NEET youth as an actor in the social economy: A legal perspective

Background: The legal framework does not extensively discuss the topic of NEET young people, and works dedicated to this issue in the context of the social economy remain rare. This may come as a surprise, given the assumption that the social economy specifically tackles exclusion in the labor market. Research objectives: Therefore, the text primarily aimed to establish whether the legal regulations on the social economy currently in force in Poland address this heterogeneous NEET phenomenon and, if so, to what extent. Research design and methods: The research primarily encompassed statutory material specific to the social economy in Poland. The authors used the dogmatic method. Results: The research determined that the law provides a basis for social economy entities to impact NEET youth, albeit to varying degrees, due to their diverse nature. Conclusions: The NEET group itself is also diverse, and the volitional sphere influences how one understands the law’s impact on NEETs. Although the research question received a clear answer, the analysis of regulations revealed a critical issue in legal studies: the absence of a legal definition of NEET youth.