Social Work Graduates as Youth Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) in Türkiye: An Intersectional Analysis

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This research investigates the experiences of social work graduates as youth who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) by employing an intersectional perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 social work graduates who are unemployed for at least a year. The findings encompass three key themes: being NEET, the reasons for being NEET, and solutions proposed by social work graduates as NEET. The findings evaluate the shared experiences among participants while endeavoring to elucidate how these experiences diverge concerning various social categories. From an intersectional perspective, the results expose disparities in the NEET experience, considering factors such as gender, marital status, being a parent, class, social capital, geographical location, and societal perceptions. The research is expected to contribute to the body of knowledge concerning educated NEETs and the unique strength of it lies in the absence of previous investigations pertaining to NEETs as social work graduates. It is advised that individual and structural factors should be considered in analyzing the experience of being NEET and that micro, meso, and macro social work interventions should be developed in terms of these factors. Furthermore, future research endeavors can focus on evaluating the efficacy of interventions and conducting comprehensive mixed-method studies.