Table 1 Characteristics of included trials
ID | Authors | Date | Design | Intervention | Control | Participant characteristics | Sample size | Outcomes measured | Effect size (d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alzua, Cruces, & Lopez-Erazo [30] | 2013 | Exp | Entra21 Classroom Internship Basic skills 884 h | No contact | Argentinian Below poverty line Unemployed 18–30 \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 23.55 (I), 23.80 (C) 33% male | 407 randomised. 407 analysed. | Employment status Receipt of welfare Credit standing N credit enquiries | .154 – – – |
2 | Attanasio, Kugler, & Meghir [29] | 2011 | Exp | Jóvenes en Acción Classroom On-the-job 6 months, 5 h per day | Wait-list | Columbian Unemployed Lowest deciles of income distribution/Poor youth in urban areas \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 21.1 (I), 21.22 (C) 44.4%male | 4353 randomised 3549 analysed. | Employment status Earnings | |
3 | Bloom, Orr, Cave, Bell, & Doolittle [33] | 1993 | Exp | JTPA II-A Classroom On-the-job Other services 3–5 months | Some received classroom training only. | USA Economically disadvantaged, facing barriers to employment. 45% male \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 19 | 4793 randomised. 4048 analysed. | Employment status Earnings Achieved HSD or GED | |
4 | Borland, Tseng, & Wilkins [31] | 2013 | Exp | YP4 Case management 23 meetings, 2 years | Standard service delivery | Australian Homeless (or history of homelessness/disadvantage) job seekers 18–35 \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 23.34 (I), 22.92 (C) | 445 recruited. 208-355 analysed. | Employment status N days income support Receipt of welfare DEEWR programme expenditure Health and Wellbeing Community activities Housing | |
5 | Borland, & Tseng [34] | 2007 | Quasi | Job seekers diary Work search verification Fortnightly, 3 months | Standard service delivery | Australian 18–24 | 54,923 analysed (whole sample). | Receipt of welfare | |
6 | Card, Ibarrarán, Regalia, Rosas-Shady, & Soares [35] | 2011 | Exp | Juventud y Empleo Basic skills Internship 350 h | Not specified | Dominican Republic 44.5% male Lowest income members of working age population | 5723 realised treatment group, 1623 realised control group. | Employment status Earnings | |
7 | Cave, Bos, Doolittle & Toussaint [28] | 1993 | Exp | Jobstart Basic skills Occupational training 800 h, 6.6 months | 400 hours, not Jobstart. | USA Economically disadvantaged School drop-outs Low skilled 17-21 53.5% male | 2312 randomised. 1491 analysed. | Employment status Earnings Receipt of welfare Receipt of education Receipt of qualification Pregnancy Criminal activity | |
8 | Chen [36] | 2013 | Exp | Job Corps Academic Vocational Social skills 8 months residential | Wait list (3 years) | USA Disadvantaged Low income household 16–24 \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) 18.42 (I), 18.38 (C) | 15,386 analysed. | Employment status Earnings(weekly) Receipt of welfare | |
9 | Creed, Machin, & Hicks [37] | 1996 | Quasi | Youth Conservation Corps Work experience Classroom training 16 weeks | Wait list | Australian Unemployed >6 months 67% male (I), 52% (C) \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 18.76 (I), 18.71 (C) | 245 randomised. 82 analysed. | Self-esteem Psyc. distress | |
10 | Creed, Machin, & Hicks [38] | 1999 | Quasi | Unnamed Work experience 6–12 months | Wait list | Australian 54% male \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 19 Unemployed ≥12 months Eligible for government sponsored programmes | 65 randomised. 32 analysed at F3. | Psyc. distress Self-esteem | |
11 | Donovan, Oddy, Pardoe, & Ades [39] | 1986 | Quasi | Youth Opportunity Programme Work experience6–12 months | Did not access programme; unemployed. | UK \( \overline{x}\ \mathrm{age} \) = 15.93 at T1 65% male | 81 analysed. | Health status | |
12 | Stafford [40] | 1982 | Quasi | Youth Opportunity Programme Work experience 6–12 months | Did not access programme; unemployed. | UK 16–18 54% male | 133 analysed. | Health (GHQ) | |
13 | Mounsey [41] | 2002 | Quasi | Youth training scheme Further education Placements On-the-job Duration not stated | No treatment; matched. | UK 16–17 at T1 | Varied by analysis: 972 to 8885. | NEET status Expected earnings and reservation wages | |
14 | Nafilyan, & Speckesser [42] | 2014 | Quasi | Youth Contract Individually tailored support 12 months est. | Matched (counterfactual); same educational attainment and probability of receiving intervention. | UK 16–18 | 11,144 received intervention. | NEET status | |
15 | Schochet, McConnell, & Burghardt [43] | 2003 | Exp | Job Corps Educational Vocational Counselling Placements 8 months residential | Other services; not Job Corps. | USA Disadvantaged—living in a household that receives welfare or is below the poverty line, and living in an environment that impairs prospects for participating in other programmes. Free of serious behavioural and medical problems. 60% males>70% members of racial or ethnic minoritygroups 16–24 | 15, 406 randomised. 11,313 analysed. | Employment status Earnings | |
16 | Schochet, Burghardt, & Glazerman [44] | 2001 | Exp | Job Corps Educational Vocational Counselling Placements 8 months residential | Other services; not Job Corps. | As trial 15 | 15, 406 randomised. 11,313 analysed. | Employment status Earnings Receipt of welfare Receipt of education Health status Criminal activity | |
17 | Tanner, Purdon, D’Souza, & Finch [32] | 2009 | Quasi | Activity Agreement pilots One-to-one support Individually tailored contract Financial incentives 15 weeks | Standard service delivery; matched from non-participating areas. | England 58% males 16–17 NEET for >20 weeks Not receiving JSA. | 1018 analysed at F1, 229 analysed at F2. | Education and employment Confidence and independence | |
18 | Grace & Gill [45] | 2014 | Quasi | YP4 Case management 23 meetings, 2 years | Standard service delivery | Australian Homeless (or history of homelessness/disadvantage) Job seekers 18–35 | 422 assigned, 370 analysed. | Earnings Welfare receipt Housing |