Employment, skills and economic security
South Yorkshire NEET Report Version 1: barriers to education, employment and training (EET)
Sheffield City Council · 2025
About this report
This report presents findings from a survey of 169 NEET young people aged 16–24 across Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, conducted between July and September 2025. The most prominent barriers to engaging in education, employment or training (EET) were mental health challenges, lack of qualifications, confidence issues, and bad past experiences with school or work. Young people with mental health challenges reported an average of 5.1 barriers per person — three to four times more than those without — highlighting mental health as a key multiplier of disadvantage. The report recommends integrating emotional wellbeing and neurodiversity-inclusive practice into all re-engagement services, alongside practical enablers such as transport support and financial assistance.
Research details
- Methodology
- SurveyMixed methods
- Sample size
- 169
- Sample
- NEET young people aged 16–24 across Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, primarily reached through local authority engagement channels; mostly aged 17–18, with those aged 21–24 underrepresented.
- Who it's about
- NEET (not in education, employment or training)
- Locality
- South Yorkshire (Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham)
- Place
- Yorkshire & the Humber
- Youth involvement
- No youth involvement