ABSTRACT
This paper focuses on the role of area perceptions in shaping access to work for young people in Belfast. 1 The context for the paper is set by UK-wide academic and policy debates about employability, spatial mismatch, social exclusion and cohesion, and sources of careers advice/guidance. The more local Northern Ireland concerns with sectarianism and Targeting Social Need (TSN) policies involving commitments to locate jobs in or near socially deprived areas are also highly pertinent. 2
