Restrictions into opportunities: how boundaries in the life course can shape educational pathways

When nurturing is conditional: how NEET practitioners position the support they give to young people who are not in education, employment or training

“…The practitioners interviewed came from a variety of places of work (training providers, colleges and charity organisations), yet all showed high levels of job satisfaction and regarded their careers as having been successful despite early negative experiences of mainstream education. This provides an alternative explanation for the seemingly low expectations they hold of young people: practitioners might be discouraging young people from taking traditional, mainstream routes which they view as ineffective and uncaring, instead they might be encouraging them to access education and training through employment as adults, which is a decision that can be construed as empowering (Shafi and Rose 2014). However, it might also be argued that practitioners could be responding to incentives provided by the funding structure of NEET provision.…”

“…Previous research indicates that adults might feel empowered to return to education and access higher education courses as a consequence of life experiences rather than their prior level of education (Shafi and Rose 2014). Practitioners' accounts made clear links between their access to adult education and their job satisfaction and career progression.…”