Do government training schemes for unemployed school leavers achieve their objectives? A psychological perspective.

The increasing rates of youth unemployment have given rise to concern in academic and political circles as well as amongst the general public. So much so that successive governments have introduced employment schemes specifically for this age group. Although a variety of opinions have been expressed concerning the value of such schemes and much thought and planning has gone into the design of successive generations of schemes, there appears to be little hard evidence concerning the effects they have on the well-being of young people. In the course of a study of the wider aspects of unemployment amongst school leavers, the authors collected evidence which they believe bears directly on this question. In a prospective study, which began by assessing fifth formers before they left school, it was found that in general those who went on to YOP schemes occupied an intermediate position between those who obtained work and those who remained unemployed, on a variety of measures of psychological well-being. However, it was found that those on Schemes were less likely than those in either of the other two groups to believe that they had a measure of personal control over their lives. The findings are discussed in relation to the design of employment schemes and the longer term implications.