abstract: 'Purpose The objective of this study is to present evidence regarding how

  young people, who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in

  South Africa, lack literacy skills and access to enabling resources to

  actively search and navigate information services systems that are

  primarily web-based. Information Poverty Theory is adopted to better

  understand the technological and social strata challenges experienced by

  young NEET people. Design/methodology/approach The study used

  semi-structured interviews for collecting data over two months in 2018,

  employing snowball sampling with 24 key participants, representing a

  diversity of educational backgrounds and previous experience of economic

  participation. Findings The findings of this study suggest that most

  interviewed young people, who are NEET, lack advanced information

  literacy and digital skills to access information services. The results

  also indicate that access to information services that are primed for

  online information is a challenge for most of these NEET young people

  residing in underserviced communities. The high cost of an Internet

  connection means that the Internet is out of reach for most low-income

  households. In communities that are underserviced with no adequate

  information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, people

  residing in such areas are subjected to living in circumstances where

  there is poverty and thus a lack of access to online information.

  Research limitations/implications This paper reports on data collected

  in 2018 using intense interviews, while acknowledging limitations in

  terms of the sample size. Hence, it is not fully representative of the

  whole population of young people, who are NEET, residing in the Gauteng

  Province of South Africa. Practical implications The findings illustrate

  the need for further collaboration among relevant stakeholders to

  strengthen existing programmes and for stronger partnerships. The

  arguments presented herein enhance knowledge and understanding

  concerning the digital literacy skills divide that exists among young

  people who are NEET. It includes a discussion to contribute to policy

  development. Originality/value This study focuses on challenges young

  people who are NEET experience when looking for work and developmental

  opportunities. This qualitative study adopts Information Poverty Theory

  and uses prior studies to link the undertaken survey and research. It is

  expected that this study may serve as a pilot for future studies and may

  also contribute to the ongoing discussions around the use of ICTs on

  their use and access, especially the effect on young people when

  searching for information related to jobs and other developmental

  opportunities using online services.'
affiliation: 'Matli, W (Corresponding Author), Univ South Africa, Pretoria, South
  Africa.

  Matli, Walter; Ngoepe, Mpho, Univ South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.'
author: Matli, Walter and Ngoepe, Mpho
author-email: 'wmatli7@gmail.com

  ngoepems@unisa.ac.za'
author_list:
- family: Matli
  given: Walter
- family: Ngoepe
  given: Mpho
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1108/HESWBL-05-2020-0107
earlyaccessdate: SEP 2021
eissn: 2042-390X
files: []
issn: 2042-3896
journal: HIGHER EDUCATION SKILLS AND WORK-BASED LEARNING
keywords: 'Digital access; Digital inequalities; Information poverty; NEET; Digital

  literacy skills; South Africa'
keywords-plus: LITERACY
language: English
month: MAY 9
number: '3'
number-of-cited-references: '46'
orcid-numbers: 'Matli, Walter/0000-0003-3440-900X

  Ngoepe, Mpho/0000-0002-6241-161X'
pages: 419-436
papis_id: fbc29acba3b6ed3affb94d0eda571374
ref: Matli2022extendinginformation
researcherid-numbers: 'Matli, Walter/AAQ-5255-2021

  '
times-cited: '1'
title: Extending information poverty theory to better understand the digital access
  and inequalities among young people who are not in education, employment or training
  in South Africa
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000696650100001
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '22'
volume: '12'
web-of-science-categories: Education \& Educational Research
year: '2022'