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This chapter presents a reflection on how social sciences approach the ways young people conceptualize a desirable future, a critical element of how they relate to society as actors. Though we acknowledge that aspirations draw upon the personal preferences of young people, we emphasize that their aspirations are also socially constrained. Taking this socially embedded nature of aspirations seriously leads us to argue that a thorough understanding of the social roles of aspirations entails an appreciation of the opportunities young people have to develop their views on a desirable future: their capacity to aspire. In addition, we contend that the capacity to aspire of young people living in disadvantaged circumstances can only be comprehensively understood if aspirations are analysed from a multidimensional perspective.

In the UK a significant number of young people do not make successful transitions into further education, training or employment on leaving school, which has been exacerbated further by the current economic crisis. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interview data, this paper examines two Third sector programmes in the UK that can be seen moving away from ‘work-first’ employment activation and focusing instead on promoting the individual capabilities of disadvantaged, unemployed youth in finding work. When this move is considered through a capability approach perspective, questions are raised about the voice of young people, as their aspirations can be limited because of the social contexts in which they live. It is argued that enabling unemployed youth to choose the work that they have reason to value cannot be achieved without taking into account the importance of the external context; and so while young people’s choices may be developed through providing role models etc. it is still a choice shaped and restrained by the context of wider labour markets and education and training opportunities; and the personal and social barriers that inhibit young people from entering work.

This chapter introduces the nine case studies, the common question framework used and the different methodologies adopted. The aim of the case studies is to examine the tran of disadvantaged young people from compulsory school to further education, from education/vocational training to the labour market and from being unemployed/sitions outside the labour market into employment. They also look at examples of education and employability programmes that may support young people in these transitions in order help us understand the trajectories from school to work from a capability approach.