Towards a more all‐inclusive evaluation of interventions for unemployed youth: A longitudinal investigation of participant, programme, relational and contextual factors

Youth unemployment has severe and long‐lasting consequences. Despite the abundance of programmes that aim to integrate unemployed youth into the labour market, little is known about what factors have an impact on ensuring a durable labour market transition. This study reports on an employment programme for high‐educated, unemployed young adults. The effect of participant, programme, relational and contextual factors on employment success was examined in a longitudinal study among 1,306 young adults. Twelve months after the programme, 1,069 participants were employed. Participant and relational factors increased the likelihood of employment success, while the effect of programme factors was mixed. Contextual factors decreased the likelihood of employment quality. The prediction of employment status and quality was based on a different combination of factors, which underscores the importance of investigating both, especially in a highly educated sample. More insight into the role, the four primary determinants play in finding employment can help improve employment interventions. Several courses of action are presented.