Youth Not in the Educational System and Not Employed

This article presents the results of an analysis of the characteristics of youth 16–30 years of age who are neither in the educational system nor employed (NEET youth—“not in employment, education, or training”). Using the example of two groups of youth—(1) those seeking employment and (2) those who do not want a job—we identified their differences in employment preferences, job experience, and life satisfaction. The social factors involved in these differences are determined not only by place of residence, but also by the models the youth have adopted to ensure their own well-being. We show that while the group of unemployed youth is relatively homogeneous and rural–urban differences are attributable to differences in the local labor markets, the group of those who do not want a job differs significantly between the urban and rural areas. We conclude that their differences in relation to employment are also explained by personal motivations and individual life situations. Materials of the Russian Monitoring of the Economic Situation and Health of the Population (RLMS-HSE) comprised the information base for the research.