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In the UK, 14% of young people aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). This is among the highest rates in Europe. The media often stigmatises these people as lazy, entitled and lacking motivation. But give them a chance to be heard, and they will reveal that there are far more nuanced reasons why there are so many young NEETs.
In this episode, Kai speaks with Shuab Gamote, researcher, policy advisor, and co-author (alongside Peter Hyman) of two landmark reports published in the last 12 months: Inside the Mind of a 16-Year-Old and Inside the Mind of a Young NEET.
Drawing on deep listening exercises with more than 400 young people across the UK, Shuab challenges common stereotypes about youth ambition, explores the systemic "snakes" blocking progression, and shares practical insights for school leaders seeking to foster supportive environments that build confidence and create lasting ladders of opportunity.
Tune in to discover:
Why over 90% of young NEETs actively want to work—and why blaming young people misses the structural issues
How the "rejection economy", automated job recruitment, and competitive application processes damage confidence
The nuanced impact of social media and why a countrywide ban on social media for under-16s is necessary
How schools can prevent the post-16 "cliff edge" by creating lifelong communities and starting career conversations from Year 7
Lessons from the Netherlands' vocational education model, where only 4% of young people are not in education, employment or training
About Our Guest
Shuab Gamote is a researcher and policy advisor specialising in youth transitions, social mobility, and educational policy. Co-authoring major research reports alongside Peter Hyman, Shuab has conducted extensive field research and "deep listening" conversations with hundreds of young people across the UK. He is currently working on the Commission on Boys in Education and building its Youth Expert Board.
In this episode, Shuab and Kai weigh in on:
01:51 Radical vs. deep listening: Hearing what young people want
03:56 Debunking the "snowflake" myth
05:30 How Gen Z experiences are shifting across age cohorts
10:11 Why the term "NEET" works politically, but fails individually
12:00 Identifying the "snakes" in youth progression: Transition failures, trauma, and the paradox of gaining work experience16:26 What 1,000+ conversations revealed about social media
23:35 Banning social media vs. investing in third spaces for youth
25:14 Fixing the post-16 cliff edge with career guidance and communities
33:13 How a 4% NEET rate is achieved in The Netherlands with vocational pathways
36:45 How to leave every young person’s cup overflowing with confidence
Resources
Inside the Mind of a Young NEET Report
Inside the Mind of a 16-Year-Old Report
Commission on Boys in Education
KaiPod News
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Related episodes
Episode 18 — How to Develop Empathy as a Teacher or School Leader | In Conversation with Ed Kirwan
Episode 15 — Is It Time to Phase Out GCSEs? A Conversation with Will Goldsmith
Credits
Hosted by Kai Vacher
A BSM BSS production
Post-production by Communicating for Impact
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