Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Like blackspots on a lung x-ray?

In the US, there is a great deal of concern about the achievement gap between racial and socio-economic groups. The UK has a similar problem and the political and social results are similar. What's a government to do?

It would be interesting to compare the map below with one of where the worst of last summer's riots took place. It would also be interesting to compare this map with voting results from the last election.

Youth dropout blackspots revealed in a new report

Blackspots for youth disengagement where high levels of youngsters are not in education, work or training (Neet) have been revealed in a new report.

In Grimsby, Doncaster, Warrington and Wigan, nearly a quarter of 16 to 24-year-olds are Neet.

In a further nine cities in England and Wales, dropout rates for youngsters are about one in five.

The Work Foundation report blames a tough jobs market and cuts to youth services and education…

Places with the highest Neet rates tend to be in the north of England. These include Blackpool, Rochdale and Oldham, where about 20% of 16- to 24-year-olds are Neet. Birmingham in the Midlands and Swansea in Wales also has Neet rates this high…

Cities in the south of England have the lowest Neet rates. In Oxford, Plymouth and Cambridge, fewer than 10% of 16- to 24-year-olds are Neet. But Aberdeen and York also have rates this low.

In London, very high Neet rates greater than 20% persist in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Westminster…