Rethinking Youth Unemployment

By Jason M. Dudley

Youth Unemployment, Mental Health & Neurodiversity: Why Changing the System Matters More Than Blaming Young People

With over 30 years of experience working with young people, including those labelled as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and living with complex needs, I’ve seen a consistent pattern: young people want to contribute, achieve and thrive. But too often the systems around them make this harder, not easier.

Recent discussions on the Laura Kuenssberg Show highlighted a stark reality: 76% of economically inactive young people are out of work due to mental health issues, including neurodivergent conditions.

This should have been a moment for a national conversation about systemic barriers, inclusive support, and workplace readiness. Instead, much of the policy narrative continues to focus on individual responsibility, with the Government’s new Youth Offer again referencing sanctions for ‘non-engagement’.

This language is not only unhelpful; it echoes the punitive stereotypes of the 1980s, when youth unemployment was often framed as a personal failing rather than a societal one. It re-stigmatises mental health, problematises neurodiversity, and positions young people as ‘choosing benefits’ rather than acknowledging the real barriers they face.

Individual Responsibility Matters - But It Cannot Be the Whole Solution

Young people do have agency, and many show remarkable resilience. But resilience cannot compensate for:

  • rising mental health needs
  • inconsistent access to support
  • neurodiversity-unaware environments
  • insecure or low-paid entry-level work
  • rigid training programmes
  • negative stereotypes that undermine confidence

Expecting a young person struggling with anxiety, ADHD, autism, trauma or depression to ‘just engage’ is unrealistic without the right scaffolding.

In cognitive-behavioural theory, behaviour is understood as the product of both the individual and their environment (Lewin, 1936; Beck & Haigh, 2014). If we truly take this principle seriously, then it is the context, not just the individual, that must change.

Apprenticeships Are a Powerful Opportunity - But Only If the Context Is Supportive

Apprenticeships and employer incentives offer enormous potential for young people. When done well, they allow young people to:

  • build skills
  • gain paid experience
  • develop confidence
  • establish their identity in the world of work

But this potential is only unlocked if workplaces understand and support the diversity of young people entering them.

This requires:

  • managers trained in neurodiversity and mental health awareness
  • flexible communication and supervision
  • psychologically safe workplaces
  • accessible pathways for support
  • mentoring embedded as part of the culture
  • realistic pacing of workloads and expectations

Investment in apprenticeships is brilliant, but industry must also be ready to nurture the diverse minds and talents young people bring.

Without that, we simply place young people into environments that are not designed for them, and then blame them when it doesn’t work.

Building Communities That Champion Wellbeing

At The Wellbeing Community, we believe improving youth employment outcomes means supporting the entire ecosystem, not just the individual young person.

This is supported by research data. According to Mental Health UK (2025):

  • 28% of workers aged 18–24 have taken time off due to mental health
  • Yet only 56% feel confident discussing stress with their manager

This confidence gap affects early careers, retention, wellbeing and performance.

That’s why we provide interactive CPD-accredited training designed specifically to bridge this gap, supporting managers, HR professionals, workplace mentors and leaders to understand and engage young people more effectively.

Click here for more information on our training courses

Changing the Narrative: From Blame to Belonging

If we want to reduce youth unemployment and build a thriving future workforce, we must shift the narrative:

  • away from blame
  • away from stigma
  • away from the idea that young people are the ‘problem’

And instead recognise:

  • the complexity of youth mental health today
  • the significance of neurodiversity
  • the pressures of insecure work and economic instability
  • the responsibility of organisations to build inclusive cultures
  • the importance of mentorship, wellbeing, and psychologically safe workplaces

Young people are not ‘choosing’ to be out of work. They are navigating tremendous societal, economic and mental health pressures.

Our responsibility, as professionals, employers, policymakers and communities, is to make sure the environments around them allow them to succeed.

If we do that, the potential of this generation is extraordinary.

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