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Census-based deprivation indices have been widely used in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada and UK to measure area-based socio-economic inequalities. This paper examines the indicators used in census-based area deprivation indices using a political ecology approach. We question whether the current indicators of deprivation derived from census data are meaningful for the all age groups and minority groups in the population, with a particular focus on deprivation indicators used in New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. We comparatively reviewed methodological papers and reports that describe the indicators of deprivation in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Canada and the UK from 1975 to 2014. We consider the relationship between the notion of standards of living and measurements of deprivation and explore how hegemonic cultural constructs are implicit in measures of deprivation that privilege a Eurocentric, ageist and gender normative construction of statistics. We argue for more political ecological analyses to studying the relationship between social inequalities, geographies, health inequities and political economy to transform structures of oppression and inequality. This requires turning the analytical gaze on the wealthy and privileged instead of defaulting into deficit models to account for inequality. Studies of deprivation and inequality would benefit from understanding the processes and operations of power in the (re)production of socio-economic and health inequities to inform holistic strategies for social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Work-based experience assists vulnerable youth to secure full-time work. • Supportive adults are important in employment outcomes for vulnerable youth. • Matching education to specific needs of these youth may assist in work transitions. • Risk behaviors do not appear to undermine chances vulnerable youth will secure work. • Neighborhood and family risks do not undermine employment prospects of these youth. Youth exposed to high levels of adversity during childhood face major challenges in achieving normative milestones such as securing employment. Effective support holds the potential to significantly change the long-term outcomes for these youth, but there is debate about what programme components are most effective in scaffolding these youth into work. This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods longitudinal study that collected survey data for three years followed by qualitative work with a representative subgroup of youth (n = 107) for a further three years. It explores a subset of data to identify factors associated with positive employment outcomes for these youth (aged 12–17 at study entry). A particular concern was to identify factors that were amenable to intervention in order to provide professionals and policy-makers with evidence concerning the most important programme components and policy settings. Factors that made the most difference to the employment outcomes for this ethnically diverse cohort of vulnerable youth were a history of employment, employment-related skills and access to ongoing support. In addition, male gender and older age played a role in these outcomes. Commonly identified risk factors (substance use, offending) did not play a role, neither did ethnicity, family nor neighbourhood characteristics nor individual strengths. The importance of early exposure to workplaces, opportunities to develop employment skills, and access to ongoing support from at least one positive adult, are key factors for programmes supporting the employment transitions of vulnerable youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]