The Risk of Becoming Neet in Poland

The emerging phenomenon of young NEETs in recent decades has been linked to transformation processes of societies like the global processes of individualization and de-instutionalisation of a life-course and individualization of social risks (i.e. Beck, 1996). The effect of de-instutionalisation seems to be much stronger in Central and East-European EU member states, also in Poland, where the collapse of the strictly regulated old system has considerably increased flexibility and vulnerability of youth transitions if compared to the old EU members. The economic recession starting from the late 2000s has further worsened the process of young people’s transitions towards independent living. Becoming NEET is the risk for a young people and for society.

The main question of the paper is on the scale and dynamic of the Polish NEET population and its heterogeneity in perspective of ways and barriers of transition to independent living of the young. I also discuss the consequences of being NEET for young people and for societies. The analysis are based on quantitative data of Polish Central Statistical Office and the Eurostat the disclosure of the scale, dynamics and differentiation of socio-economic characteristic and on qualitative data collecting of own research to show the reasons of the decision of the young belonging to NEET of remaining outside the labor market and education and consequences for their fate and the situation in the society.