NEET young people’s perspectives on their experience of school

Abstract

This paper explores the perspectives of young people classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) in relation to their experiences of compulsory schooling. It draws on data from a broader phenomenological study investigating the lived experiences of NEET youth in Malta. The research employed participant observation and semi-structured interviews, with data analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This method revealed seven key experiential themes, one of which— “The Impact of Previous School Experiences”—is the focus of this paper. The analysis highlights how participants’ educational experiences were shaped by factors such as teacher-student relationships, school-related stress, curricular relevance, and the personal meaning ascribed to schooling. The findings suggest that participants exercised agency in navigating schooling, often making decisions that conflicted with institutional and societal expectations, but which were necessary for their well-being. These insights contribute to the growing body of NEET literature and offer important implications for education policy, particularly in the development of interventions that are responsive to the lived realities of vulnerable youth.