Youth unemployment can be understood as a public health risk. This paper explores the multi-disciplinary literature in this field, and its relevance to support for NEET (not in education, employment or training) young people. Unemployment may have a scarring effect on health, with lifelong consequences for individuals and for society. To the extent that illness has social causation, it may potentially have social remedies. Evidence for the effectiveness of mental health prevention with young people is limited, but recent research suggests that moving people on from unemployment leads to health improvements. Schools, colleges, training providers, and the welfare benefits system all have a role to play in reducing the impact of unemployment. Career guidance services are particularly well placed to reach potentially vulnerable young people.