Young people in NEET situations in the Trenčín Region: results presented at a conference
At a conference in Trenčín we presented the results of a regional analysis of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) and of young people at risk of this situation. The analysis was prepared for the Regional Leisure Centre in Trenčín (Krajské centrum voľného času). Its authors are Eva Ivanová, Jana Masárová, Zoltán Rózsa, Viera Ondrášková, Emília Lazarová and Boris Jánsky. Jana Masárová presented the quantitative part; I presented the qualitative part.
What the data show. According to the 2021 Census, 14,910 young people aged 15–29 in the Trenčín Region were NEET, i.e. 16.85% of this age group. In the narrower definition (only the unemployed and people keeping house) the figure is 11,643, or 13.16%. The highest shares are in the districts of Prievidza (18.79%) and Partizánske (18.19%). More than 65% of young NEETs have secondary education, just under 21% tertiary and more than 14% basic education.
What young people told us. We carried out the qualitative research between October 2024 and January 2025 through focus groups and interviews in seven towns of the region. Participants included 311 young people (48 active NEETs, 91 inactive NEETs and 172 students at risk) and 114 teachers and youth workers. NEET situations arise from a combination of objective barriers – the region's economic situation, few flexible jobs, low wages, weak practical training, transport accessibility – and subjective factors such as motivation, family background, mental health and self-confidence.
What we propose. Of the 283 organisations in the region that work with young people, only 25 focus specifically on NEETs. We therefore proposed one-stop contact points in Trenčín, Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Púchov and Handlová, eight areas of prevention – from career guidance through family support and psychological help to cooperation between schools and employers – and a set of measurable indicators for evaluating their work.
More about the project: Regional analysis of young people in or at risk of NEET status in the Trenčín Region.