The meeting promoted by the Gi Group Foundation in Milan
The Fondazione Mondo Digitale was invited to participate in the meeting ‘Early school leaving and the NEET phenomenon: a look together’, hosted at the Training Hub of the Gi Group Foundation in Milan.
The event was an important opportunity to discuss the phenomenon of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and early school leaving, with the presentation of the Neet Observatory, which will be launched by the Gi Group Foundation next June. This research aims to fill the lack of a shared database on the subject and to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics of young people aged 18-24 who are not in education, training or employment.
Among the most significant data that emerged:
- over 400,000 young adults in 2023 had not completed any education beyond the eighth grade
- young people represent the age group with the highest school dropout rate
- women, although they complete their studies more frequently, encounter greater difficulties in accessing the world of work
- the school dropout rate in Italy is 10.5% among 18 to 24-year-olds.
The meeting also allowed us to explore the issue of Early Leaving from Education and Training (ELET), i.e. young people who leave school without obtaining a qualification higher than the equivalent of the Italian ‘third grade’ (the last three years of secondary school). In addition, the intention to create a free virtual platform was shared, which will make data on NEETs available at a national and regional level, encouraging the dissemination of good practices and intervention strategies.
During the meeting, I had the opportunity to learn about concrete experiences and projects active in the area, reinforcing the conviction that only through joint work can effective and long-term solutions be offered.
Story and reflection by Miriam Pintore, project officer
