The Challenges of Social and Professional Integration

There are currently 1.4 million young NEETs (Neither in Employment, Education or Training) in France who are neither employed, nor in training, nor in education of whom 1 in 4 live in the city’s priority districts. This category covers very different realities with especially qualified young people who leave the education system and are looking for a first job, and of course those we call the «dropouts», who have left the education system without any diploma and are more akin to “flunkies”. Who are these young NEETs? Do they represent a failure of current educational and social policies with needs of societies skills needs especially in labor shortage? Is the social isolation of NEETs only a consequence of financial barriers, or must family situation, health status and psychological and cultural factors also be taken into account to promote their reintegration? Which public policies should be favored for effective integration?