Abstract
This paper focuses on the serial attempts of British government to solve the seemingly intractable problem of youth unemployment, a conundrum with which they have struggled, at least since the 1970s. It begins by locating a range of initiatives instigated by different administrations across four broad policy eras. The paper then focuses on New Labour’s approach to dealing with young people classified as NEET (not in education, employment or training) through critically examining a range of social-market initiatives implemented under New Labour’s New Deal for Young People, to which the Connexions service and its use of personal advisors were central. It goes on to compare and contrast this with the emerging approach of the present-day Labour government, which, we suggest, has some similarities albeit operating in significantly different economic circumstances. The central argument of the paper is that present-day Labour needs to move beyond the dominant supply-side initiatives of the past and avoid recreating ‘Connexions-lite’ by expanding on some of the modest, yet relatively successful, demand-side initiatives trialled under New Labour. This, we argue, is necessary if present-day Labour is to achieve its goal of economic growth whilst increasing the number of young people engaged in education and employment.