Life Experiences of Young People Who Are Neither In Education or Employment: A Qualitative Research

Problem The fact that the young population, which represents the most active and productive segment of the country, is far from working life directly affects the future of the country. Purpose: To deeply examine the life experiences of young adults who are not included in education and working life, to reveal the difficulties they face and what needs to be done to participate in education and working life. Method: This study is a qualitative research and in-depth interviews were conducted with the participants and thematic content analysis was used in its analysis. 41 volunteer young adults determined by the snowball sampling method participated in the research. Findings: Our research findings revealed that the young adults who participated in the research could not continue their education, had a lack of experience, and felt bad and incomplete. Among the findings, it was highlighted that young adults attended vocational courses and looked for jobs in order to ensure their personal development. Conclusion It has been revealed that current programs aimed at the participation of young adults in education and working life should be improved and that the financial support that young people need in this process should be provided by state institutions. Originality/Value: This study makes an extremely important contribution to the literature in terms of making the life experiences of young people who are not included in education and working life visible. The results of this research have proven that programs for young people need to be developed. Keywords: Education, Employment, Unemployment, Young Adults