NEET to OPPORTUNITY
Six pathways. One future. Real opportunities.
A programme for young people who are not in education, employment or training, or who could be soon. You choose the pathways that fit you, with support at each step.
Proposed pilot: 65 young people, 12 months, Greater Manchester. Eligibility is agreed when the pilot is approved.
Free, takes a few minutes and commits you to nothing.
What NEET means
NEET stands for Not in Education, Employment or Training. It describes where someone is at one moment in their life. It says nothing about who they are or what they can do.
Young people become NEET for many reasons. A course or a job may have ended. Someone may be caring for a family member, managing a health condition, or have been in a place that did not make the adjustments they needed. Others are deciding what to do next.
NEET to OPPORTUNITY also includes young people who are at risk of becoming NEET.
981,000
young people aged 16 to 24 in the UK were not in education, employment or training from April to June 2026. That is 13.0% of everyone in that age group.
Six pathways you can combine
The six pathways are options. You can start with one, combine several and change direction when you need to. You register interest once, whichever pathways you choose.
ENJOY SUCCESS starts on the first day. Friendship, creativity, wellbeing, belonging and celebrating personal progress are part of the programme from the beginning, alongside learning and work. Success does not wait for a job.
Connections show which parts of Our Opportunity Network relate to each pathway. Roles for young people are listed only once they are agreed.
IT’S POSSIBLE NOW also has three earning routes for adults: BUILD, WORK and SHAPE. In NEET to OPPORTUNITY they are three of the six pathways. About the adult earning routes
How it works
Seven steps, at your own pace. The six pathways are open at every step.
Step 1: Discover
Find out what the programme offers and what might suit you.
Step 2: Engage
Meet the team, ask questions and decide whether to take part.
Step 3: Assess
A supportive conversation about your strengths, your goals and anything that gets in the way.
Step 4: Develop skills
Learning, training and mentoring on the pathways you choose.
Step 5: Gain experience
Practical experience in workplaces, enterprise projects and community activities.
Step 6: Progress
A next step that fits you: a course, a job, paid work, an enterprise, a bigger role in your community, or more confidence.
Step 7: Continue support
Support carries on after that step, so it lasts.
All six pathways stay open at every step, so you can change direction.
About the Assess conversation
- It starts with what you can do and what you want.
- It looks at practical barriers, such as transport, confidence or adjustments at work.
- It is a conversation. There are no marks, and nobody passes or fails.
- You choose what to share. You do not need a diagnosis or medical evidence.
Each next step depends on what suits you and on the opportunities available, and we will be clear about what is available.
Who it may suit
- Young people who are not in education, employment or training, or who could be soon.
- People who know their strengths, and people who are still finding them.
- Young people with different abilities, including neurodivergent young people and young people with long-term health conditions.
- Anyone facing barriers such as transport, caring responsibilities, confidence, or a place that did not make adjustments.
- People interested in learning, work, enterprise, earning, shaping services or meeting new people.
You do not need a diagnosis, a label or any documents to explore the programme or register your interest.
What is confirmed and what is proposed
Confirmed
- NEET to OPPORTUNITY is an initiative of IT’S POSSIBLE NOW COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY, company number 16430786.
- The programme design: six pathways and seven steps.
- IT’S POSSIBLE NOW’s connections with Difability, POSSIQUE, Nuriqa and Gazian Water, set out on the network page. Our Opportunity Network
ProposedAgreed when the pilot is approved
- NEET to OPPORTUNITY 65: a 12-month pilot for 65 young people in Greater Manchester who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET.
- Who is eligible, including the age range, and how referrals work.
- Funding, delivery organisations and a start date.
- Specific placements, jobs and paid roles with employers and businesses.
What you can do now
Young people
Register your interest in NEET to OPPORTUNITY, or tell us what would help.
Registering interest is not an application and does not reserve a place.
Parents, carers and supporters
Ask about the programme for someone you support. Give your own details only, and talk to them before you get in touch.
Employers and businesses
Tell us about work experience, mentoring, training or jobs you could offer young people.
Colleges, training providers and referral organisations
Talk to us about delivery roles and how referrals would work.
Commissioners and funders
Read about the proposed pilot and request a briefing.
Questions about NEET to OPPORTUNITY
No. You do not need a diagnosis, a label or any documents to explore the programme or register your interest. If you would like support or adjustments, we talk about what would help.
No. The pathways are options. You choose the ones that suit you, and you can change them.
Some opportunities can be paid, such as a job, an apprenticeship or paid co-design work where payment is agreed. Other experience, such as a taster day, may be unpaid. You will know whether something is paid before you agree to it. The EARN page explains pay and income.
You can contact us about the programme as a supporter, using your own details. If the young person wants to register interest, they can use the form themselves, or we can talk to them with you.
BUILD, WORK and SHAPE are IT’S POSSIBLE NOW’s three earning routes for adults. NEET to OPPORTUNITY is a programme for young people with six pathways, and BUILD, WORK and SHAPE are three of them.
Start with a conversation
Tell us what interests you. We reply using the contact method you choose.