Pressure from neo-liberal state agencies forced francophone literacy centers to redefine themselves as sources of distribution of linguistic resources defined as skills that increased employability.
There is a lack of empirical data of this nature on young people's attitudes to these employability issues.
The activation programmes designed to improve employability were coupled with 'make work pay' policies to increase the attractiveness of employment.
Little is known, however, about the responses to these issues of those deemed to have employability problems.
In considering this it is crucial to understand what people with employability problems say they need out of working life.
These schemes combine intensive personal advice and assistance with activities designed to enhance employability: mainly training or work placement.
Such policy does not create a powerful learning environment and therefore does not improve the employability of young people, especially in the long term.
However, one's judgement regarding one's ability to work may be an even more important contributor to employability than work skills themselves.
