The NEET Crisis.
“Getting to grip with the issues, the difficulties and the lost opportunities that surround those young people in Surrey who – by 16 or 17 – have effectively fallen out of one or a number of systems is truly challenging. During my year as High Sheriff, I will be particularly focusing on highlighting this issue and working to find a solution and in order to get the ball rolling I have commissioned an initial report with the help of a wonderful team at The University of Surrey entitled ‘Unseen Surrey – An Exploratory Overview of the NEET Crisis’ which can be downloaded HERE.” – Peter Cluff, March 2025.
‘Next Steps for NEET’s’ Conference 2025
20 May 2025
Following the publication of a report I commissioned at the beginning of my term as High Sheriff in March – ‘Unseen Surrey – An Exploratory Overview of the NEET Crisis’; a conference to discuss it’s findings and next steps took place yesterday at The University of Surrey.
‘Next Steps for NEET’s’ – focussed on bringing together the various groups working to reduce the number of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs), including representatives from local government, politicians, education and healthcare providers, police, charity and voluntary organisations and some past High Sheriffs, with a view to encouraging collaboration and the sharing of knowledge, data, experiences and ideas to hopefully provide a joined-up strategy to tackle the NEET issue going forward.
Keynote speeches were delivered by myself as High Sheriff, and Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County Council, and the conference was expertly curated by the team at CBE Research (The Centre for Britain and Europe at the University of Surrey) who produced the report, led by Professor Amelia Hadfield.
After an initial review of the findings, the conference split into three breakout groups, guided by presenters, facilitators and rapporteurs to have a collective deep dive into specific topics, sharing current practices and frustrations and developing ideas for pilot studies and co-ordinated action going forward. I was greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm and engagement in the rooms, and the desire to create a community of practice going forward to build on these discussions and encourage further collaboration.
A huge thank you to The University of Surrey for hosting the event and to everyone involved for their contributions.
CLICK HERE to Download a copy of ‘UNSEEN SURREY – An Explanatory Overview of the NEET Crisis’
A Powerful Demonstration of a Local Community Coming Together to Help its Own Young People.
10 June 2025
An important part of being High Sheriff is to shine a light on an issue of importance in the County and I have been drawing attention to the number of young people in Surrey ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET). I commissioned research from the Centre of Britain and Europe at the University of Surrey to produce and analyse data on the various cohorts that make up the NEET population and the factors which lead them to this position; and then held a conference at the University inviting key stakeholders who are aware of the issue and are trying to tackle it.
The outcome of the conference was to establish a Community of Practice or Steering Committee to encourage co-operation and collaboration between various entities, statutory and non-statutory to share knowledge, data, experiences and ideas to enable joined-up decision-making; and working parties to focus on data sharing, single-front door mentoring guidance and the creation of local community collaboration hubs.
On June 10th at KBR’s wonderful office campus in Leatherhead, such a local community came together in a very powerful show of local unity. Bill Donnelly and Eddie McArdie co-founders of The Link Centre assembled representatives from all parts of the local community including the local authority, education providers (from primary schools through to further education colleges), employers (including KBR, The Wates Group, Kier Property Group), the Police and local charities and voluntary service providers. The Chair (Tim Hall) and Vice Chair (Bernie Muir) of Surrey County Council and the CEO of the Surrey Camber of Commerce (Louise Punter) were also in attendance.
The evening was chaired by Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, who encouraged a vigorous debate after I had addressed the meeting on the NEET issue across the County and the findings of both the research and the conference at the University of Surrey. We heard storied of lived experience, challenges but also positive messages encouraging change. An initiative to teach horticulture skills and another to provide construction skills training to young people at risk of becoming NEET, whilst still at school, with the intention of guaranteeing them a job on completion was put forward by The Link Centre and offers of support were received from those in room. It was cooperation and collaboration personified and an example of what perhaps can be achieved for other local communities when they come together. I look forward to working with them to help reduce the number of NEETs and those at risk of being NEET in North Leatherhead.
CLICK HERE to Download a copy of ‘NEXT STEPS FOR NEETS – From Insight to Action’
AUGUST 2025 NEET UPDATE.
As I have previously related, a High Sheriff in their Shreval year can help shine a light on a particular issue and for me it is to highlight the number of young people who reach the age of 16-18 and are not in education, employment or training (NEET). On average in Surrey over recent years some 8.4% of young people in that age group each year are NEET or their status is unknown. Whilst not as high as some other parts of the UK, it still amounts to over 1,400 young people a year. I started my year by commissioning a research report by the Centre For Britain and Europe at the University of Surrey as part of a discovery process to ascertain the different cohorts that make up this NEET population and the interwoven factors that are at play. We have since then held three conferences inviting all stakeholders in the space to share their knowledge, data, experience and ideas with a view to finding collaborative solutions through earlier or alternative intervention. Prevention is better than cure both socially and economically. See the link above to the latest output, again produced by the Centre for Britain and Europe (CBE), which summarises our discovery progress to data, details the discussions and outcomes from the latest conference and outlines next steps. I am extremely grateful to Professor Amelia Hadfield and her team at CBE for their continued support and diligence, and also to everyone else who has contributed to the initiative so far.
VIDEO SUMMARIES FROM THE PRESENTERS OF THE FIRST NEETS CONFERENCE;
NEET Conference 2025 – The High Sheriff talks about the Conference at the end of the day.
NEET Conference 2025 – Molly Ellis – Project Accountability CIC
NEET Conference – University of Surrey – Project Coordinator / Philippe Lefevre
NEET Conference – University of Surrey – Professor Amelia Hadfield