Entering the job market can be a challenge for many young people, even the most highly qualified. But some face greater difficulties than others, and can find themselves unemployed and not receiving any education or vocational training.

These young people have now been given the mildly unflattering label of being a NEET. The acronym stands for “not in employment, education or training”, and is used to designate young people aged 15-29 who don’t have a job and might not necessarily be looking for one.

Behind this notion lie a very diverse range of profiles and life paths. Some NEETs have few or no qualifications, which makes their integration into the job market very difficult; while others have lost confidence in their ability to find work after dropping out of school, falling ill, or experiencing recurrent periods of unemployment.

Others still might devote themselves to their family life by choice, or are unable to work owing to a lack of suitable childcare – or other social care – solutions.

On the other hand, some young people have limited prospects because they come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This phenomenon is particularly salient in the United Kingdom, where 10% of NEETs have had to turn down a job offer for lack of financial means, according to the 2024 edition of the NatWest Youth Index.

A third of the young people questioned in this major survey say they can’t afford to undertake the studies necessary to take up the job of their choice.

In this context, it’s hardly surprising that many NEETs give up hope, though some seem to cope better with their situation than others. They recount their day-to-day routines on social networks, and especially on TikTok, where the hashtag #neet appears in numerous posts.

The young adults on the platform who qualify as NEETs film themselves reading, playing video games, or sharing moments of companionship with their pets. But make no mistake, the daily lives of most NEETs are far from being so enjoyable – some of the videos posted on TikTok show young adults appearing totally lacklustre, aimless, and even completely depressed.

After all, inactivity tends to take its toll on the morale of those who endure it: according to the NatWest Youth Index, young Britons who are unemployed and have no plans for education or training have much poorer mental health than their counterparts who do have plans for the future.