Nutritional capabilities of young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) in Langa, Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

The opportunities and challenges faced by young people who are not in any kind of employment, education or training (NEETs) are under-reported by scholars in the field of development. In this regard, what NEETs in South Africa know about nutrition and how they pursue nourishment are neglected areas of research. Yet they are important considerations for policymakers. The majority of young people in the age group 18–24 are, strictly speaking, no longer their parents’ responsibility, with the child support grant that their caregiver may have received having terminated when they turned 18. However, many young people have not found jobs and are therefore not financially independent. As a result, they are constrained in being able to access food (or at least the food that they particularly enjoy). This study aimed to investigate the lived experiences of young adult NEETs in terms of food and nutrition, what they do to ensure that they are nourished, and the kinds of nutritional achievements that they have to choose from.