings that make certain tasks hard to face, and develop kinder, more realistic expectations of themselves. This steady, relational support helps them build confidence, strengthen coping skills, and reconnect with a sense of agency and optimism.

A growing number of organisations are also working to shift the narrative around NEET. One example of this is the Turn NEET to LEET campaign (LEET standing for Looking for Education, Employment or Training), which encourages young people to move from feeling “lost, excluded, or stuck” to feeling “learning‑engaged, empowered and thriving.” For additional information regarding this campaign: https://leet.befreecampaign.org/#leet](https://leet.befreecampaign.org/#leet

It’s important that we remember that NEET status is not a measure of a young person’s potential. It is often a sign that they need support, not pressure, and by recognising the mental health dimensions of NEET and prioritising early therapeutic support, we can help young people move from feeling stuck to feeling supported and hopefully ready to re‑engage with education, training or work.