Year Published: 2016
Date Published: 16/12/2016
Author/s: Dr. Ellen J Helsper, Svetlana Smirnova
Research Link: https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/assets/documents/research/projects/disto/Slipping-through-the-Net-December-2016.PDF
Methodology: This study combined qualitative focus groups with an online survey. The survey included a broader sample of youth in general while the focus groups focused exclusively on conversations with NEETs. The five focus groups were conducted during the month of August 2016. They took place in The Prince’s Trust points of delivery of educational and social programmes aimed at NEET youth (including further education colleges, the Prince’s Trust centres, and fire stations). Each of the discussions lasted from one to one and a half hours and involved anywhere from four to eight participants, between the ages of 16 and 26.
Key Takeaways:
Dr. Ellen J Helsper with the assistance of Svetlana Smirnova (for the Prince’s Trust)
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) access, skills and relevant content are not equally available to all.
This unique report sets out to analyse the range of digital skills that young people from different backgrounds possess.
Disadvantaged young people are likely to have lower quality access and lower levels of digital skills which impede their ability to take up education and employment opportunities. This is also likely to prevent them from avoiding risks that might lead to physical or emotional harm.This report aims to shed some light on the troubling inequalities in digital engagement which exist today between disadvantaged and advantaged young people.