Drama Education Is Part of the Solution to Youth Disengagement

DTEA
Jul 14
4 min read

DTEA response to Alan Milburn's Young People and Work: Interim Report

We are at risk of a lost generation.

That is the stark warning from Alan Milburn's Young People and Work: Interim Report, commissioned by the UK Government to examine the growing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The scale of the challenge is alarming. At the end of 2025, 957,000 young people aged 16–24 were NEET, equivalent to almost one in eight young people. If they formed a city, it would be the third-largest in the UK. [1]

Milburn argues that youth disengagement is no longer a temporary labour market problem but a deeper crisis of participation:

"Nearly 60% of young people who are NEET now are economically inactive. They are not just out of work. They are not looking for work." [1]

While drama and theatre education are not explicitly discussed in the report, its findings provide powerful evidence for the value of creative learning. The review repeatedly emphasises the importance of confidence, communication, belonging, aspiration and employability skills—the very capabilities that drama education develops every day.

A Crisis of Confidence

One of the report's most striking observations is that the consequences of disengagement extend far beyond employment.

Milburn writes:

"Every month a young person spends detached from education or work adds cost. Cost to them, above all else. To their confidence. Their health."

The report describes work as something that provides:

"structure to the day, purpose to the week, confidence to the person and contribution to the country."

Drama educators have long understood the importance of confidence as a foundation for success. Through performance, collaboration, rehearsal and creative risk-taking, young people learn to find their voice, develop resilience and build self-belief.

These are not "soft skills"; they are essential life skills.

Young People Have Not Given Up

Contrary to common stereotypes, Milburn rejects the idea that young people lack motivation.

In fact, research conducted for the review found that:

"84% of NEET young people said they want to find a job, education or training."

Milburn concludes:

"Young people are not to blame. Institutions that should have provided opportunities to them are the ones that have failed."

This is an important challenge to all of us working in education. Rather than asking why young people disengage, we should be asking how schools, colleges and wider systems can create pathways that allow every young person to succeed.

Drama education offers exactly that kind of pathway—particularly for learners whose talents may not always be visible through traditional academic measures.

A System That Sees Attainment but Misses Potential

The report argues that schools are too often judged by examination outcomes rather than what happens to young people afterwards.

Milburn writes:

"Schools - like colleges - are measured overwhelmingly on attainment, not on outcomes."

He also warns that:

"Ensuring fewer young people leave school at risk of becoming NEET depends on getting the right balance in the school curriculum and the right exposure to work experience and careers guidance. That balance is still not right."

This is where drama has a crucial role to play.

Theatre and drama develop communication, teamwork, leadership, creativity, critical thinking and empathy—skills consistently identified by employers as essential in the workplace. Yet these same skills are often overlooked within accountability systems that prioritise examination performance above broader educational outcomes.

The Missing Skills for Work

Milburn reports hearing repeatedly from employers concerned about young people's readiness for work.

Employers described:

"a growing gap between what the workplace demands from day one and what a significant proportion of young applicants are equipped to provide."

Importantly, the report argues that this is not because young people are unwilling to work:

"The story I heard most often was of endeavour, of trying, of a desire to work."

Drama education helps bridge this gap by providing authentic opportunities to practise communication, problem-solving, teamwork and self-presentation in real-world contexts.

In many respects, a rehearsal room is already a workplace: one that requires punctuality, collaboration, resilience, responsibility and mutual respect.

Recognising Strengths, Not Deficits

Perhaps the passage most relevant to drama education comes towards the end of the foreword, where Milburn reflects on conversations with young people across the country:

"In almost every conversation I had, there was an interest, a passion, a talent just under the surface."

He continues:

"Too often those strengths had gone unnoticed and overshadowed by the labels attached to them."

This resonates deeply with the experience of drama teachers.

Drama classrooms are often places where young people discover strengths that conventional assessment systems fail to recognise. Creativity, leadership, empathy, collaboration, imagination and emotional intelligence all become visible through theatre-making.

For many students, drama is where they first experience success.

A Case for Creative Learning

The report ultimately calls for a system that focuses less on deficits and more on participation, potential and opportunity.

Milburn argues:

"Every young person has something to give: a skill, an aptitude, a potential."

That belief sits at the heart of drama education.

As policymakers seek solutions to the youth disengagement crisis, the case for creative learning has never been stronger. If we want young people to develop confidence, communication skills, resilience, creativity and a sense of belonging, then drama cannot be viewed as an optional extra.

It must be recognised as part of the solution.

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Most impactful statistics for social media or pull quotes:

- 957,000 young people are NEET in the UK.

- 1 in 8 young people are not in education, employment or training.

- 60% of NEET young people are economically inactive.

- 6 in 10 NEET young people have never had a job.

- 84% of NEET young people want a job, education or training opportunity.

- The estimated annual economic cost is £125 billion.